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 recently named as a Finalist in Fiction-Romance for the American Writing Awards, Honorable Mention in Historical-Romance for the Coffee Pot Book Club Awards, and Honorable Mention in General Fiction for the New England Book Festival Awards. In addition, the Historical Fiction Company gave it a five star rating and "Highly Recommended" status. In the 2023 Book of the Year Contest sponsored by the HFC, In Silence Cries the Heart was just named winner of the Silver Medal in the category of Historical Fiction Romance, and most recently, it received the Gold Medal in Romance for the Feathered Quill 2024 Book of the Year.

"I'll be waitin' fer ye on the other side, my hand outstretched, till ye reach fer me when yer earthly time is done. Then our clasp shall ne'er be broken again..."

Sometimes love can be so strong that it ruptures the confines of a single lifetime, extending into those beyond. This is what Caitlyn Hegarty, an American schoolteacher, learns on her trip to Scotland where she soon becomes entangled in the tragic history of a pair of 17th-century lovers. Standing before the dungeon at Undlay Castle, she relives the romantic adventures of the roguish thief and poet, Donal Donn, and his doomed passion for Mary McElroy, the spirited daughter of the laird of Undlay.

Unable to shake their spell, Caitlyn is drawn into the shadows of the past as she attempts to solve the mystery enshrouding their forbidden love.Inspired by the true story of Domhnull Donn and Mary Grant, the novel depicts the timeless power of love amidst the lawlessness, superstition, and pageantry of a lost age.

Published 2023.