Improvising in Italian is a heartfelt memoir that shares your journey of moving to Modena, fueled by a blend of optimism, romance, and idealism, and the personal unraveling that follows. Why was this an important book for you to write?

When we moved to a small town in northern Italy, we were surrounded by beautiful scenery, ate delicious food, and met wonderful new friends, all while dealing with the country’s notorious bureaucracy. The typical things you’d expect from Italy. But our experience living there ended up being a unique one. We found ourselves in crazy, once-in-a-lifetime situations like getting involved in trying to sell Stradivarius violins and a Raphael painting, and we met colorful people. Then, when COVID-19 hit, we were in strict lockdown, and this put a strain on our marriage. All this made me reflect on my childhood living in various countries around the world, my mother’s death, and raising my children.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

Some of the themes in my book center around the idea of freedom, change, being categorized – the world broken down into clubs – and our search for the perfect meal, especially traditional dishes made with unprocessed ingredients, which represents authenticity and sacredness.

What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir, and what was the most rewarding?

The most challenging part of writing my memoir was exposing my vulnerabilities and ignoring the voice in my head that worried about what people were going to think of my story.

The most rewarding thing about writing this memoir was being able to look back on an interesting but difficult time and learn something from it.

What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?

That life is about change, and even though there are no guarantees that things will turn out as planned, we should be open to new possibilities.

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