Mary Elwyn Patchett (2 December 1897 – 1989) was an Australian writer of children's literature, beautician and dietitian.

[1] She married Alan Barrington Hill in 1921 and moved to Warren, New South Wales where she experienced more rural life.

[1][2] Patchett began her career in London by freelance writing until she could no longer do outdoor newspaper work due to an illness.

[4] Patchett was offered a job in a beauty parlour where she was shown a special technique based on muscular manipulation.

[6] Patchett fought for a common standard for beauty specialists, concerned about people providing temporary improvements which could do permanent harm.

[2][7] During her time working in beauty salons in London, Patchett also wrote short stories on the side.

[1] It inspired a long series of adventure stories from Patchett with animal characters and bush settings.

[10][11] Patchett wrote the chapter As Nature Left It, describing homestead life including depictions of platypuses and kookaburras.

Patchett claimed she used this gender non-specific pseudonym "because boys don't like books written by women.

"[9] She was keen to research the subject of her books, which led her to join British Interplanetary Society stating "I was determined not to write fool stuff in this field, so I decided to learn all I could about outer space and go on from there.

[2] She wrote about her experience with mice and snake plagues whilst living in Warren, which inspired her novel Call of the Heart.