Mary A. Byron is an award-winning American author, screenwriter and producer of global events, with over 25 years' experience in public affairs.  She is one of eight siblings, growing up in the family-owned funeral home business in the upper Red River Valley in Minnesota. From there, she moved to Washington, DC and has since traveled to and lived in a dozen international locations on diplomatic assignments with the U.S. foreign service, at embassies in South Africa, Switzerland, Malta and beyond.   ​Mary's debut 5-Star memoir, NO ORDINARY LIFE: Awakenings, is based on her first diplomatic assignment where she takes readers on a wild journey to South Africa during the final days of Apartheid leading up to the election of Nelson Mandela. She held onto this insider story until her husband, the agent, retired from diplomacy and is now free to share.  Her finalists awards include PAGE 2022, PAGE 2023, Top Tier, ScreenCraft x3, Austin Film, LA Intl, RoadMap x2 and is ranked top 3% Coverfly. Mary creates impactful stories drawn from her insider perspective of actual events living abroad as a diplomat, highlighting global issues and diverse cultures, with hopes of opening minds to a world of ideas.  Currently, Mary's is working on three scripts, and a new book, "No Ordinary Life - Thirty Years Later".  In addition to creating stories, Mary continues to work as an independent public relations consultant for Fortune 500 corporations, the entertainment industry, nonprofit and government projects globally. Currently, Mary resides in Colorado with her husband Patrick, a retired Diplomat, and their adopted pets.