The Girl from Oto

History brims with silenced stories. Will Mira's be one of them?

Discover the thrilling tale of a 16th-century female artist--and the young scholar who risks everything to learn her secret. 

1500: Born during a time wracked by war and plague, Renaissance-era artist Mira grows up in a Pyrenees convent believing she is an orphan. When tragedy strikes, Mira learns the devastating truth about her own origins. Now she must make a dangerous choice--and find the strength to face those who would destroy her.

2015: Art scholar Zari unearths traces of a mysterious young woman named Mira in two 16th-century portraits. Obsessed, Zari tracks Mira through the great cities of Europe to the pilgrim's route of Camino de Santiago. Deep in the Pyrenees mountains, she makes a stunning discovery--but will it be enough to bring Mira's story to life? 

If you are a fan of history, art, intrigue, and romance, you will love this mesmerizing novel. 

Author Interview:
Q: Why did you write The Girl from Oto?
A: During travels with my family through Europe in 2010-11, I was thrilled by museum visits but my two young daughters were not. I wished more of the art they saw was relevant to them. We wandered through great halls of medieval and Renaissance-era paintings, and I mourned the lack of female artists. Meanwhile, my girls stared at portraits of frozen-in-time people in their gilt frames and were unmoved. I wished we knew more about the stories behind those portraits.
Then I visited Oxford University and saw a 500-year-old painting of a mysterious woman, attributed to female portrait artist Caterina van Hemessen. I was floored. So there were women painters in those days! I began to dig into history, and the idea for The Girl from Oto was born. I would bring one of those mysterious old portraits to life, and I would create a place in history for its maker. Along the way I learned that women have always been artists. Their work was often attributed to men or kept anonymous, but it exists. And more and more of these women are being rescued from history's shadows.
Q: What is the significance of the Camino de Santiago in the story?
A: The action in Mira's story takes place in the Pyrenees mountains along the pilgrim's route of Camino de Santiago (also known as the Way of St. James or St. Jacques). From the middle ages onward, this also happened to be a major trade route between what is now Spain and the rest of Europe. The mountain communities evolved with the constant presence of traveling pilgrims, itinerant merchants and artisans, smugglers, refugees, and nomadic shepherds. This created a dramatic brew of tensions, culture clashes, religious differences, unlikely alliances, the spread of disease, and a constant flow of news. Add into the mix the looming presence of the mountains themselves, and it's a writer's dream come true!
Q: Is there a sequel?
A: Yes. I am currently writing the sequel, Mira's Way, and it will be published in 2018. A third book will follow to complete the trilogy.
Q: What kind of reader likes your writing?
A: People who love history, art, travel, romance, and mystery will enjoy The Girl from Oto.