Lian Hearn, born as Gillian Margaret Hanson on 29 August 1942, is an English-born children's author and playwright. Born in Potten End, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, she spent part of her childhood in Nigeria before moving to Australia in 1973.

Rubinstein, the name behind Lian Hearn, is known for writing over 30 books, eight plays, and numerous short stories and articles. Her award-winning and hugely popular 1986 debut, Space Demons, introduced themes of growing up and fantasy worlds that frequently appear in her other writings. Notable works such as At Ardilla, Foxspell, and Galax-Arena have received critical acclaim and multiple awards.

In 2001, she published Across the Nightingale Floor, the first of the best-selling Tales of the Otori series under the pseudonym Lian Hearn. The series, set in a fictional island nation resembling feudal Japan, marked her first work reaching an adult audience. The name 'Lian' comes from a childhood nickname, while 'Hearn' relates to herons, a prominent theme in the series, possibly borrowed from Lafcadio Hearn, a Western writer known for Japanese mythology.

Gillian Rubinstein, or Lian Hearn, currently resides in Mullumbimby, New South Wales.