Livia De Stefani was born into a wealthy landowning family in Palermo, and educated at a convent.

[3] She went on to write a collection of three short stories, Gli affatturati (1955),[4] another collection of short stories, Viaggio di una sconosciuta (1963, Journey of an Unknown Woman), several more novels, Passione di Rosa (1958, The Passion of Rosa), La signora di Cariddi (1971, The Lady of Cariddi), and La Stella Assenzio (1975, The Star Absinthe),[5] and a memoir, La mafia alle mie (1991, The Mafia Behind Me).

[2][6] De Stefani's writing is known for its dark psychological themes[3][4][5] and its Sicilian cultural context, or sicilianità, including her descriptions of the 1968 Belice earthquake.

[8] De Stefani's novel La vigne di uve nere was adapted for television in 1984.

She appeared onscreen in the film Summer Night with Greek Profile, Almond Eyes and Scent of Basil (1986).