26 Comments
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Mike Statene's avatar

And I finally had some time to read one of your many fine stories. Thank you. I hope you'll never run out of all those wonderful words inside of you that wants to tell stories :-)

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Nathan Slake's avatar

I hope that someday there is a bound collection in print of all of these. They are such a wonder.

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

When I get to #100, if I ever get there, maybe :) Who knows.

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

So kind of you, Mike. Thank you so much!

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Mr. Troy Ford's avatar

I feel sure we've talked before about the possibility that ghosts might be (must be) visiting with good intentions as often as with bad. 👻

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

I think we did, you’re right. This is a biggie for me. Always been. Back when I wrote only about real stuff (meaning: stuff really happened to me), I put out a story that incorporated a lot of that. Hope you don’t mind my linking it below. https://silviocastelletti.substack.com/p/voices-from-somewhere?utm_source=publication-search

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Mr. Troy Ford's avatar

Oh I loved that, Silvio - I'm tempted to give it a try...

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

Thank you so much, Troy! I’m sure something interesting will happen. :)

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Kimberly Warner's avatar

Your scent described as “Something blueish, sweet and ethereal” made me pause with delight, reaching into my own imagination to embody its fragrance.

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

Thank you so much, Kimberly! I kind of knew you could like that one. :) So glad you did!

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Coyote Marten's avatar

I have seen what you speak of, it is as powerful as it is benign.

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

One of those things I cannot stop thinking about.

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Anton's avatar

This one moved like a dream I didn’t realize I’d had until halfway through reading it.

The idea that the light returned — once, quietly, with no one to shake your shoulder — feels like a visitation not from the past, but from memory itself. A soft insistence that something once deeply felt was real. And that maybe it still is.

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

Thank you! Really, much appreciated. :)

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Stephanie Sweeney's avatar

Beautiful, beyond explanation. The letter writer’s tone —toward the reader and toward the benign presence — was affectionate which made it a pleasure to read.

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

Thank you so much, Stephanie! I’m glad you liked it. :)

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Nathan Slake's avatar

Beautiful, beautiful story, Silvio. You touch and hint upon something unknown without yourself being intrusive upon its possible presence. This is my favourite kind of supernatural.

"Whatever that thing was, it didn’t produce the smallest hint of fear in us. It felt as if something had come to visit us from somewhere, doing all it could to make us feel at ease, to not appear intrusive." -- Just one of the many fine moments. The line that Kimberly quotes also being one of my favourite. The idea that a smell or scent can be blueish makes me smile so much.

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

As always, you capture the essence of what I want to convey, Nathan. I keep thinking we’re sort of writing twins lol. “You touch and hint upon something unknown without yourself being intrusive upon its possible presence” -- perfectly put. This is what I like best, whenever I manage to do it.

PS: I see you changed your avatar. That’s the cover of 2666! Glorious!

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Nathan Slake's avatar

Definitely writing twins. ;) I've thought that for a long time now.

And yes, time for me to go into hiding for a bit as semester has commenced. Highly unlikely any of my students find me, and even if they did it's not like it'd be a big issue, but I'd still rather keep this separate.

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

I totally understand. Well, I hope going stealth will at least facilitate things a little for you as the semester starts. And about the writing twins, I’d love to write something together one day. A small piece will do. No hurry, just throwing the idea out there. :)

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Nathan Slake's avatar

Me too. Perhaps once this semester is over (start of June) we could find time for that. I’d really enjoy it.

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

We’ll talk when time allows. :)

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Jill CampbellMason's avatar

Waking dreams? Memories charged with the iconic eerie feelings that grow, not dim, as time passes?

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

Who knows, Jill. I quit trying to give it a definition or an explanation so long ago. But I’m kind of happy it manifested itself.

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Jisoo's avatar

It’s such a delight to read your pieces. I still have dreams about the house I grew up in. Those memories are irreplaceable. Selling a long-held family house marks the end of an era….

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Silvio Castelletti's avatar

Thank you much, Jisoo. Yes, it’s one of those life pivotal points that bring with them a whole lot of other changes, visible and invisible. But the memories remain.

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