Juliet Marillier is a New Zealand-born writer of fantasy, focusing predominantly on historical fantasy. She was born on 7 August 1948 in Dunedin, New Zealand, and grew up surrounded by Celtic music and stories, which heavily influenced her writing.

Her own Celtic-Gaelic roots inspired her to write her first series, the Sevenwaters Trilogy. Juliet was educated at the University of Otago, where she majored in music and languages, graduating with a BA and Bachelor of Music (Hons).

Her lifelong interest in history, folklore, and mythology has had a major influence on her writing. Juliet is the author of twenty-one historical fantasy novels for adults and young adults, as well as a book of short fiction. Her novels and short stories have won many awards.

Currently, Juliet lives in a 110-year-old cottage in a riverside suburb of Perth, Western Australia. When not writing, she tends to her small pack of rescued animals.