A Hot Night in Rome, a Cold Night in Paris

Two countries. Two years. A world of art and emotion.

In A Hot Night in Rome, a Cold Night in Paris, Melissa David blends poetry, photography, and personal memoir to craft an intimate exploration of reinvention, resilience, and artistry. After a painful divorce and two years of pandemic-induced isolation, Melissa embarked on a life-changing poetry tour in Italy that reignited her creative spirit. From steamy nights in Rome to frosty mornings in Paris, she found herself not just rediscovering the world but also reimagining her place within it.

This collection is more than words on a page-it's a visual and emotional journey. Melissa's passion for photography, inherited from a family steeped in cameras and storytelling, takes center stage alongside her poetry. With images captured during her travels-some hers, others generously contributed by friends-she explores the transformative power of mirroring, symmetry, translation, and color manipulation. Each photo tells a story, and each poem invites readers to see the world, and themselves, in a new light.

Crafted during her time at the Ch?teau d'Orquevaux artist residency in France, the book is a testament to the healing power of art and adventure. Melissa reflects on how slight shifts-of light, of color, of perspective-can change the meaning of a photo, a poem, or a life.

From a hot night in Rome to a cold night in Paris, this book is an invitation to embrace change, seek beauty, and live boldly. You'll never regret it.