The Story Behind the Cover of My Book
A few years ago, I left New Zealand on a journey that would forever shape my life. Even as I moved forward, the connection I had with my GP remained strong — professional, yes, but also deeply caring. We shared a love of music, and after I left, he sent me a CD whose lyrics spoke directly to my soul, encouraging me to keep going, to heal.
So when the time came to choose a cover for my book — which is a deeply personal story told under pseudonyms — it felt only natural to mirror the artwork from that CD. That decision led me down an unexpected and magical path of discovery.
The artwork turned out to be Flaming June, a luminous painting by the 19th-century artist Frederic Leighton. What I hadn’t known at first was the rich and emotional history behind both the painting and its muse.
Leighton’s model was Ada Alice Pullen, a young woman from a struggling family in London. After the loss of her parents, she took on the role of caregiver for her younger siblings. Frederic Leighton recognized something special in her — beauty, strength, resilience — and supported her dream of becoming an actress. He even gave her a new name: Dorothy Dene.
Dorothy later became widely believed to be the inspiration for Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion(1912), which eventually evolved into the beloved musical My Fair Lady (1956). Shaw knew Dorothy Dene well — their connection was strong.
A Journey to Kensington
Driven by curiosity (and guided, I believe, by spirit), I travelled to London to visit Kensington, where for the first time in 140 years, all of Frederic Leighton’s famous paintings were brought together in one incredible exhibit at Leighton House.
Touring his beautifully preserved home — with its exotic tiles and Middle Eastern influences — was like stepping into another world. I watched actors reenact the events leading up to the creation of Flaming June, including Leighton’s deep appreciation for the delicate flow of chiffon on his muse’s body.
Standing before the painting in person was a moment. A recognition. A resonance.
Flaming June has since returned to its current home at the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Puerto Rico, where it’s now revered as one of the world’s most iconic paintings. Remarkably, the painting had once been discarded — considered worthless in London even into the 1960s. It was eventually discovered by a builder hidden behind a chimney, still in its ornate gilt frame. He sold it for just £60 — what he believed was a fair price at the time.
A Personal Connection
What struck me most was how much the painting looked like me at 18 years old. The likeness was uncanny.
As someone who is deeply spiritual and an empath, I often receive guidance from the spirit world. During this time, I kept being told there was a woman with long auburn hair who was with me always. Was she an aunt? A guide? Eventually, the name Dorothy Dene kept surfacing.
I now believe she is both — a connection from a past life and a distant ancestor.
Choosing Flaming June as the cover of my book wasn’t just a creative decision. It was a soul recognition. A full-circle moment.
Proceeds from the book will go toward efforts to one day return this masterpiece to London, where her story — and mine — began.
