(Shir Zen. Women of lion lineage. That's us. Can't you see that, Ellie? One day, we'll do great things, you and I. We'll live a life for ourselves, and we'll help others. We may just be two cubs now, but we'll grow into lionesses, two strong women who make things happen.)

In our small library in Tehran, I looked back in Iranian history to explore the story of a bookish young woman who fell in love during the 1953 military coup in Iran. In this new novel, I explore the friendship between two girls from very different families and classes. I am neither a researcher nor a historian, but I am a novelist, and I know the power of storytelling. It is story that helped Scheherazade survive, and through storytelling we find solace, refuge, hope, and understanding. I hope, dear reader, to share with you the joys and losses, hopes, dreams, and worries of two young Iranian women. I made this story up, but it is real to me. I hope you enjoy their journey, and I hope you see some of your own in their hopes. I also hope that through their story, you will feel that our hearts are all one.