Hilary Scharper is a Canadian novelist who writes historical fiction —always with a gothic-nature twist. Her "ecogothic" writing is rooted in a deep love for the natural world. She is particularly drawn to wild spaces and places.

Hilary was born in Toronto, Canada, where she also attended university, studying cultural anthropology and eventually completing her doctorate at Yale. For over two decades she taught courses on animals, culture, and nature at the University of Toronto. In 2023 she retired from teaching to become a full-time writer.

The Lighthouse Chronicles draw on Hilary's experience at the Cabot Head Lighthouse and Nature Reserve on Georgian Bay (part of Lake Huron). For over 25 years, she and her family spent their summers there as "assistant lighthouse keepers" and "land stewards." She currently lives with her husband and son in Guelph, Ontario.