Joie Davidow

MARKED FOR LIFE
A Story of Disguise, Discovery and Redemption

"...a thoughtful meditation on self-perception."
—Publishers Weekly

"...a generous book, overflowing with tender wisdom."
—Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey,
author of "A Woman of Independent Means"

Thank you for visiting my website. I am an author, a freelance writer, editor and consultant.

My latest book, "I Wouldn't Leave Rome to Go to Heaven" was published in March 2008. In this novel, three single women, all expatriates living in Rome, face middle age: Margaret walked out on her husband as soon as her son was old enough to leave home, and she’s never regretted it. She relishes her solitary lifestyle until illness threatens her independence. Katja, a former model, still believes that Mr. Right will come along, and she fights hard to stay beautiful until he does. Francesca has recently ended a relationship with a man she hopes will be her last big mistake. She wants to slink into a cozy old age alone, but the dark-eyed men of Rome are impossible to ignore. It's a love song to my adopted city, Rome, and an examination of the lives of a new generation of women, who find themselves single at an age when they could have been grandmothers. I've tried to fill the book with humor, and whatever wisdom I've managed to accumulate.

My memoir, "Marked for Life," about growing up with a purple-red birthmark that covered nearly half my face, was published by Harmony, a division of Random House, in June 2003.


With Vikki Ericks, I founded and edit an online weekly magazine, www.inromenow.com.

I was a founder of L.A. Style magazine, Sí Magazine and the L.A. Weekly.

My articles and essays have appeared in such publications as Metropolitan Home, More, Town and Country and Westways.

I work as a consultant to publishers and to individuals and companies who are in the process of launching new publications, or repositioning existing magazines.


I invite you to read excerpts of my work on these pages by clicking on the links at the right, and to e-mail your comments or questions by clicking on the "e-mail me" link at the upper right hand corner of this page.

You can purchase any of my books online through Amazon or by simply clicking on the images of the covers at the left.