Writing these two novels “Meltem” and “The Bosphorus Bride,” has turned out to be quite a journey for me—from fantasy to reality, and finally to my desire to help orphans affected by war and poverty.
To some readers, this claim may sound presumptuous. However, I see the completion of these two books as a moment of creative fulfillment.
So let us begin this journey with my second book, Meltem. Here is a glimpse of its essence:
“I once had a rather bizarre idea: to go to Turkey to present an artistic show wearing a wedding dress. My first stop was supposed to be Istanbul, where I planned to meet my Turkish friend Deniz. Both dressed as brides, we intended to travel from Turkey to Syria and Israel (Jerusalem) to convey a message of peace to people—mainly Muslims—who are not accustomed to such demonstrations. This idea became an obsession after I became aware of my artistic vocation with my first touch of canvas.
My name is Meltem, like the breeze that blows over the Bosphorus; my pseudonym is Kara, which in Turkish means ‘black’ or ‘earth,’ symbolizing the deepest and most hidden roots of the human soul. Kara and its opposite, Beyaz—the white of the wedding dress—symbolize new life, purity, and dreams yet to be lived.
Finally, the day of my departure arrived, amid my mother’s anxious recommendations, worried about my adventurous and, in her opinion, risky journey. I followed the fantasies that characterize artists and set them apart from others. Thus, partly for fun and partly for my artistic obsession, I found myself immersed in a world unknown to me: Istanbul, with its constant hustle and bustle.
Wrapped in white, I looked like a dream vision from a surrealist painter, and my figure could not go unnoticed as I wandered through the dusty, bumpy streets of the city. Like a leaf carried by a sudden gust of wind, I fluttered here and there, timidly hitchhiking, dragging my train through smelly puddles. Alone and far from my country—this is how I lived so many lives in one…”
The idea for this story was born during the seven years I spent in Turkey as a detached tenured teacher on behalf of the Italian Foreign Office (M.A.E.) at the Italian High School of Istanbul.
That experience left an indelible mark on me and inspired my unusual journey. Reflecting on those years, revisited in the light of subsequent events, I was able to produce my first book, The Bosphorus Bride.
The plot centers on an Italian artist wearing a wedding dress who wishes to carry out a pacifist and humanitarian performance. Her journey begins in Istanbul, where she reunites with her Turkish friend Deniz, with whom she had long planned this artistic mission. The project—cherished by the two women but misunderstood by certain Turkish extremists and political circles—undergoes a series of unexpected events that ultimately force them to abandon it.
They are persecuted by mysterious spies, entangled in disturbing implications that cast shadows of suspicion from the Turkish police, palace intrigues, and politically motivated murders in which they may be involved. Behind the scenes stands a mysterious minister-engineer who takes them under his protective wing. He is the supreme architect of the underlying framework, yet ultimately falls victim to a fatal trap set by opposing factions.
Political events—from the Arab Spring to the winds of civil war disrupting Syria—hinder their path amid escalating domestic and international extremism (Kurds, Gray Wolves, Russian spies, and others). Added to this is the danger of Islamic infiltrations spreading insidiously along the borders of southeastern and northeastern Turkey (Syria, Iraq, Iran).
Through a kind of slow-motion unfolding, short yet incredible scenes play out before the eyes of the two protagonists. Unable to identify the unseen director orchestrating the events that victimize them, they nonetheless follow the evolution of forces that overwhelm their lives. Crimes committed in the name of passion and politics, set within the rarefied and magical atmosphere of old Istanbul, overlap with the fascination of enchanting views described with lyrical clarity.
In the background, several women emerge as powerful figures: Meltem (nicknamed Kara), a romantic woman and innovative artist; her Turkish friend Deniz, intolerant of pervasive machismo; Fatoş, a victim of her domineering husband; and Vera, a teacher posted abroad with two daughters who, despite countless difficulties and mistrust, recognizes the need for full immersion in the local culture.
Other women also appear, each with her own character and determination to understand the multiethnic and multicultural context. Kara herself strives to adapt, committing to learning the difficult Turkish language so that she may one day overcome any adversity.
In the end, the journey represents an opportunity for the growth of female awareness—especially among Muslim women—regarding their material and cultural conditions in a world where “equal opportunities” between the sexes are often proclaimed only in words.
I have decided to dedicate the proceeds from the sale of these novels to charitable work supporting African orphans and war.
Dr. Arch. Franca Colozzo is a poet and scholar based in Italy, who is considered among foremost European poets actively contributing to the contemporary literature. Besides her books, her poems have appeared in dozens of literary magazines worldwide.
