Meera Lee Patel is a self-taught artist raised in America by the New Jersey shore, where she swam the bright waters and climbed cherry blossom trees until she grew old enough to draw them. Her illustrations are inspired by the magical mysteries of nature, the quiet stories that lace through everyday life, and the bold colours of her native India. She is the author of Start Where You Are and My Friend Fear.

Meera lives and works in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit her online at www.meeralee.com or follow her work on Instagram @meeraleepatel.