I’ve always been passionate about art and intrigued by art forgery. I decided to put years of study and research to good use by including both in my romantic suspense, IDENTITY CRISIS. As a writer, it’s great to be able to incorporate a personal interest into a novel. One item on my bucket list is to visit the top ten art museums in the world. I have six down and four to go. The first time I admired the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, I couldn’t believe how small the painting is for being the most famous painting in history. But like everyone, I was curious about her enigmatic smile and I wondered what she was thinking while posing for Leonardo da Vinci. What I didn’t wonder was, Is this painting real? The painting was stolen in 1911 and was found two years later, which has caused some debate over the years as to whether the original or a forgery was returned to the museum. It’s estimated that 20-25 percent of all artwork in museums are forgeries. Thomas Hoving, a former director at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, stated that 40 percent of the artwork…