Self-Portrait with Nothing

Orphan Black meets Fringe in a story that reminds us that living our best life sometimes means embracing the imperfect one we already have.

"Fraught and deeply moving...the work of a genuinely exciting new talent." â"Booker Prize winner, George Saunders.

âAimee Pokwatkaâs Self-Portrait with Nothing is tantalizing and elusive lacework, delicately balanced between the branches of fantasy, mystery and realism like a spiderâs web.â â"The New York Times

If a picture paints a thousand worlds . . .

Abandoned as an infant on the local veterinarianâs front porch, Pepper Rafferty was raised by two loving mothers, and now, at thirty-six is married to the stable, supportive Ike. Sheâs never told anyone that at fifteen she discovered the identity of her biological mother.

Thatâs because her birth mother is Ula Frost, a reclusive painter famous for the outrageous claims that her portraits summon their subjectsâ doppelg¤ngers from parallel universes.

Researching the rumors, Pepper couldnât help but wonder: Is there a parallel universe in which she is more confident, more accomplished, better able to accept love?

A universe in which Ula decided she was worth keeping?

A universe in which Ulaâs rejection didnât still hurt too much to share?

Combining a thrilling pan-continental race against time with an authentic and touching personal drama, Self-Portrait with Nothing is an unforgettable debut that explores what it means to be part of a family.