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Art of Loving Italy

Art of Loving Italy

Art & Beauty are all around us.

Waking Isabella starts in the distant past, then continues in the future with flashbacks. How did you keep track of parallel history lines?

March 6, 2018 by Melissa Muldoon Leave a Comment

waking-isabella-italy-multiple-time-line-medici-world-war-romance
Photo Credit: Pinterest

Writing a novel is an interesting experience, and I am learning that not all readers are wired the same. Just as each author has a unique story to tell that only he or she can tell, each reader is different and will react to a story and its characters based on their own personal tastes and preferences and their life experiences.

I think to fully appreciate my stories you have to have a sense of fantasy and be willing to travel along with my heroines into the past. The readers I find who can do this are highly imaginative and intuitive. They are willing to suspend their disbelief and easily allow themselves to be drawn into an alternative time reality. Then there are those readers who prefer and are more comfortable with straightforward story-line that follows a clear-cut linear path or a story firmly rooted in the present.

waking-isabella-italy-multiple-time-line-medici-world-war-romance
Isabella de’ Medici

To me the past influences the present. It continues to echo and remind us of past mistakes and things we need to remember. Learning about a historical figure, I genuinely believe can still cause a ripple effect that can even mold and shape the present.

One reader wrote: “I wonder why Nora’s friends worry about her when her thoughts drift off, and she thinks about the past? Don’t they find her a bit anti-social?” I laughed when I read that. Well, don’t we all lose ourselves in our own thought processes? Personally, I think it is a perfectly lovely way to spend one’s time imagining conversations that might have occurred in the past. Besides, I think it is a far better pastime than looking at a cell phone and checking a social media feed. Friends should be more concerned about that kind of anti-social and uncreative behavior don’t you think? I for one, readily channel the voices of the past…it is the reason, after all, that I write fiction!

Following this theme of how I structure the time elements
in my books a “Waking Isabella” reader asks:

This book starts in the distant past, then continues in the future with flashbacks occurring occasionally. How hard was it to keep track of the parallel history lines and to blend them smoothly into one story?

I love getting questions like this! Here is my response.

I like to incorporate scenes from the past because it is what fascinates me the most about fiction writing. I love to get inside the head and the thought processes of my historical characters to paint a picture of their lives through their thoughts, words, and actions. For me, that is what fiction writing is all about.

The historical characters are important, but at the same time so are the modern protagonists. It is just as interesting to me to contrast the past with the present. In so doing I hope to create a dichotomy and a tension to demonstrate how things are today with how they were in the past. It is a fascinating glimpse into how far we have come and yet again, a reminder of how far we still need to go.

waking-isabella-italy-multiple-time-line-medici-world-war-romance
Photo Credit: Joust of the Saracens – Credit: Luca Deravignone

So, since my stories take place in a contemporary setting, it is necessary to create a means for my modern-day heroines to “channel” these historical characters. In my first novel “Dreaming Sophia” I used Sophia’s daydreams as a means for her to dip back in time and visit with characters from a different period. In “Waking Isabella,” I use the fact that Nora is an empath and very sensitive to the feelings of others as the vehicle through which she can channel thoughts and feelings not only of those around her, but also the energy of personalities from previous eras.

In “Waking Isabella” it was especially important that readers get to know Isabella’s character personally, so that they would have a greater appreciation for the story or her missing painting in the twentieth-century and why it was important for Nora to find it and bring her back to life. It was also necessary to develop Margherita’s character and her storyline as it was essential to understanding how and why the painting went missing in the first place.

Isabella de’ Medici

For me, it wasn’t hard to jump back in time and let the voices of Margherita and Isabella chime in throughout the book. As I wrote, I could well imagine what they had to say! In fact, I had the most fun writing the scenes that take place in the fifteenth century and those that took place in the 1940s during WWII.

If you are the kind of reader who enjoys the romance of previous eras and wonders what it must have been like to live in a different period in history, I write for you. You are my people!

Thank you to all those who travel with me in my novels and however, you may be wired – I hope you learn a little something from Isabella, Margherita, and Nora!

waking-isabella-laura-fabiani-italy-book-tour

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Filed Under: Melissa Book News Tagged With: Dreaming Sophia, Italy Book Tours, Laura Fabiani, Melissa Muldoon, Waking Isabella

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My girls on mugs! Artemisia, Sophia, Sofonisba and My girls on mugs! Artemisia, Sophia, Sofonisba and Eleonora… the heroines of my four novels set in Italy.

Escape to Italy in the pages of a novel!

Melissa Muldoon is the author of four novels set in Italy: Dreaming Sophia, Waking Isabella, Eternally Artemisia, and The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola. All four books tell the stories of women and their journeys of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow their destinies to shape a better future for themselves. 

Available on Amazon in Print, Epub, and Audio. Links in bio.

5 Stars - Dianne Hales (author of La Bella Lingua, La Passione, and Mona Lisa-A Life Discovered): A true Renaissance woman, Melissa Muldoon weaves her passions for art and Italy into a stirring saga that sweeps across centuries. As her time-traveling heroine, Maddie reconnects with kindred souls, we meet Artemisia Gentileschi, the 17th–century artist who overcame rape and ignominy to gain respect and acclaim. Historical figures such as Galileo and Mussolini also come to life in this intricately plotted novel. Still, the women who defy all constraints to take control of their destinies are the ones who prove to be eternally fascinating. 
 
5 Stars - Lize Amazon Reader: What a lovely story! Melissa weaves the lives of 4 women across time, all with some connection to Artemisia Gentileschi, a 16th-century Italy painter. They represent the feminine strength that arises from life challenges, each with unique intelligence. Underlying their stories is the idea that love transcends all, even time; love is timeless. As with her other books, Melissa fills the story out with interesting facts and references to Italian life, culture, and its history; her attention to detail is immaculate. I loved the many connections in this story that tied it all together; very cleverly done. Wonderful read; I would highly recommend it.

#MelissaMuldoon #IndieAuthor #artemisiagentileschi #NovelsetinItaly
#Medici #Tuscany #Rome #Montepulciano #Florence #SofonisbaAnguissola #IsabellaMedici #Medici #ARezzo
Ciao! Sono Melissa, la studentessa Matta. Sono c Ciao! Sono Melissa, la studentessa Matta. 

Sono contenta che mi stia seguendo qui su Instagram!

I’m pleased you are following me on Instagram. I help you to learn Italian.

I organize, with my partner schools in Italy, small group language immersion programs in Arezzo, Lucca and Montepulciano.

For 10 or 12 days, you will study at the school at your level in the mornings and in the afternoons we will participate in activities and go on excursions— like make pasta, drink wine, talk to local artisans and see churches, museums, art —even the giostra del Saracino - the jousting festival if you join me in Arezzo.

Accommodations and most evening meals are all included AND you will have unlimited conversation practice and language learning when you meet my Italian friends and teachers from the schools who will accompany us.

The dates for 2023 Matta Italian Language Programs are

2023 Matta and Arezzo Italian Language Program: June 11 - 23

2023 Matta and Lucca Italian Language Program: August 24 - Sept 2
 
2023 Matta September Arezzo Joust Weekend: September 2 - 4, 2023 (Open to Italian learners and English speakers) 

2023 Matta and Montepulciano Italian Language Program: September 10 - 22

Join me in Italy 2023 and take your Italian language skills further.

More information and to sign up can be found on the StudentessaMatta.com website

Alla prossima! Ciao!

#learnItalian #ItalianImmersionPrograms #StudentessaMatta #Arrezzo #Montepulciano #Lucca #LuccaItalianSchool #LIS #Culture_Italiana_Arezzo #IlSasso #LearnInItaly#TravelItaly #tuscanylovers
Modi di dire con rospo, rana, ranocchio! Italian i Modi di dire con rospo, rana, ranocchio! Italian idiomatic expressions involving frogs and toads.

New post on the StudentessaMatta.com blog site.

Today I'm talking about lively idioms that practically jump up and down. These idiomatic expressions involve frogs and toads and will surely put a spring in your step and make you jump a level up. Want to sound like a native Italian speaker? Here is a chance to brush up on some Italian idioms involving our little web-footed friends.

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Out on the town with Ryan last night to see "Prett Out on the town with Ryan last night to see "Pretty Woman the Musical" at Bass Concert Hall in Austin. ( His Christmas gift to me this year!) We had so much fun! Began the evening with drinks at the Otopia rooftop bar to watch the sunset, then dinner at Acre 41. The show was fantastic, well staged, great singing — just a lot of fun to watch live theater again! #prettywomanthemusical #austintexas #bassconcerthall #theater
New on the Studentessa Matta Blog! Alessandra, It New on the Studentessa Matta Blog!

Alessandra, Italian teacher from Livorno, shares recipes for a successful homestay and a delectable dish

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In her guest post Alessandra tells us about Livorno and more about herself and her background. Alessandra has traveled extensively and made homestays in America so she knows what it’s like to be away from home and how important it is to find a warm and friendly environment that makes you feel comfortable as a family or among friends.

Find out more about the Italian Language Homestay opportunities offered on the StudentessaMatta.com website : See links in Bio.

#italian #ItalianLanguageHomestay #Livorno #HomestayLivorno #learnItalian #LearnInItaly #studentessamatta
Addio a Gina Lollobrigida. Lo star del cinema ital Addio a Gina Lollobrigida. Lo star del cinema italiano è scomparsa. È successo ieri, Mercoledì 18 gennaio. La diva italiana aveva 95 anni. 

Più ricordata come un modello e attrice - una vera bomba, molto sexy e seducente, Gina Lollobrigida era una donna di talenti incredibili che comprendeva tutte le arti - cinema, fotografia e scultore. 

Leggi il nuovo post su StudentessaMatta.com

#studentessamatta #GinaLollobrigida #Lollo #ItalianCinema #ItalianFilmStar #attriceitaliana✨👑🎬🎥
Ieri sera ho ricevuto una dolce sorpresa. Una vici Ieri sera ho ricevuto una dolce sorpresa. Una vicina di casa ha fatto marmellata in casa e mi ha dato un vasetto! Oggi l'ho spalmata sul mio toast! Il gusto è veramente ottimo! Grazie Brianna!

#marmellata #vasetto #vincina #dolce #italiano

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