Joy Chant is the pen name of Eileen Joyce Rutter. She is a British fantasy writer, best known for the three House of Kendreth novels, published 1970 to 1983. Born in London, she started writing in her early teens. She began publishing her writing while working as a Schools Librarian in London. She attended college in Wales, where her father had been stationed during World War II. Later, she lived with her husband and children in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

Red Moon and Black Mountain won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award in 1972. The Grey Mane of Morning was a runner for the same award in 1981, with tenth place in the Locus Poll Award the same year. When Voiha Wakes won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award in 1984. The High Kings, which took second place in the Locus Poll Award, won the 1984 World Fantasy Special Award for Professional Work. lieutenant was also a nominee of the Hugo Award for Best Non-Fiction Book.