Lord of the Darkwood

Lian Hearn studied modern languages at Oxford University and worked as a film critic and arts editor in London before settling in Australia. A lifelong interest in Japan led to the study of the Japanese language and many trips to Japan. This fascination culminated in Lian writing Across the Nightingale Floor, the first in the internationally acclaimed Tales of the Otori series. Grass for his Pillow, Brilliance of the Moon and The Harsh Cry of the Heron follow. Lian Hearn is the pseudonym under which Gillian Rubinstein writes her adult literature.

Paul English is an actor and narrator based in Melbourne who has appeared in more than 40 productions with major Australian theatre companies. Some highlights include Shakespeare's Hamlet, Chekhov’s Ivanov and Stoppard's Arcadia. Paul's television credits include SeaChange, Curtin and Gallipoli. His narration of Li Cunxin's Mao's Last Dancer and Coming Rain by Stephen Daisley have both won AudioFile Earphones Awards.