Sharon M. Draper (b. Aug 21, 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio)

An African-American author who has won multiple awards for her books, including the Coretta Scott King Award (twice) for Forged by Fire (1998) and Copper Sun (2007).  A graduate of Pepperdine University, Draper took up teaching until, in 1991, a student walked into her classroom with an Ebony Magazine ad and asked her to write a short story for that magazine. She accepted, and soon won $5,000 for "One Small Torch." This gave her the idea to write novels. After 24 tries, Tears of a Tiger was finally published in 1994, to instant success. She currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and four children. She's best known for her novel, "Darkness Before Dawn," as well as "The Battle Of Jericho."