Engaging with Readers: Reflections and Insights on Waking Isabella
Sharing Reader Reviews of “Waking Isabella”
Review of Waking Isabella – OLIO By MARILYN: Kudos to the author on a well-crafted story. I love the way the author’s writing takes the reader between past and present so seamlessly it feels like they are happening side by side. I also enjoyed the chance to learn about Italian history during several eras – the Renaissance, the German occupation, and the current day. Waking Isabella is a story of passion, love, grief, and redemption that is built upon the stories of the characters we meet – their pasts, their secrets, their insecurities, and their passions.’
Review of Waking Isabella Spanish/English – TORRE DE BABEL: Through wildly imaginative eyes, scenes from the past come alive with emotion and turmoil. I loved those. The novel is fluid and easy to read, yet it still manages to convey beauty and heart.
I love reader questions! Here are a couple I answered sent to me by readers.
If you have a question for Melissa, send her a message: melissa@MelissaMuldoon.com
As an author – what do you enjoy most about the writing process? What feels like a chore?
I enjoy the moments when my fingers just fly over the keyboard, and it seems like the characters have come to life and are guiding my words. Those moments when ideas come to me effortlessly, scene descriptions seem to write themselves, and I have these little ah-ha moments when I make exciting connections between characters, and things just seem to fit together beautifully. Those are great days.
And then there are those days where it feels like you are pulling teeth, none of your characters want to cooperate with you. You write for an hour and think you have perfected a scene. And then you look back, and it isn’t the way you saw it in your head, and you swear the words began to jump around on the page and re-write themselves (not to your liking) when your back was turned, and you were making more coffee.
As this is your 2nd book, do you find the process of finding new storyline ideas and characters gets harder or easier with each new title?
I think book two (Waking Isabella) was much easier to write. Book one (Dreaming Sophia) was super personal. I was riding a wave of ideas and let the writing take me where it wanted me to go, which it turned out was a bit of a circuitous route and I re-wrote and re-edited the story for many months. But, it was a good thing and wasn’t time wasted. The story evolved and matured as it was supposed to and in the process, I learned a lot — not only about the process of writing, editing, and developing a story but also the design and production of a novel and how to self-publish. After blazing my own trail I had a lot of knowledge in my head, and I couldn’t let it go to waste so decided to begin right away with a second book.
So, “Waking Isabella,” even though it involved a mystery — that required more research and finesse to explain it clearly to an audience who perhaps isn’t knowledgeable about the time periods, settings, the town of Arezzo and its traditions as well as the challenges faced by the diverse group of characters — from the beginning followed a more straightforward progression from start to finish, and I had a clearer idea of how the story was going to play out.
How Did You Keep Track of Parallel History Lines in Waking Isabella?
I believe the past shapes the present, echoing through time with lessons, mistakes, and stories that still need to be told. A single historical figure can leave a ripple effect that influences generations.
That’s why I love weaving history into my fiction. Writing scenes from the past allows me to step into the minds of historical characters, imagining their thoughts, emotions, and decisions. While history is central to my novels, the modern protagonists are just as important. By contrasting past and present, I create a dynamic tension—exploring how far we’ve come while acknowledging how much we still have to learn.
To connect my contemporary heroines with history, Dreaming Sophia uses vivid daydreams, while in Waking Isabella, Nora’s deep empathy allows her to sense the emotions of those long gone. For Waking Isabella, it was essential that readers truly know Isabella—not just as the subject of a lost painting, but as a person whose story mattered. Margherita’s storyline was equally crucial in unraveling the mystery of the missing artwork.
Moving between time periods felt natural to me—I could hear Isabella’s and Margherita’s voices as I wrote. Some of my favorite scenes take place in the 15th century and WWII, bringing those eras alive with emotion and resilience.
If you love the romance of past eras and wonder what it was like to live in another time—I write for you. Thank you for traveling with me through my novels. I hope Isabella, Margherita, and Nora’s journeys resonate with you!
Can you share a bit about your journey to becoming a writer/published author?
My journey to learning Italian ultimately led to my writing career, allowing me to combine my love for Italy and passion for art history—first through my blog and now in fiction.
I’ve always been both an artist and a writer. As a child, I filled diaries with stories and sketchbooks with drawings. In college, I studied painting and art history in Florence, drawn to Italy for its art rather than its language. After earning a master’s in art history, I considered teaching but chose instead to become a graphic designer, running my own firm.
Over time, I missed Italy and regretted not mastering the language, so I dedicated myself to fluency. This led me to launch the Studentessa Matta blog, where I combine my skills in design, Italian, and writing to promote language learning and culture. Initially focused on non-fiction, my blog evolved, and a few years later, I took the leap into fiction writing.
Since publishing Dreaming Sophia, I’ve been hooked. Writing novels allows me to create immersive worlds while also using my design skills to illustrate covers and craft book layouts. It’s the perfect blend of my passions—and I can’t imagine doing anything else!
Can Readers Find a Part of the Author in Nora, Isabella, and Margherita?
I believe all writers infuse a bit of themselves into their characters. Nora, for example, begins her journey feeling uncertain, questioning the choices she’s made and the paths she didn’t take. I think we can all relate to that—wondering about the what ifs in life. But the real message is: it’s never too late. We can follow our dreams, take risks, and reshape our lives. My own decision to learn Italian completely changed my path!
As for Isabella and Margherita, I admire them for their boldness, independence, and willingness to defy expectations. Writing their scenes was a joy, and I like to think I share some of their adventurous spirit.
Read the novel that was inspired by Arezzo, the Giostra and the Antique Fair!
Il risveglio di Isabella
Waking Isabella has been translated into Italian
Waking Isabella è una storia che parla di scoprire la bellezza nascosta che, nel tempo, è stata persa, cancellata o soppressa. Intreccia anche diverse storie d’amore così come alcuni misteri. Nora, una ricercatrice assistente, è un catalizzatore per risolvere il puzzle di un dipinto che è scomparso per decenni. Ambientato ad Arezzo, una piccola città toscana, il plot si svolge sullo sfondo del commercio antiquario della città e del clamore e della pompa della sua festa medioevale dei tornei. Mentre filma un documentario su Isabella de’ Medici – la principessa rinascimentale uccisa dal marito – Nora inizia a connettersi con le vite di due donne straordinarie del passato. Svelando le storie di Isabella, la figlia di un duca toscano del quindicesimo secolo, e Margherita, una giovane ragazza che cerca di sopravvivere alla guerra nell’Italia occupata dai nazisti, Nora inizia a mettere in discussione le scelte che hanno plasmato la sua vita fino a quel momento. Mentre lo fa, una bellezza nascosta si risveglia profondamente dentro di lei e scopre le chiavi della sua creatività e felicità. È una storia d’amore e inganno, falsi e capolavori – il tutto unito dal fascino e dall’intrigo di un bellissimo fantasma toscano.
