Stephanie Grace Whitson (born 1952) is an American writer of historical fiction. A native of southern Illinois, she has lived in Nebraska, United States, since 1975. She began what she calls "playing with imaginary friends" (writing fiction) when, as a result of teaching her four homeschooled children Nebraska history, she was encouraged and challenged by the lives of pioneer women in the West. Her interests include pioneer women's history, antique quilts, and French, Italian, and Hawaiian language and culture.