Ouida was the pseudonym of the English novelist Maria Louise Ramé (although she preferred to be known as Marie Louise de la Ramée). She derived her pen name from her own childish pronunciation of her given name "Louise".
She moved to London and ran up huge hotel and florists bills of up to 200 pounds per week and commanded soirees, inviting politicians, literary lights and artists. Many of her stories and characters were based upon her visitors. About 1871 she moved to Italy and settled permanently with in Florence.
Ouida wrote more than 40 novels, children's books and collections of short stories and essays.
(source: wikipedia)