Cathy Cassady was born in San Francisco in 1948. Her parents, Neal and Carolyn Cassady, were writers involved with the so-called "Beats". Cathy's father was the inspiration for many literary characters, most notably Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's 1957 novel, On the Road. Cathy has published two books about her mother, Carolyn: Travel Tips for the Timid Or, What Guidebooks Never Tell You and Poetic Portrait: Carolyn Cassady Revealed in Poetry and Prose. Cathy lives in Northern California with her husband, dog, and tortoise.