Luca Rossi's Blog, page 21

Clouded Emotions - Series 1 - I

All over
Mario jumps into his car. The smartphone automatically connects to the audio system: “Latest news from the Milan stock exchange. Securities in real estate...”“Um, no, no, thanks. I'd like to listen to a little music. The Scorpions, please.”“Now you're listening to The best of the Scorpions – Wind of Change.”The notes warm up the icy air of the car interior.“I follow the MoskvaDown to Gorky ParkListening to the wind of change”.“Late-breaking news. The real estate market in downtown Milan has dropped by...”“Enough! I don't want to hear anything about real estate. Disable automatic updates.”“Updates disabled. You have three new emails. First message. Sender: Alberto...”“Goddamn contraptions!” Mario sighs, exasperated. “Turn everything off!”The road passes underneath the car's wheels. Mario doesn't seem to notice anything. Turns, traffic lights, pedestrian crosswalks. He tries in vain to keep his mind empty.
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Full version available in Galactic Energies on Amazon.com.

Galactic Energies - back cover

Scegliete la vostra retrocopertina preferita ;)

Discover Galactic Energies on Amazon.com.
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Caricamento in corso...

"La luce dei due soli", poesia di Luca Rossi

Quali altri tramonti vedrò?
Che luci si  abbasseranno a carezzarmi il viso?
Viandante su questi mondo,
Non trovo pace, non fermo il passo a sostare.
Ancora una volta pronto per il salto...
Alieno sul mio mondo natio
mi nutro della gioia del viaggio.
La luce dei due soli
tornerà presto ad abbracciarmi.
Sono pronto. La sacca è in spalla.
La mente è già là.
Posso quasi sentire
la dolce atmosfera
del luogo che mi accoglierà.
Via!

Torino, 25 luglio 2013

Clouded Emotions - Prequel - II

The meetingIsabella enters the bar and spots Mario and Roberto sitting at a table in the corner. Her walk is confident. Many men and a few women turn to look at her figure as she settles onto a stool near the bar. She mentally reviews Mario's profile. He loves women's legs, especially if they're in the dominant position. She takes off her dark grey coat and places it between herself and the back of the chair. She crosses her legs.
He doesn't drink hard liquor and feels uncomfortable with women who order drinks that have a higher alcohol content than wine or beer, she recalls. “A glass of white wine, please,” she tells the bartender, who lingers a few seconds too long on her green eyes. As she waits for her order, she takes out her smartphone and starts chatting with a friend. He is attracted to women who act stand-offish: this sums up Mario's taste in women. Roberto gives Mario a look, nodding towards Isabella. Mario glances over at the bar and sees her: black shoes with stratospheric heels, crossed legs, red dress, plunging neckline, angelic face, wavy hair with a dazzling sheen to it. Holy shit! Is that her? Suddenly agitated, he turns to Roberto: “Did you see her?” forgetting that his friend was the one who pointed her out.“What a hottie! I saw her come in. It looks like she's waiting for someone.”Mario can't take his eyes off of her, Isabella raises hers from her phone. The two men pretend to look elsewhere. She takes a sip of wine and goes back to chatting. The two go back to looking her up and down.“I'm going in.” Mario announces. His friend has much more experience and confidence when it comes to picking up women, but this time around, he can't miss out on the chance to meet such an attractive woman.“How are you going to approach her?” Roberto answers in an ironic tone, smirking provocatively. He's skeptical because he knows how shy his friend is. Meanwhile, Mario keeps staring at those towering heels. Both the question and his friend's smirk dampen Mario's enthusiasm.After lingering a while, studying their moves out of the corner of her eye, Isabella is able to confirm what she already knew: Mario has little confidence with women. The only way to get the right reaction is to put him under pressure, so she makes as if to put her coat back on and leave.She's too pretty! I've got nothing to lose, I better make my move: “I'm going to try!” Mario says, springing into action.Isabella smothers a satisfied grin: just like clockwork!Mario is already halfway to the bar when he slows down his pace and starts looking around, hoping to identify a new and unexpected reason for his approach.She finishes putting on her coat and reaches down to move the stool in order to make her way out. Mario understands that he's going to lose his last chance and decides to jump in, just as the woman expected. “Did someone stand you up? Or are they running late?” he asks, trying to break the ice.“My friend's babysitter got sick at the last minute,” she responds, slightly annoyed, her eyes implying “What's it to you?” She knows that Mario, deep down, likes women who are slightly intimidating.If you don't mind, I can keep you company, Mario wants to respond, but from his embarrassed smile he's only able to let out: “You didn't finish your wine yet! How about we chat a bit?”He's really a disaster with women!she thinks. “And your friend?” she replies, nodding ironically towards Roberto, who seems to be undressing her with his eyes.Mario glances at his coworker, who pretends not to notice and shifts his gaze towards the bottles displayed behind the bar. He turns back to Isabella, opens his mouth to say something but hesitates, his lips parted, his eyes darting searching for something intelligent to talk about. He ends up saying nothing.She decides to help him out a little: “Okay! I'll stay just to finish my drink.”The triumphant joy in Mario's heart overflows through the huge smile spreading across his face.“That's a great model! It's the latest release from DataCom,” Mario remarks, indicating her smartphone. And as he says this the triumphant joy is replaced by a sad realization: I'm an idiot. She stays to drink and all I can talk about are cell phones!To his great surprise, the woman of his dreams sitting in front of him responds enthusiastically: “It's revolutionary! Nothing like the earlier models. With this you can...”From the myriad of information she's collected, Isabella knows how to charm him, given his obsession with technology. Just an hour later, Mario is ready to do anything in order to spend every moment of his life with this incredible woman.Isabella takes one last glance at her smartphone, pretending she's checking the time: “No! How did it get so late? Sorry, I have to run!” She gives him a rushed smile and says goodbye.Caught by surprise, Mario again thinks about what to say to keep her from getting away: Do you want me to come with you? Can I have your number? What's your name? But she's already out the door. He stays, staring at her, confused and completely at a loss.Finally he unfreezes and runs outside. Too late: a taxi with Isabella's beautiful face inside passes right in front of him.Five, four, seven, eight. He manages to take down the car number with his smartphone.

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Full version available in Galactic Energies on Amazon.com.

Galactic Energies - a review by Anakina

Luca Rossi has got the special talent to tell stories you don't expect in a way which is similarly unexpected. Each one of these short stories is characterised by this peculiarity, while you face completely different worlds and protagonists, each one able to amaze us in its own way. Moving among science fiction, fantasy and erotism each story captivates us and meets our desire of a narration which is less than expected, where really everything can happen.
Suggested to Sci-fi enthusiasts who would like to be surprised.

Her review is available on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Goodreads and ladyanakina.blogspot.it.

Clouded Emotions - Prequel - I

Alpha resource“The man you are looking at is Mario Orsini,” the smartphone says.Isabella strolls along the park path. A light autumn breeze caresses her hair and ripples through the tree branches, which let their leaves fall. She studies the face of the man who will become her husband. An elongated nose, angular features, lean cheeks, slightly tousled brown hair, intense eyes with just a touch of madness to them. I could do worse.“He's a programmer: he works in a small company that works as a subcontractor for video game and virtual reality projects,” the voice adds. “Mario helps develop artificial intelligence. His profile identifies him as an Alpha resource for DataCom projects. We must act quickly: you need to meet him tonight. Tonight he'll be a bar with his boss, Roberto. Start studying the attitudinal notes immediately.”The image of Mario disappears, replaced by a list of information on his life. Isabella sits down on a bench and starts reading: personal tastes, acquaintances, hobbies, friends, intimate details. The woman studies it, writing down everything she finds useful. She asks the device a few questions, and it answers with clear, efficient responses.Isabella leaves the park and makes her way to a neighborhood full of shops. She buys only the types of clothes that Mario is known to admire on a woman. After a long session in a beauty salon, she sports bright yet discrete makeup, and a slightly wavy, warm chestnut hairdo that grazes the tops of her shoulders. Lucky for me, he's not into blondes. She runs home to take care of the last few preparations.“Hello, woman of Mario Orsini's dreams”, she says, pleased, looking at herself in the large mirror in her room.
“Your image corresponds ninety-seven percent to Mario's tastes,” confirms the smartphone. That brainiac is going to like me a lot more than just ninety-seven percent, she thinks mischievously.

Full version available in Galactic Energies on Amazon Kindle.

Galactic Energies - new cover online!

Galactic Energies - cover
The artificial intelligences of DataCom are trying to save the planet… by exterminating the human race. Aurelia finds her perfect man: a robot. The space explorer Captain Arcot sacrifices his life for an impossible conquest, the heart of Vril the vampire queen. A shape-shifting mutant ignites the erotic desires of the galactic police offer who's been tracking her down. Alessio fights against corruption in a universe of his own creation. An innocent man is forced to submit to the domination of a ruthless prison director. A king who's forgotten his own past wanders through a magical dimension where he discovers his own history. Two souls separated after one abandons the other meet again in another life. In an exciting virtual reality game, the hunter of the fearsome black widow becomes her prey.
Coming soon on Amazon Kindle! :-)

'La Famiglia Perfetta' su Gattaca

Il blog di fantascienza Gattaca pubblica 'La Famiglia Perfetta' di Luca RossiNella sezione Talenti in Vetrina, il blog di fantascienza Gattaca ha pubblicato La Famiglia Perfetta, arricchito da graziose illustrazione scelte dalla blogger Daniela Di Santo.


Ecco il link!

Evoluzioni grafiche di un self

Galactic Energies - bozzaVi piace? È una delle bozze per la cover  dell'edizione inglese di Energie della Galassia , che molto probabilmente si intitolerà Galactic Energies. Ieri notte, dopo averla riguardata per l'ennesima volta, sono stato colto dal desiderio di dare uno sguardo all'evoluzione delle mie cover dagli inizi ad oggi.

Arcot e la Regina - prima coverSembra un lavoro preistorico, eppure risale appena a metà settembre, ovvero dieci mesi. Dopo aver scoperto le potenzialità del self publishing e aver scritto il mio primo racconto di fantascienza, ero così emozionato all'idea di poter pubblicare su Amazon che non ci ho pensato due volte. Ho fatto un po' di editing sul testo, ho aperto The Gimp et voilà! Pochissime ore dopo Arcot e la Regina era online .

Non ho impiegato moltissimo a rendermi conto che la cover era fortemente inadeguata e dopo qualche giorno l'ho sostituita con la mia prima nebulosa.

Arcot e la ReginaL'immagine mi piacque a tal punto che da quel momento in poi ho continuato ad usarla come icona del mio profilo su social network, forum e ovunque online!Per i successivi racconti ho continuato a mantenere la stessa impostazione grafica, scegliendo di volta in volta le nebulose che mi affascinavano maggiormente. Per trovarle, ho attinto a piene mani agli archivi delle immagini della Nasa.Ecco una breve sequenza delle cover che hanno accompagnato i racconti Le Forme dell'Amore , Carcere a Vita , Rewind , Il Regno di Turlis e la popolare serie Web Emozione nella Nuvola .
Il Regno di Turlis Carcere a Vita Rewind Il Regno di Turlis Emozioni nella Nuvola - prima coverQuando è finalmente giunto il momento di pubblicare la mia prima raccolta di racconti, Energie della Galassia, ho mantenuto la stessa impostazione grafica e, dotandomi di una nebulosa particolarmente graziosa, ho pubblicato la cover che ha introdotto i lettori al mio ebook per i primi mesi del 2013.

Luca Rossi - Energie della Galassia - prima coverDiversi mesi dopo, con l'aiuto di un'amica, ho deciso di lavorare sull'impostazione grafica, migliorando il carattere e centrando le scritte.

Luca Rossi - Energie della GalassiaAnche la prima pubblicazione su Amazon di Emozioni nella Nuvola: 1 Codice Killer ha subito la stessa evoluzione. Luca Rossi - Emozioni nella Nuvola - 1. Codice KillerRecentemente, un amico mi ha chiesto: "Ma come hai fatto a vendere tanti libri con una cover così?" In occasione dell'uscita della versione tradotta in inglese di Energie della Galassia, ho deciso di rimettermi al lavoro. Per la prima volta mi sono affidato ad un grafico professionista, con il quale abbiamo creato molte bozze sulle quali continuiamo a lavorare.
Per quanto uno scrittore possa essere più o meno bravo, è la copertina che vende un libro. È la prima immagine che un lettore vede, che suscita un'emozione, che spinge ad approfondire la conoscenza con l'autore, a leggere la sinossi, ad addentrarsi nella lettura di un estratto. Merita molto attenzione, almeno quanto il testo stesso. Galactic Energies - bozza 1 Galactic Energies - bozza 2 Galactic Energies - bozza 3 Galactic Energies - bozza 4 Luca Rossa - Galactic Energies - bozza 5 Galactic Energies - bozza 6E voi? Quale importanza attribuite alla copertina di un libro? E quale delle bozze qui sopra preferite per Galactic Energies?

"Sabbia tra le dita", poesia di Luca Rossi

La morte e la vita.
Il passato si sgretola.
Il futuro preme
come un neonato smanioso di crescere.
La sabbia cade tra le dita delle mani,
Le immagini sfumano fino a diventare ombre.
E le ombre si dissolvono.
Una nebbia si alza
a coprire ogni cosa.
Il pensiero svanisce.
Tutto è perduto,
tranne il fiore che sta per nascere.

Torino, 15 luglio 2013

... altre poesie.