Karen Watkins (née Jones, born 1948),[1] writing as Catrin Collier, is a Welsh novelist known for her historical works, especially those in the Hearts of Gold series, set in her home town of Pontypridd between 1930 and 1950,[1] the first of which was adapted as a BBC drama in 2003.

[1] Her father, Glyn Jones, was a Welsh Guardsman serving in Germany when he met Gerda.

[6] In 2003, Hearts of Gold was adapted by BBC Wales as a two-part drama, directed by Richard Laxton and co-written by Matthew Baylis.

[6] She is a member of Swansea Writers' Group, which encouraged her from the outset of her career before she had published a novel.

[11] Ty Catrin, an adult education centre in Pontypridd, was named in her honour in 2002.