As wondrous, beautiful and evocative as always, Silvio. I restacked one favourite quote, but here's another, as I'm captivated by the way you describe the observations of others: "And of course she was always spot on. So, in that compartment there was an owl with black and beige plumage, surely named Ortensia, a platypus, and a magpie..."
This is an aside, but also integral to the piece. Wonderful.
RE the postscript: 100% understandable and relatable on the well drying up. I experienced the same, across much the same span of time, though the latter half of the year was certainly more stressful than previous years. Anyway, I'm trying to let the well enjoy a trickle of creativity now and it's wonderful if there will occasionally be pieces like this one gracing my inbox.
As for the novel, that's amazing. Best of luck with the process. My only lament is that I won't be able to read it until it is translated.
PS 2666 was my favourite read of 2025! Thanks so much for that recommendation. Savage Detectives was also incredible (esp. the first 100 pages or so, of Juan Garcia narrating), but 2666 pips it to the win.
Nathan! Thank you so much, my friend! I missed having exchanges below our pieces with you (I need to catch up with yours: one of the few publications that will always be dear to me). I'm so glad you liked this little story. It's been inspired by a a couple of magical pages that I recently read in a novel by Ernesto Sabato, one of my favorite Latin American writers (whom of course I highly recommend). As for my (possible) novel, if it happens, the English translation will be almost immediate, because it will be done by the author himself! I hope you're well, and may 2026 be a blast of a year for you and those close to you! PS: So happy that 2666 made it to the top of your list!
Hi Silvio. Thanks for the reply. That's fantastic to hear a translation will be almost immediate! I have every confidence that the novel is not just possible, but inevitable. ;)
Silvio, I was most pleased to see this piece appear and it very much lived up to expectations—I found it totally absorbing and beautifully observed. Looking forward to wherever it goes from here.
Exciting news about your intention to write a novel! The very best of luck with that. If your writing in Italian is anything like what you have published here, I am sure it will be excellent. Looking forward to the English translation one day!
Thank you so much, Jamie! If I can pull it off, mine will be one of the few novels translated into English by the author himself! We'll see. Thank you for the encouraging words, for now.
I’m glad you are back Silvio - I’ve missed your writing, and wondered where you were. Your contributions aren’t conditional on admiration, I know - but your stories leave us intrigued, and inspired. Hope that’s helpful for any motivation you might have to continue. Thank you for helping us be owls and overhearing your creative thoughts.
Welcome back, Silvio! Wonderful as always to read you. 2025 may have been “the year of the newsletter” but not for me. Delighted to hear you are giving yourself time to write a novel! That is fantastic news. May 2026 be the “year of the novel!”
What a treasure to find you here today. I’ve missed your ethereal, heady, omni-dimensional writing! And though I don’t speak Italian but for a few lingering phrases from when I lived at Damanhur, I’m delighted you’re returning to your tongue and giving your life’s energy to writing a novel. It will be great, I already know this.
You came to mind recently... I was missing the world only you can conjure. And here you are, discussing soul on a train, it feels somehow even more incisive than before. Exciting to hear this energy and clarity for your novel cohering, may it be uncompromising.
Thank you so much, Kristin, for your beautiful words! "the world only you can conjure" is one of the nicest things anybody ever wrote to me :) And yes, I want my novel to be uncompromising!
It’s nice to read your work. I appreciate your honesty about why you haven’t written in some time. It’s all part of humanity; sometimes we just stop. Glad you are writing again. I’ve been learning Italian for quite some time with the goal of one day reading a full novel without needing translation tools. Maybe it will be yours!
Thank you so much, Maria! Nice to know you've been studying Italian! I'm sure your Italian's already good enough to read a novel without translation right now. :)
I've wondered where you were Silvio! Not seeing you in my inbox leaves a small chasm in my heart for the last year since I've also been away from Substack (for devious life reasons that have essentially become a saga on its own 😂) Congrats on the novel project!!!
As wondrous, beautiful and evocative as always, Silvio. I restacked one favourite quote, but here's another, as I'm captivated by the way you describe the observations of others: "And of course she was always spot on. So, in that compartment there was an owl with black and beige plumage, surely named Ortensia, a platypus, and a magpie..."
This is an aside, but also integral to the piece. Wonderful.
RE the postscript: 100% understandable and relatable on the well drying up. I experienced the same, across much the same span of time, though the latter half of the year was certainly more stressful than previous years. Anyway, I'm trying to let the well enjoy a trickle of creativity now and it's wonderful if there will occasionally be pieces like this one gracing my inbox.
As for the novel, that's amazing. Best of luck with the process. My only lament is that I won't be able to read it until it is translated.
PS 2666 was my favourite read of 2025! Thanks so much for that recommendation. Savage Detectives was also incredible (esp. the first 100 pages or so, of Juan Garcia narrating), but 2666 pips it to the win.
Nathan! Thank you so much, my friend! I missed having exchanges below our pieces with you (I need to catch up with yours: one of the few publications that will always be dear to me). I'm so glad you liked this little story. It's been inspired by a a couple of magical pages that I recently read in a novel by Ernesto Sabato, one of my favorite Latin American writers (whom of course I highly recommend). As for my (possible) novel, if it happens, the English translation will be almost immediate, because it will be done by the author himself! I hope you're well, and may 2026 be a blast of a year for you and those close to you! PS: So happy that 2666 made it to the top of your list!
Hi Silvio. Thanks for the reply. That's fantastic to hear a translation will be almost immediate! I have every confidence that the novel is not just possible, but inevitable. ;)
I must get to some Sabato!
Silvio, I was most pleased to see this piece appear and it very much lived up to expectations—I found it totally absorbing and beautifully observed. Looking forward to wherever it goes from here.
Exciting news about your intention to write a novel! The very best of luck with that. If your writing in Italian is anything like what you have published here, I am sure it will be excellent. Looking forward to the English translation one day!
Thank you so much, Jamie! If I can pull it off, mine will be one of the few novels translated into English by the author himself! We'll see. Thank you for the encouraging words, for now.
Oh what a pleasure to read you again!!!!
Thank you so much, Jisoo!
Stunning work!!
Thank you so much!
I’m glad you are back Silvio - I’ve missed your writing, and wondered where you were. Your contributions aren’t conditional on admiration, I know - but your stories leave us intrigued, and inspired. Hope that’s helpful for any motivation you might have to continue. Thank you for helping us be owls and overhearing your creative thoughts.
Thank you so much, Amanda, for your super kind words! :)
Welcome back, Silvio! Wonderful as always to read you. 2025 may have been “the year of the newsletter” but not for me. Delighted to hear you are giving yourself time to write a novel! That is fantastic news. May 2026 be the “year of the novel!”
Thank you so much, Alexander! It's going to be refreshing and energizing. I hope you're well, my friend. :)
What a treasure to find you here today. I’ve missed your ethereal, heady, omni-dimensional writing! And though I don’t speak Italian but for a few lingering phrases from when I lived at Damanhur, I’m delighted you’re returning to your tongue and giving your life’s energy to writing a novel. It will be great, I already know this.
Kimberly! I've missed you too! Thank you so much, dear, for your nice words and your encouragement! :)
“A face is made of gaze…” — love this! And so good to see you back, Silvio!
Thank you so much, Kate! Glad you loved that line! :)
You came to mind recently... I was missing the world only you can conjure. And here you are, discussing soul on a train, it feels somehow even more incisive than before. Exciting to hear this energy and clarity for your novel cohering, may it be uncompromising.
Thank you so much, Kristin, for your beautiful words! "the world only you can conjure" is one of the nicest things anybody ever wrote to me :) And yes, I want my novel to be uncompromising!
Good to have you back I’ve always enjoyed your short stories
Thank you so much, Cecilia!
It’s nice to read your work. I appreciate your honesty about why you haven’t written in some time. It’s all part of humanity; sometimes we just stop. Glad you are writing again. I’ve been learning Italian for quite some time with the goal of one day reading a full novel without needing translation tools. Maybe it will be yours!
Thank you so much, Maria! Nice to know you've been studying Italian! I'm sure your Italian's already good enough to read a novel without translation right now. :)
Intriguing story, and it was nice to read something of yours again! ☺️
Best of luck with your novel novel project! (duplicate ‘novel’ intended!) 😌
Thank you so much, Rose! I had caught the double novel there. Loved it!
The essence of it all: “For me, it simply boils down to a finite amount of time and focus, at this point.”
With respect and a deep bow, Silvio.
Thank you so much, James.
I've wondered where you were Silvio! Not seeing you in my inbox leaves a small chasm in my heart for the last year since I've also been away from Substack (for devious life reasons that have essentially become a saga on its own 😂) Congrats on the novel project!!!