Dreaming Sophia: Il potere dei sogni e dell’arte!
Dreaming Sophia: The Power of Dreams and Art!
Il mio primo romanzo: un’avventura straordinaria
My First Novel: An Extraordinary Adventure
Il mio primo romanzo “Dreaming Sophia” è finalmente qui! Sono entusiasta di condividere con voi la storia di Sophia. Il libro è disponibile sia in versione cartacea che digitale per Kindle e iBook, acquistabile su Amazon e altri distributori. Puoi anche seguire il viaggio di Sophia su Pinterest, dove puoi esplorare immagini, video e musica menzionati nel libro.
My first novel, “Dreaming Sophia,” is finally here! I’m excited to share Sophia’s story with you. The book is available in both print and digital formats for Kindle and iBook, available on Amazon and other distributors. You can also follow along Sophia’s journey on Pinterest, where you can explore images, videos, and music mentioned in the book.
Il viaggio di due anni: dalla prima bozza alla pubblicazione
The Two-Year Journey: From First Draft to Publication
È incredibile pensare che ho iniziato a scrivere il mio romanzo due anni fa, questo ottobre! Il tempo vola quando si scrive! Da quando ho messo nero su bianco il primo paragrafo introduttivo, ho lavorato molte ore, a volte fino a tarda notte e spesso nelle prime ore del mattino. Ho scritto centinaia di bozze e trascorso innumerevoli ore a modificare e perfezionare la storia. Alcune cose che ho tagliato dalla storia verranno riprese in futuri post sul sito di “Dreaming Sophia”. Quindi, assicurati di iscriverti al sito e resta sintonizzato per altre avventure con Sophia nei prossimi mesi!
It’s hard to believe that I began my novel two years ago this October! Time flies when you’re writing! Since I penned the first introductory paragraph, I’ve worked many long hours, sometimes late at night and often into the early morning. I’ve written hundreds of drafts and spent countless hours editing and refining the story. Things I cut from the book will reappear in future blog posts on the “Dreaming Sophia” site. So be sure to subscribe and stay tuned for more adventures with Sophia in the coming months!
La magia di creare un mondo di fantasia
The Magic of Creating a World of Fantasy
Scrivere un romanzo è stato un viaggio emozionante, durante il quale ho scoperto molto su di me. In particolare, ho capito quanto mi piaccia creare un mondo popolato da personaggi immaginari. Man mano che scrivevo e la storia di Sophia evolveva, ho cominciato a considerare i personaggi come amici e non vedevo l’ora di scoprire cosa sarebbe successo loro. Quando mi sedevo a scrivere, a volte rimanevo sorpresa di dove mi portasse la storia. Era come se muse, simili a quelle di Sophia, mi sussurrassero all’orecchio, guidando la mano che teneva la penna.
Writing a novel has been an exciting journey during which I’ve discovered much about myself. Namely, how much I enjoy creating a world inhabited by fictional characters. As I wrote and Sophia’s story evolved, I began to think of the characters as friends and couldn’t wait to see what would happen to them next. Sometimes, when I sat down to write, I was surprised by where the story would take me. It was as if muses, similar to Sophia’s, whispered in my ear, guiding the hand that held my pen.
La matta Parla del suo primo libro: dreaming Sophia
L’ispirazione dietro Dreaming Sophia
The Inspiration Behind Dreaming Sophia
L’ispirazione per il libro è nata dalla mia storia personale, dal mio innamoramento per l’Italia, la sua lingua e la sua cultura. Un’altra grande ragione per scrivere questo libro è stata il desiderio di condividere con i lettori la mia passione per le arti, per Firenze, e per le tante leggende e aneddoti culturali che ho appreso durante i miei viaggi in Italia. Con “Dreaming Sophia” spero anche di invogliare i lettori a imparare la lingua italiana.
The inspiration for the book came from my personal story, my love for Italy, its language, and its culture. Another great reason for writing this book was my desire to share my passion for the arts, for Florence, and for the many legends and cultural anecdotes I’ve learned during my travels in Italy. Through “Dreaming Sophia,” I also hope to encourage readers to learn the Italian language.
Quando i sogni diventano realtà
When Dreams Become Reality
Uno dei temi centrali del libro è imparare a camminare sul sottile confine tra fantasia e realtà, credendo che con determinazione e dedizione i sogni si avverino. E io ci credo davvero! Una semplice decisione, quasi casuale, di imparare la lingua, ha aperto molte porte e fatto avverare tanti sogni: scrivere un blog, creare video per questo canale YouTube, connettermi con altri studenti di lingue, e lavorare con partner italiani per ospitare gruppi di studenti in Italia.
One of the central themes of the book is learning to walk the fine line between fantasy and reality, believing that with determination and dedication dreams can come true. And I truly believe this! A simple, almost random decision to learn the language has opened many doors and made many dreams come true: writing a blog, making videos for this YouTube channel, connecting with other language learners, and working with Italian partners to host groups of students in Italy.
La decisione di scrivere questo libro ha aperto nuove opportunità e mi ha fatto incontrare persone affascinanti. Un esempio? Grazie al libro, ho conosciuto e parlato con Sophia Loren! Quando mi ha detto: “Credo nei sogni, i sogni diventano realtà,” ho sentito i brividi lungo le braccia!
The decision to write this book has opened new opportunities and introduced me to fascinating people. One example? Thanks to the book, I met and spoke with Sophia Loren! When she said to me, “I believe in dreams; dreams become reality,” I felt chills run down my arms!
Sognare ad Occhi Aperti!
For those who dream with eyes open…because dreaming is an art!
Se sei appassionato dell’Italia, della sua lingua e della sua cultura, prendi un cappuccino e preparati a partire per un viaggio indimenticabile in Italia!
If you’re passionate about Italy, its language, and culture, grab a cappuccino and get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey to Italy!
Cosa dicono i lettori! /What readers are saying!
In Dreaming Sophia, Melissa Muldoon weaves many strands of Italian culture into a delightful blend of fantasy, romance, art, and history. With an artist’s keen eye and deft touch, she brings to life the titans of Italian culture in a touching tale of a young woman reeling from loss who discovers that “Italy is the answer.” The many Italophiles who share her belief will revel in the adventures of this kindred spirit. Brava, Melissa! -Dianne Hales, author of “La Bella Lingua” and “Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered”
I loved following in Sophia’s footsteps as she has introduced me to Florence and the Italian culture. Her vivid imagination and her love of artistic icons were charming. Melissa Muldoon’s experience with Italians and their expressions, wives’ tales, and cultural idiosyncrasies had me chuckling. It had me reminiscing all the times my mom and nonna would do and say the exact same things! But it’s the ex-pat life of an artist who discovers who she truly is meant to be that warmed my heart as I read Dreaming Sophia. To all the dreamers out there, the message is that no matter how rough the start, dreams do become reality. — Laura Fabiani, Italy Book Tours
In Dreaming Sophia, Melissa Muldoon shares her love of art and all things Italian. Inhabited by an eclectic cast of historical characters, the story emerged from the author’s numerous travels to Italy, her deep appreciation of Italian culture, and her spirited, years-long study of the language. — Mary A. Osborne, Award-winning author of Alchemy’s Daughter and Nonna’s Book of Mysteries
I Loved DREAMING SOPHIA!!! You are a great writer! I could hardly put it down. I highly recommend your book to all who love a great story as well as those who appreciate Italy, art, and love. — Marilyn Ricci, Take Me Home Italy Blog
“I just finished it and I loved it! It has all the makings of a success: colorful, heartfelt, searching, with a wonderful mix of Italian culture and history. And how can you not drop off a few tears!” — Caroline Eitzen, author of “A Tangled Tale – Mona Lisa’s Knot”
Read the novel that was inspired by Florence & Sophia Loren!
Dreaming Sophia
Dreaming Sophia is a magical look into Italy, language, art, and culture. It is a story about turning dreams into reality and learning to walk the fine line between fact and fantasy. When tragedy strikes, Sophia finds herself alone in the world, without direction and fearful of loving again. With only her vivid imagination to guide her, she begins a journey that will take her from the vineyards in Sonoma, California to a grad school in Philadelphia and, eventually, to Italy: Florence, Lucca, Rome, Verona, Venice, and Val d’Orcia. Through dreamlike encounters, Sophia meets Italian personalities—princes, poets, duchesses, artists, and film stars— who give her advice to help put her life back together. Following a path that takes her from grief to joy, she discovers the source of her creativity and learns to love again, turning her dreams into reality.
Hi Melissa! Happy to enter the contest, and happy to buy a book myself if I don’t win! Congratulations on your labor of love.
Ciao Melissa, come Lei io amo italia, e la lingua. Andiamo lì ogni anno. Ho studiato a Lucca Italian School, One World Italian School and Lake Como Italian School. A casa in Australia studio online. Congratulazioni sul suo libro. In bocca a lupo!
Tanti auguri!!!!!!
Reasons I love Italy:
Reasons I love Italy:
A respect for family, cuisine, and cultural traditions; A boot shaped land offering mountains, beaches, lakes, countryside, medieval and modern cities for enjoyment; Festivals that honor Saints’ Days, food, wine, hand crafted wares; A lyrical language, art and sculpture that warm the heart and soul, and lively music that encourages dance.
And, finally, Italy is the country of my grandparents.
Motivi per amare l’Italia:
Un rispetto per la famiglia, la cucina e le tradizioni culturali;
Un terra, che somiglia un stivale, di offrire montagne, spiagge, laghi, campagna, medievali e moderne citta per piacere;
Le feste che onorano Giorni Santi, il cibo, il vino, la pasta, i artigianato del paese;
Una lingua lirica, l’arte e scultura che riscalda il cuore e l’anima , e musica che incoraggia ballare.
E, infine, l’Italia è la terra dei miei nonni.