Hilary Jane Hughes was born in Essex and became a Christian in her teenage years. Having suffered abuse within the family during her childhood, she began to write as a means of letting her feelings out. After completing teacher training, Hilary married Mike. They initially taught and lived in London, before moving to North Yorkshire where they settled. Having struggled with infertility, anxiety and insomnia-and sometimes her faith-Hilary returned to writing, initially as a therapy, but also as a vocation. She contributes regularly to services and events, and runs workshops and writing groups. In 2009, Hilary left classroom teaching and retrained to teach English as a foreign language. She delivers lessons to students in Harrogate, as well as working individually with language learners from Europe and the Far East. Hilary has two children and two grandchildren. She supports projects in Thailand and Vietnam, where she travels regularly. As an established poet, she enjoys to write about wild places, cities, people, events, faith and pain-asking questions and trying to find answers. In addition to writing, Hilary enjoys photography and card design, and trying new ways of generating good quality and accessible poems.