The Space Between Now and Then: A Memoir

By Daryl Altman

"Dario's first memory of Switzerland was not a place, but a sensation: cold that had weight."

When Dario's mother, Louisa, returns to the Philippines, leaving him behind in the polished, rigid world of Switzerland, he learns a devastating lesson early on: love is a door that can close without warning. To survive the ache of abandonment, he develops a flawless coping mechanism. He packs his emotions into tightly sealed "drawers" and makes sure that in every relationship, he is always the first one to leave.

As an adult, this survival tactic dictates his life. Navigating the complexities of the gay dating world, Dario chases connection while terrified of true intimacy. From fleeting romances he preemptively destroys, to a hasty, trauma-driven marriage in Shanghai during a global pandemic, he travels the world-always running, always bracing for the inevitable end.

But when his mother passes away just as they finally begin to reconnect, Dario is forced to confront the vast, painful distance between them. Standing beside his half-sisters, he is faced with a profound choice: retreat back into the safety of his emotional isolation, or finally learn to unpack the drawers and let love in.

Honest, heartbreaking, and beautifully written, The Space Between Now and Then is a powerful memoir about cross-cultural identity, the deep wounds of childhood trauma, and the courageous, messy work of learning how to stay in the present.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GQK69QM1
• ISBN13: 9798249887872
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 412 Pages
• Weight: 1.21 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"