Parand AlaviDr. Parand Alavi was born in Iran, moved to France and attended medical school there.She fulfilled her residency in the US. She moved to northern Virginia 45 years ago after passing a Board of Internal Medicine examination for practice in the US. Eary on, Dr. Alavi began painting as a hobby. Her subjects most often dealt with Kurdish women dressed in their traditionally colorful garments. However, after 10 years of well received visual art, writing came easier. Her first five Arabic novels: The Empty Balloon, Mirage of Freedom, Broken Mask, Two Straw, and Dandelion are widely popular in Iran, Dandelions and Roses - A Contemporary Persian Romance is the American English translation of Dandelion. A translation of the autobiographic Two Straw is planned for release soon. Read More Read Less