The Suspended Refuge
Where Time Grows Light
Forty-eight short stories by Mirko Stagni, each with its own painting.
The path opens in silence,where the snow keeps the footstepsand time slows like a deep breath.Every footprint is an invitation,every fragment of light a passage.Here the journey begins,between light tracksand a horizon that waits.
Forty-eight stories to inhabit, one at a time
There are places that appear on no map: a cabin in the snow, a lighthouse that gathers the light, a greenhouse that breathes with you, a river embankment where two people write to each other without ever having met.
The Suspended Refuge gathers forty-eight of them. They are short stories written in the second person: you are the one who walks the path, opens the door, sits down by the fire. They have no intricate plots. They have a scent, a light, a simple gesture, and an ending that accompanies without explaining.
Each one is a door left ajar on atmospheres and sensations that, I hope with all my heart, may offer you a moment of respite, a fertile passage toward a wider inner space.
Each story takes a few minutes to read and has its own full-page illustration. You can follow them in order or open the book at random, in the evening before sleep or in the morning, when the day needs a calm beginning.
The last one, “The Inner Compass”, is a game: three symbolic choices and twenty-seven possible responses. Try the three choices.
The forty-eight refuges
Every story has a place and a painting. Choose one by its setting, or leave it to chance.
There is no set route, only yours.
48 refuges
The Cabin Where Time WaitsA refuge like a nest in the heart of winterRead it here in full
The Shore of the Slow FarewellA refuge in the breathing of the sea
The Room of RootsA refuge in the silence of the earth
The Walking HorizonA refuge in motion
The Lake House in the Silence of DawnA refuge where every thought becomes calm water
Rooms of Eternal LightThe refuge where the soul listens to itself
The Suspended JourneyA refuge in the time of a dream
The Calm Breath of AutumnA refuge in golden silences
The Forgotten GatewayA refuge on the paths of the soul
In the Veins of the Ancient CityA refuge of stone, light and memory
The Garden Inside the MistA refuge in the breathing of the trees
Beneath the Veil of WaterA refuge in the green heart of an endless rain
Dawn Over the Silent CanalsA refuge in the ancient heart of a city of water
The Room of Lost EchoesA refuge for what was never truly lost
The Mirrored RoomsA refuge beyond the wooden bridge
The Forest That ListensA refuge in the secret language of the trees
Geometries of a Lucid DreamA refuge in the stillness of a vision in stone
The Time of Tender LeavesA refuge in the care that suspends the world
Where the Stars Are WrittenA refuge where thoughts become tide
The Nest Among the BranchesA refuge for dreaming with roots and wings
In the Blue and Crimson ParlorA refuge in the silence of stopped time
The Flower That Defied the WindA refuge in the tenacity that kindles hope
The Breath of an Empty StageA refuge in the silence inhabited by art
Guardians of StillnessA refuge between the sand and the stars
Dance of Cold FireA refuge in the wonder that quiets the mind
The Cat That Meowed at the MoonA refuge in the breath of the night
The Hidden Voice of WaterA refuge in the song that washes thoughts away
The Inner SanctuaryA refuge in the perpetual light of consciousness
The Veil of Sea FoamA refuge woven of legend and salt
The Garden of Time in BloomA refuge in the eternal dance of life and dream
The Refuge in the MistA refuge in the suspended embrace of the lake
The Glass GreenhouseA refuge in the breathing of the leaves
A Whirl of LavenderA refuge in the breath of the sunset
The Breath of the Cherry TreesA refuge among the blossoming branches
The Lighthouse Between the TidesA refuge at the edge of the light
The Bench Under the SnowA refuge in the white that renews
The Red Shade of the PomegranateA refuge in the slow breathing of the seasons
The Empty Waiting RoomA refuge in the silence of the snow
The Unmoored BoatA refuge in the quiet breathing of the lagoon
The Embrace of the Serene NightA path of words toward restoring sleep
The Suspended RefugeA refuge among the clouds
The Path of the WindmillsA gentle journey among wooden sails and golden light
Dew LightA refuge among the branches of the morning
Between Two SkiesA refuge in suspended time
The House Between the TidesA refuge in the voice of the sea
The Pact of the Narrow RoadsA refuge where time keeps its promises
The Embankment of the Two FootstepsA refuge for those who wait for a sign without knowing they are one
The Inner CompassA refuge that speaks through your choicesA story to play
Choose your edition
The English edition is on its way to Amazon in three formats. Until it is out, write to me from this page and I will let you know.
Paperback
5.5 × 8.5 in, 247 pages. ISBN 9798263560089.
Coming soon on AmazonHardcover
Case laminate, premium color printing. ISBN 9798141198410.
Coming soon on AmazonKindle e-book
For Kindle devices and the Kindle app, with the illustrations in color.
Coming soon on Amazon
Reading in Italian? Il Rifugio Sospeso is available now.
Frequently asked questions
What is it about?
Places. Each story takes you to a different refuge (a cabin, a shore, a room, a garden) and leaves you there for a few minutes. There is no plot to follow: there are things to see, to touch, to listen to.
Is it a novel?
No. It is a collection of forty-eight short stories, each independent of the others. You can read them in order or open the book at random.
Why is it written in the second person?
Because the refuge is yours. The “you” puts you inside the scene: you are the one walking on the snow, sitting on the bench, drinking tea by the lake.
How long does it take to read?
A story takes from 2 to 10 minutes; most take four or five. The whole book fills a few evenings.
Was it written in English?
It was written in Italian and first published in Italy as Il Rifugio Sospeso. This is its first English edition.
Can I read something before buying?
Yes. The first story, “The Cabin Where Time Waits”, can be read in full on this site, and every refuge has its own page with a line from the text.
When will it be available?
The English edition is being published on Amazon in paperback, hardcover and Kindle. Write to me and I will let you know when it is out.
Write to the author
If one of these refuges has left a trace in you, it will be a gift to receive a thought of yours, or the memory of a refuge of your own.
You can also write directly to info@ilrifugiosospeso.com.