Cosmic Convocation, Starry Eyed Press’ first official space opera anthology features a story called The Poderosa Trap by author Fulvio Gatti.
We had a chance to sit down with him to get the scoop on both the story and his processes.
Fulvio, tell us more about yourself, your life and writing career.
I‘ve been writing all my life, more or less, literally since primary school. Highly influenced by a lot of stuff, Star Wars above all (but not only—more later). In 2018 I decided to take a further step by participating Superstars Writing Seminars, directed by Kevin J Anderson and Rebecca Moesta along with many excellent writing teachers, in Colorado Springs. It gave me the motivation to start writing in English. Since then, I have written three novels, 50+ short stories, sold a dozen while by the end of 2021 I sold my first story to a pro-sci-fi magazine (Galaxy‘s Edge).
In Italy, I‘m a local reporter and event organizer with a very patient (and delightfully geeky) wife.
Tell us about your story in Cosmic Convocation.
Pirate spaceship accountant Marcus Kandor meets the chance of a lifetime: running as Captain of the Poderosa under the benevolent gaze of the former Captain Elmo Van Der Brook. He‘ll learn how a lot of things are different than how they appear.
What was the inspiration behind this story?
I actually ran for Mayor of my town a few years ago, so some elements in the story are true. I neither confirm nor deny the laser battles during my campaign.
What sci-fi books have you recently been reading and which titles represent your long-time favorites?
I‘m a huge space opera geek, from Star Wars on, to the point I‘ve also enjoyed that show with Kevin Sorbo (Editor’s note: That would be Star Trek cousin show Andromeda developed by Gene Roddenberry). Also, I love Doctor Who.
On the literary side, I love both John Scalzi and Martha Wells, I‘m reading their series The Collapsing Empire and Murderbot as we speak. Yes, I read a lot of things at the same time, both in English and Italian.
What are your favorite genres to write and are they different from the ones you read?
Speculative fiction is my overall label, I love both writing and reading sci-fi, fantasy and horror, with some preferences for strong characters, resonance with contemporary issues and ability to project us somewhere else. Any length is good, I often start a short story figuring out it has the potential for a saga—and that‘s where you have to be good at telling a complete story even in, say, 500 words.
Tell us more about your writing process.
Part of me would only want to go on and write. I‘ve figured out, though, that some stories need preparation. So I‘m experimenting with both, often taking down a lot of notes and timelines in my notebooks.
How do you promote your writing? Which platforms would you recommend to fellow authors?
It‘s hard, of course, because there‘s a lot of content out there. Sometimes, as a writer, you feel like people will do anything but read you. If you have little time to read, too, maybe you should think about your content twice. But my mentor Dave Wolverton (who recently passed away, still a bit shocked) once told me that writing is still the cheapest way to sell a story.
Also, if you want to be read, you have to write the best story you can, in the best way you can manage to—all of the time.
Where can our readers find more of your works?
My website is www.fulviogatti.it and it‘s up to date with all my publications. My most recent indie-published book is an ebook collection of five short time-travel rock music short stories called The Record Store at the Edge of the Time Stream.
Ebook and illustrated paperback available here.
Starry Eyed Press 