What was it that attracted you to the Slice Girls anthology?
The theme of the Anthology itself, which was really interesting, in my opinion…
How did you feel writing a story about a violent woman?
The same as writing a story about a violent man, in a way…
Please give the readers a brief summary of the story you wrote for the collection?
It’s set in an area stretching between old Germany and old Poland, in the 1700s, with some strange occurrences going on during the night, and with a very unusual lesbian couple planning something bloody in the darkness, actually…
How do you feel about the way women are usually portrayed in horror?
At times, they are portrayed just as a female version of some male villains, with the same vices or faults, but I must say that this depends upon the way the author wants to have them, from time to time, characterized in a story…
Do you think the way female characters are portrayed in horror reflects the way society views women?
Yes, unfortunately, this is true…in most cases women are showed just like victims of some brutal men, though under other circumstances they are depicted as vampires, demons and so on who become the real villains…but, luckily, in the recent years, especially in Sci-Fi and Horror movies and novels they are also showed like strong heroines, the ones who save the day in the end…
Have any of your other stories been published? If so tell us about them and where readers can find them.
Sergio ‘ente per ente’ Palumbo (that's me) has published a Fantasy RolePlaying illustrated Manual, WarBlades, of more than 700 pages. Some of his works and short- stories have been published on American Aphelion Webzine, WeirdYear, Quantum Muse, Antipodean SF, Schlock!Webzine, SQ Mag, etc.,and in print inside 70 American Horror/Sci-fi/Fantasy/Steampunk Anthologies, 50 British Horror/Sci-Fi Anthologies, 2 Canadian Urban Fantasy/Horror Anthology and 4 Australian Sci-Fi Anthology by various publishers, and 30 more to follow in 2020/2021.
He is also a co-Editor, together with Mrs. Michele DUTCHER, of the Steampunk Anthology “Steam-powered Dream Engines”, published in march 2018 by Rogue Planet Press, an Imprint of British Horrified Press, and of the new Fantasy/Sci-Fi Anthology “Fantastical Savannahs and Jungles”, published in march 2019 by the same Publisher.
The next one, a new Anthology titled “Xenobiology – Stranger Creatures”, is going to be published this year, and I’ll be again a co-Editor, together with American authoress Mrs. Michele DUTCHER.
What are you writing at the moment?
A Short-Story about Arthurian legends in a medieval Horror setting.
Do you prefer short stories or novels? Which form is more challenging to write?
Writing Short-Stories for me is much easier, as English is not my first language (I’m Italian) and I can have them completed, and amended, long before I could write a full novel, but a Fantasy novel is on the way.
What is your favourite short story by another author?
Probably Life-Line by Robert HEINLEIN.
Bio: Sergio ‘ente per ente’ Palumbo is an Italian public servant who graduated from Law School working in the public real estate branch.