Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Giancarlo Roversi
Book Title: Pulstar Book I: The Swan Barely Remembers
Released: 03/10/23
Genre: Adult SciFi
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “Pulstar: Book I”?
Roversi: In a nutshell, the Pulstar trilogy is the result of a promise I made to a special person who is no longer on Earth. However, the long story would be this one: During my teenage years, at my sister’s birthdays, a party guest talked about an intrinsic and mysterious subject. That’s where the idea for Pulstar came from. I felt I had to write about it somehow, heavily influenced by Blade Runner and my favorite books. I published the novels Astralvia I and Astralvia II in Spanish in early 2000. Afterward, I stopped writing and focused fully on my band Fractaler until 2012. Then, my country, Venezuela, became more chaotic than it already was. That contributed to the dissolution of my band and forced me to emigrate. While I attempted to start a family and lived in Europe, a tragedy in Venezuela forced me to return and stay there, isolated in an apartment all day long, writing and composing music all the time. Finally, I sold the apartment and returned to Europe, but in body, my mind was anchored in Pulstar and Astralvia—the fictional country where the story of Pulstar trilogy and its prequels take place.
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Roversi: Of course, the names. Thank you for this question, Heather. The main characters are Jeral, Aris, and Esther.
Jeral Murh: When I was a child, my parents enrolled me in a judo academy. The instructors were two French brothers: Chiqui and Jeral. From that moment on, I loved the name Jeral. In fact, there was a time when I used it as a pen name when I was in Fractaler, but with G ... Geral. The last name is the first part of a precious last name but astralvized with H.
Aris Castilho: At first, it was going to be Aris Castillo. Then, I astralvized it, adding the H. Besides, Aris ... Aristotle. I loved that idea.
Esther Bernarbh: I’ve always loved the name Esther, although I don’t think I can share the real reason yet. Excuse me, Heather. I’m a pain in the neck. I know, but it’s just that it would be a bit of a spoiler. I give you my word we’ll talk about it. The fact is, I like the way Esther sounds in Italian and English. Bernarbh (a la astralvo) is one of hundreds of easter eggs for the Pulstarverse.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Roversi: Pulstar is my view of the cosmos, my philosophy of life, without basis, without proof, but it’s what I decided to believe in, even if it’s not the most comfortable answer. It took me over ten years to write the trilogy in Spanish, translate it into English, and edit it professionally, as well as its two prequels—Nerve and Marlenh. Also, I composed the music for each book, as I am a fan of Soundtracks. Besides, I love the concept of mixing music and reading, and for me it’s impossible to write without the right playlist. It’s one of the most powerful muses that gets me into the Zone.
If "Pulstar I" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Roversi: Oh, we storytellers enjoy these questions. Well, I could ramble on for hours... No, seriously, I’ve been working on this project for so many years that the dream cast has changed so many times. I always envisioned the villain as a mix of Jeremy Irons and Ed Harris. Now, if Viggo Mortensen or Michael Shannon would play this role, it would be a dream come true for me. Jeral Murh... Wow... My first choice was Samara Weaving, especially because of her prominent incisor teeth.
However, there’s an actress I didn’t know, and when I spotted her in a horror movie—I’m a horror movie fan—I said: this could be Jeral. Then I saw her in the first season of The White
Lotus, and I was convinced ... That’s Jeral! Maybe shorter and not so stunning. Her name is Alexandra Daddario. And I could go on ... It’s too tempting!
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Roversi: Exactly, the writer’s block. What an enemy. When I was writing the first draft of Pulstar III, I was so daunted that writer’s block engulfed me. Even the playlist wouldn’t get me out of it. So I wrote another story (always in Astralvia), and that’s how the prequel Marlenh came about. Another thing I do to combat the block is to compose music or just play the piano.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Roversi: I am just learning this craft. The little thing I know, I learned it writing and rewriting, but above all, thanks to so many brilliant authors and my editors. Also, I’m just starting this self-publishing journey, which is much more difficult than I would have ever imagined. That said, my advice is, they have to love writing, otherwise, there’s no point. It’s hours of solitude and requires an extreme sacrifice on a social, economic, and emotional level that perhaps only other writers or people connected to the literary scene would be able to fully understand. However, if the uneasiness and the inner burning are there and never go away, we have no choice but to toss it out, hoping our message connects with other people.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Roversi: My favorite genre is Speculative Fiction (especially Hard Science Fiction, but maybe not that hard?) in a dystopian environment and with philosophical topics and a bit of romance. Oops, that’s Pulstar’s genre. Sorry, Heather, I couldn’t help it. But we should write in the genre we love, shouldn’t we? My favorite authors are George Orwell, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Dan Simmons, Anne Rice, Gillian Flynn, Cormac McCarthy, Oriana Fallaci. Phew, this list could also continue for hours. My favorite books are—both in the same place—The End of Eternity by Asimov and 1984 by Orwell.
What are you working on next?
Roversi: At the moment, I need to finish editing Pulstar II and Pulsar III. Also, the prequel Marlenh is in the editing process. Another project I have to complete is the music for all these books; it’s quite advanced, though. I have other ideas floating around in my head, of course; only one is science fiction, and all of them would take place in Astralvia. One of these stories is about a drummer young girl who wants to make it; I’m a wanna-be drummer. What can I say?
Thank you, Heather.
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