Hugh C. Howey was born in 1975 in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is an American writer best known for his science fiction series Silo, part of which he published independently through Amazon.com's Kindle Direct Publishing system. Howey later signed distribution deals with large publishing houses in different countries but maintains the publishing rights and all e-book publishing. A theme prevalent in his work is the celebration of overcoming odds and not allowing the cruelty of the universe to change who you are in the process. His books, often classified as science fiction since they frequently take place in the future, are lauded for their great stories and memorable characters.

Born with a passion for reading and sailing, Howey had two dreams: to write a novel and to sail around the world. In 2009, he achieved the first by completing his first novel. His seventh published work, WOOL, became an international bestseller and has been translated into nearly 40 languages. His writing career has taken him all around the world, meeting amazing readers and witnessing extraordinary places. Howey is now embarking on a journey to fulfill his second dream, sailing around the world.

On his website, Howey shares insights into wayfinding, the ancient art of navigating by paying attention to the natural signs around us. He draws parallels between this ancient practice and self-improvement, using it as a method to navigate toward the better self we aspire to be.