Dora Levy Mossanen was born in Israel and moved to Iran when she was nine. At the onset of the Islamic Revolution, she and her family moved to the United States. She has a bachelor’s degree in English literature from UCLA and a master’s degree in professional writing from USC. Dora is the bestselling author of the acclaimed novels Harem (2002), Courtesan (2005), and The Last Romanov (2012). Her fourth and most provocative book, Scent of Butterflies, will be released in January 2014. She is a frequent contributor to numerous media outlets including the Huffington Post and the Jewish Journal. She has been featured on numerous radio and television programs including KCRW’s Politics of Culture, Voice of Russia, and Radio Iran. She is the recipient of the Editor’s Choice Award from San Diego State University and contributes to the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. Dora Levy Mossanen's novels have been translated into numerous languages worldwide.