Her full name is Carolyn Janice Cherryh.
Besides her SF novels, she also wrote a number of Fantasy books, including the Morgaine Cycle (which was written before Cherryh got her awards and became truly successful) and The Paladin.
Most of her books are highly captivating, because she has a true talent for creating believable settings and characters you really care for. The reader is also often showered with a great amount of information and references when witnessing a character's thought process. This can be overwhelming and confusing, but it makes the stories seem so much more real.