Hilary Joseph Francis Lofting (23 May 1881 – 3 May 1939) was an Australian novelist, travel writer, journalist and editor.

After graduating, he was involved in railway construction around Ireland, continental Europe and Argentina as a civil engineer.

He was encouraged by friends to write about his experiences in Buenos Aires, under the pseudonym of "Francis Brien".

Lofting decided to be a full-time writer and quit civil engineering, but May was opposed to his career change.

[2][4] He was listed alongside Edward J. O'Brien, Henry Handel Richardson and Alan Marshall as one of the excellent short story writers in Australia.