I'm Italian, and because even in Italy that means everything and nothing at all, I should say, I am Sicilian. I was born in Palermo, and as it happened with countless Sicilians, I left it, back in 1986. I lived more years abroad than in my home country, and I have changed in many and different ways than my old friends there. It is always a pleasure to go back, but it is now 6 long years since my last visit. Saudade? Maybe, a little.
I lived in Switzerland, France, and the United States. I am a scientist as a background, and have spent over 17 years in fundamental research. Most of my writing are then academic stuff, and I always wonder at how much Google is able to find about everyone. I am sure one has to Google oneself so not to forget too much...
I worked for many years at CERN—an international lab for particle physics research near Geneva, Switzerland—then in the US at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Fantastic moments and memories from those years. In 2005 I moved to the private sector, worked with Apple Inc., and then for the World Economic Forum.
I wrote since I was a kid, short stories and novellas, but never had anyone read it. It was a personal thing. Then, work and life took their toll and I stopped. Slightly over a year ago, for various reasons, I started again with some burning inside that needed to come out. On the first weekend I got over 15000 words, then subscribed to critters.org for peer review, lurked a year keeping on writing and getting feedback.
On September 2012 my debut novel, "Daimones", saw the light. It received the 2012 PRG Reviewer's Choice Award in Science Fiction. Last February it was awarded with the Hall of Fame - Best Science Fiction by Quality Reads UK, and received over 64% of the 1600+ readers votes. The Daimones Trilogy has won the 2013 PRG Reviewer's Choice Award as Best Science Fiction Series. Daimones is also a Finalist in Science Fiction for National Indie Excellence Awards 2014.
To the day, Daimones has sold over 5,000 copies. Both novels are available as digital and printed editions.
The sequel, "Once Humans", was published last July and has sold more than 1,000 copies since. Vol.3, "The Rise of the Phoenix” has been published in May 2014.
The novels have been optioned by an Independent Audiobook Publisher in the US, Sci-Fi Publishing LCC, and both Daimones and Once Humans are now available as audiobook, too. (From audible.com, Amazon and iTunes).
My Amazon page is: http://www.amazon.com/Massimo-Marino/e/B008O53L5O
my blog: http://massimomarinoauthor.com
@Massim0Marin0
