Award winning writer, Catherine Hughes is a first-time author who, from her earliest years, immersed herself in reading. Historical fiction is her genre of choice, and her bookshelves are stocked with selections from ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance Europe as well as those involving New England settlements and pioneer life in America. After double-majoring in English and business management on the undergraduate level, Catherine completed her Master's degree in British literature at Drew University and then entered the classroom where she has been teaching American, British, and World Literature at the high school level for the last thirty years.

Aside from teaching and reading, Catherine can often be found outdoors, drawing beauty and inspiration from the world of nature. Taking the words of Thoreau to heart, "It is the marriage of the soul with nature that makes the intellect fruitful," Catherine sets aside time every day to lace up her sneakers and run with her dog in pre-dawn or late afternoon hours on the beaches of Long Island. When her furry companion isn't busy chasing seagulls or digging up remnants of dead fish, she soaks in the tranquility of the ocean setting, freeing her mind to tap into its deepest recesses where creativity and imagination preside.

"In Silence Cries the Heart" was recognized as a Finalist in Fiction-Romance for the American Writing Awards, Honorable Mention in Historical-Romance for the Coffee Pot Book Club Awards, a Top Ten Finalist for Book Shelf Awards in Fiction, Honorable Mention in General Fiction for the New England Book Festival Awards, and a Semifinalist in Romance for the 2023 Indies Today Award. In addition, the Historical Fiction Company gave it a five star rating and "Highly Recommended" status (see below), and in the HFC’s 2023 Book of the Year Contest, the book was named winner of the Silver Medal in the category of Historical Fiction Romance. Most recently, “In Silence Cries the Heart” won the Gold/1st Place award in the 2024 Feathered Quill Book Awards Program for the Romance category.