William Carlton Lanyon Dawe was a prolific Australian author whose literary career spanned over four decades. Born in 1865 in Moonta, South Australia, into an old Cornish family, Dawe moved to Melbourne around 1880 with his parents.

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Dawe’s early works, published under his given name, William Dawe, included poetry collections such as 'Sydonia and Other Poems' (1885) and 'Love and the World and Other Poems' (1886). His first novel, 'Zantha' (1886), also published under his birth name, represented his initial attempt at fiction. However, it was under the pen name Carlton Dawe that he gained greater recognition, shifting his focus from poetry to the genres of romance, mystery, and crime.

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Dawe spent considerable time in Asia, and his novels often explored the complexities of colonial life, interracial relationships, and the challenges faced by white settlers in the Far East. Works such as 'Yellow and White' (1895) and 'Kakemonos' (1897) provide candid accounts of interracial dynamics, while thrillers like 'Yellow Man' (1900) delve into the mysteries of Chinese secret societies.

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Dawe settled in England in 1892 and continued to write prolifically. He produced a total of 74 novels between 1890 and 1936. His later years saw a shift towards playwriting, with works like 'The Black Spider' (1927) being produced in London. Despite his success, Dawe remained a somewhat enigmatic figure, with little known about his personal life. He passed away in Middlesex, England, in 1935.