In 1982, at the age of 25, Antonelli ran as a Republican for the United States House of Representatives in a district including most of the West Side of Manhattan Island along with parts of The Bronx.

[3] Antonelli got a late start in his fiction writing career; his first story ("Silvern" in the June 2003 issue of RevolutionSF) was published when he was 46 years old.

[4] His 2012 short story "Great White Ship" was nominated for the Sidewise Award for Alternate History.

Eleven of his stories have received honorable mentions in The Year's Best Science Fiction published by St. Martin's Press for 2011, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005 and 2004.

His 2012 short story "Great White Ship" was nominated for the Sidewise Award for Alternate History.

In July 2015, in the midst of the "Sad Puppies/Rabid Puppies" controversy, Antonelli (whose nomination for the Hugo Award for Best Short Story was part of both "Puppies" slates for the Hugo ballot)[8] wrote a letter to the Spokane Police Department telling them to be on the lookout for World science fiction convention Guest of Honor David Gerrold (who was scheduled to be master of ceremonies at the award ceremony in Spokane) as a person who may incite violence[9] calling him "insane and a public danger and needs to be watched when the convention’s going on.