Interview with David Gugliesi

Khayrun Gure: What authors did you dislike at first but grew into?

David Gugliesi: I wouldn’t say authors as I don’t read much but there is one author who is very prominent in my country Gabriel Garcia Marquez. In the beginning, I wasn’t feeling his style of writing. I thought it was specifically realistic and fantastical and it was confusing and also unclear at times. But as you keep reading it, you grow with it and it turns out to be very interesting and great. I definitely wasn’t interested at first but as I kept reading, it got better.

KG: Where did you get your idea from? What was your inspiration when writing your piece?

DG: I actually got the idea from a dream and I was very drawn to it. As soon as I woke up, I grabbed my phone and started taking notes on all of the things I saw and the ideas I had. When I started writing, the rest of the inspiration came from my own experiences. It's definitely not based me or anything like that, but a lot of the things or locations and some personality traits are based on my own experiences, people I’ve known, or situations I've been in.

KG: Why do you think it was important to write in the genre you chose?

DG: I think the genre, which I would describe as queer romance, is very importance because even if we are getting more stories which represent issues in LGBTQ+ communities, I definitely think there is to be told specifically with my story. I do try to engage in topics like homophobia, especially being forced to be someone you are not in order to please society, and being controlled by the people around you including your friends and your parents. I definitely think that should be something that should be changed. Everyone should be allowed to be themselves.

KG: What is your favourite underappreciated novel?

DG: My favourite underappreciated novel is a Spanish novel and not common in English speaking countries. It's called Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.