Dora Levy Mossanen

An examination into a woman experiencing the ravages of betrayal, oppression while allowing her frustration and hurt lead her on an emotionally driven course, Scent of Butterflies (2014), delves into cultural differences and attitudes towards women and infidelity. Interesting, educational, not to mention an intriguing read with a potentially lethal emotionally unstable protagonist – “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”.

Dora Levy Mossanen is a frequent contributor to numerous media outlets including The Huffington Post, The Jewish Journal, New York Journal of Books, The Denver Post and Sh'ma. She has been featured on KCRW: The Politics of Culture, Radio Iran and numerous television programs. In 2010, Dora was accepted as contributor to the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.

The Islamic Revolution of 1979, the fall of the shah, and arrival of the Ayatollah Khomeini forced Mossanen and her family to leave Iran. They settled in California and became part of what is now the largest Iranian community in the United States. In 1986, Dora obtained a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of California Los Angeles, and in 1990 completed her master's degree in creative writing from University of Southern California.

Dora Levy Mossanen (Persian: دورا لوی مصنن, born December 28, 1945) is an American author of historical fiction. Her published works include Harem (2002), Los Angeles Times and Denver Post best-seller Courtesan (2005), Denver Post best-seller The Last Romanov (2012), and Denver Post best-seller Scent of Butterflies (2014). Her forthcoming novel Love and War in the Jewish Quarter is scheduled to be released November 8, 2022 by Post Hill Press. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California Masters of Professional Writing Program and is the recipient of the San Diego State University Editor's Choice Award.