Rona D. Drinkard is an award-winning author and IT project leader from Buffalo, NY, now living in Maryland. By day she leads a team of IT project managers; by night she writes fiction inspired by her Buffalo roots and the power of friendship. Her debut novel, Friendship Matters, won multiple awards, drew Buffalo media attention—and even earned April 30th “Rona D. Drinkard Day” in the city and county. Its sequel, The Matters of Friendship, is already racking up international honors. Rona holds degrees from Daemen College and SUNY Buffalo State University. When she’s not writing or connecting with readers as the creator of the Friendship Matters Experience, she’s crafting with her Cricut, singing, traveling, or cheering on her favorite teams with her husband.