Helen Teresa (Peirce) Williston (1875–1920), née Peirce, was born in Iowa, USA, on June 14, 1875. Little is known about this author, who published several series of stories from the Asian tradition with a notable didactic purpose and a simple yet exquisite literary style.

In 1904, she published her first series of stories dedicated to Japan with the Chicago publisher Rand McNally. The success of this first work, Japanese Fairly Tales, exquisitely illustrated by Sanchi Ogawa, led to the publication of a second compilation of stories from the Japanese tradition in 1911, Japanese Fairly Tales: Second Series.

In 1917, Hindu Tales, Retold, with illustrations by Maud Hunt Squire, was published.

Teresa died suddenly on December 17, 1920 at the age of 45, leaving behind three works that reveal a special talent as a storyteller for children.