Daniel Verdú's novel reveals the ghostly founder of Jot Down magazine

Journalist Daniel Verdú has published 'La bola' (Alfaguara, 2026), a work of narrative nonfiction about Mar de Marchis, the mysterious co-founder of Spanish magazine Jot Down who died in 2022. De Marchis, who remained largely unseen, was instrumental in creating the magazine's identity: slow journalism, long-form texts, black-and-white aesthetics, and a commitment to beauty. Verdú's book, based on real events, explores her multiple invented personas and the unrepeatable moment of Jot Down's birth. The project was not approved by de Marchis's family.