Costi Gurgu
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Good morning, Costi, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for Art and Authors What have you written?
RecipeArium, Servitude, Green Corrosion (Corrosion 1), Pink Corrosion (Corrosion 2)
What is your favorite genre to write?
Dark Science Fiction, Science Fantasy, New Weird
Favorite food.
Steak
Tea or coffee?
Coffee
Pizza or ice cream?
Ice Cream
Wine or beer or soda or what?
Single Scotch
Where would you like to visit?
Japan
Favorite musical artist.
Too many.
Do you listen to music when you write? What?
Yes, I listen to instrumental music, electronic, symphonic, progressive, depending on what I write at the moment.
What makes you laugh?
A good comedy
How old were you when you started writing?
I was in primary school, second or third grade.
Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write?
I plan out my book. I need to see what are the main pillars for my story. So, instead of going from page 1 to 300, I go from pillar 1 to pillar 2 to pillar 3 and so on.
Describe your perfect evening.
Dinner at an awesome restaurant, walk for half an hour to an hour afterwards, watch a movie or a series with a glass of single scotch in hand, make love with the woman I love.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Science books I read, documentaries I watch, and from day to day life around me. People are a great source of inspiration. The way they talk, the way they react, what they’re saying, how they deal with different situations.
What do you do when you get a writer's block?
I listen to music, I read my favorite authors even if that means I re-read some of their work, and I allow time to process the scene or idea that got me stuck.
Who is your favorite author?
Terry Pratchett, China Mieville, Robert J. Sawyer.
Best book you ever read.
“A Confederacy of Dunces”
by John Kennedy Toole.
Last book you read.
“Fairy Tale” by Stephen King
What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?
In a parallel universe I’m a user experience designer. I’m also an art director. I worked in the magazine industry for Playboy Magazine, French fashion magazine Madame Figaro, women life-style magazine Tabu and so on. In that parallel universe I’m working at the moment on building digital applications.
Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
It’s my wife, Vali. She’s very focused and intelligent, and when she starts something she covers all the angles and goes the full length. That kept me on my best game. She also understands my life as a writer and supports me despite sometimes the adversities. She encourages me and advises me. She’s been the constant that kept me writing through good or bad.
If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
I already had my conversation with Robert J. Sawyer, great writer and great man. He not only made me feel welcome in Canada, but also gave me practical advice on how to navigate the industry waters here. And for someone with no connections and no knowhow about a certain market, that is invaluable.
What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
I would advise them to follow their dream and be patient. Don’t rush it. Write, re-write, workshop your work with fellow authors, then re-write again. And finally, hire a professional editor to edit your work. Don’t send your baby out into the world without professional help.
Do you have some links for us to follow you?
https://www.facebook.com/CostiGurgu/
https://costigurgu.com/
Amazon “Green Corrosion”: https://a.co/d/9OCerfS
Amazon “Pink Corrosion”: https://a.co/d/0XeDIL6
https://www.instagram.com/costigurgu/
