Rediscovering oneself through concrete action
When I began writing Il ponte vermiglio, I wasn’t setting out to write a manual. I had no intention of offering rules or formulas for “a better life.” I’m not a guide, nor a teacher — simply a soul on a journey, one that has passed through moments of deep transformation and felt the call to tell a story. Today, seeing Il ponte vermiglio among Amazon’s bestsellers (Italy) in the “Metaphysical and Visionary Fiction” category — alongside titles like The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and Sophie’s World — gives me pause for thought. Perhaps what moves us most are the stories that mirror our own search for meaning and change.
Il ponte vermiglio is not a manual. It’s a novel that explores, through narrative, themes close to my heart — in a lived, tangible way.
It doesn’t offer “recipes” for happiness, nor infallible formulas to follow. Rather, it’s a story woven with emotions, symbols, places, and practices that have enriched my own life — from yoga to meditation, from the power of breath to the ancient wisdom of herbal medicine.
I don’t aim to give answers, but to spark questions. My hope is to inspire small, practical gestures — steps so subtle they might almost go unnoticed, yet capable of transforming the everyday into something more authentic, more meaningful.
True change doesn’t arise from theories, but from the quiet movements of the soul. It’s in the silence you choose to listen to, in the breath that reconnects you to yourself, in the step — however slight — that you dare to take. It’s in the courage to make space, to grant yourself the time simply to be.
Il ponte (the bridge) is more than a metaphor — it’s a call to action. The title itself says so: Il ponte vermiglio is not just an imagined place, but a symbol of transformation. It marks the passage between who I am and who I wish to become. It requires no masters or manuals, only authenticity and the desire to live fully.
If my novel now stands among books that speak of inner growth, it’s because I believe we need stories that remind us we’re not alone in change. Stories that show us perfection isn’t required to evolve — only the courage to begin, to take a single step, however small.
And you? Has there ever been a story that inspired you to make a small change in your life? Sometimes, the simplest actions are the ones that transform us most — like opening the first page of a book.
Vr.
PS: The English edition of Il ponte vermiglio will be released by the end of 2026.
