That's why we, at CJ Leger.com, love to bring you a good mix of book reviews, author spotlights and interviews; today we've got an interview for you with author S.K. Kalsi. We will be talking about his past, his future projects, and his most recent book, "The Stove Junker".
One of our greatest interests when it comes to authors is finding out what has inspired them to become one of the talented individuals that can put into words complete stories, lives, and character personalities created within the parameters of their brain. We asked asked S.K. Kalsi following:
When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?
"What inspired you?I realized I wanted to be an author when I was in college, studying business. As a semi-professional musician, I had always been a creative person, but writing stories seemed so far beyond the realm of possibility as to render it a mute dream. When I quit music, I needed a creative outlet to replace it. I was in my mid-twenties, struggling with school, in danger of failing, and so writing became a calling then. I realized I found a deep abiding sense of comfort when I wrote, back then poems mostly. I took a literature class, realized there was nothing more I wanted to do than commit my life to the written word, explore ideas, feelings, create characters, and throw these characters into conflict with themselves and each other. So I changed my major to Creative Writing. My earliest inspiration was the work of poets, mainly Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, and then Emily Dickinson, and then Neruda, Wallace Stevens, and Rainer Maria Rilke. Through their pondering, I discovered deep thinkers, philosophers pondering the mysteries of existence and our place in life, Emerson, Thoreau, and later Wittgenstein."
With characters so involved, we ask Kalsi where the inspiration for his characters came from.
Do you draw personality features from your own self to evoke the personality of Somerset?
"Very much so. Somerset is a composite character, made up of bits of my own personality, my father, my uncle, and yet he is his own personality. I very much follow the dictum, “Write what you know, but not all of what you know.” Let the imagination color in the rest."As authors become more experienced and delve into personal creation interests, they often fall into different genres along the way. Usually, authors may take a trip around several genres, discovering new literary outlets before falling back into their original calling, we wanted to know what genres Kalsi was likely to delve into the future.
In the future, what genre do you see yourself doing the most work in?
"I am passionate about psychological realist literature, though certain elements of mystery and noir, horror and magical realism are sure to creep into my work."We see that you have delved into poetry, is this something you may return to in the future?
"Though I love poetry, and though much of my work reads like prose-poetry, I don’t have the patience to strictly write poetry."While having a literary agent can make it easier to get your book published, Kalsi is one of those shining examples of authors who can land publishing contracts solely based on the quality of their work and the determination present in their work ethic. He currently does not have a literary agent, but we wanted to know more about his experience in publishing his book. This is what he had to say:
What was your experience like launching this book?
"From when I received the message from my publisher stating they wanted to release my book, to the day they launched it, has been a great journey. I realize how collaborative the process really is, from our earliest stages of editing, shaping, polishing once again what I thought was polished, them soliciting my help in shaping the artwork/cover design. There’s a level of trust and freedom that I am not sure I would have received from the larger publishers, but you never know."Was it hard to get it published?
"Nothing is hard until you give up trying. The entire process took a little under a year. There were at times when I thought to give up, especially when every agent I queried turned me down. Many praised the book for its lyrical merits, but they simply “didn’t know what to do with it.” I turned to the independent publishers after an agent at William Morris suggested I try. I did. I got published."What was your reaction when Little Feather Books retained your work?
"Honestly, I had mixed feelings about going with an independent publisher, even though now I don’t regret the decision. I always wanted to be on an agent’s roster who found my book a home at a large publishing house. That is the dream for most writers, I think. So when that didn’t happen, and Little Feather snapped it up, I was afraid. I asked myself questions about their reputation, about their ability to successfully launch my book, about so many other things. But they were forthright and continue to be so and I find their level of honesty a rare thing. They have been incredibly supportive and have provided me with a level of access and intimacy with the process of publication and promotion I am not sure I would receive from the larger publishing houses. Moreover, their belief in my abilities as a writer makes me want to work harder, improve my craft, and deliver books that live up to my creative values.Do you have more planned commissions with this publisher?
"Not currently. I am working on a new novel."We went back to the author's latest novel, "The Stove Junker", and asked him about the main character's decision to return to the setting of this unique book:
If possible, without revealing too much, what leads Somerset to return to his old home and renovate it?
"Exile, even one that is self-imposed, always triggers yearning for home. Having come to the end of his life, with his wife Nona dead, his son missing long ago, Somerset returns to his home in northeastern Pennsylvania to account for his life."We always offer a free section for the author to say anything that's on your mind, anything they want the readers to know, or just anything they'd like to project to the world. S.K. Kalsi left us with this:
"A writer’s success begins with writing a good book and ends with finding good readers. I hope that I find good readers, and by “good readers” I mean sensitive ones, readers attuned to the nuances of language, who love complex characters, are not afraid to cheer on anti-heroes, and read to reveal the inner structure of a book. By writing The Stove-Junker I have lain my soul bare. There is, as Hemingway said, “blood on the page.” I have opened my vein. I hope to find readers who understand that writing a work of art is a great value to civilization and that I hope they find great value in my novel."
About the Author: Kalsi's voice has been influenced by poets, musicians, and philosophers, as well as his past work as a poet. S.K. Kalsi holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of San Francisco, a BFA in Creative Writing from Long Beach State, and a diploma in Screenwriting from UCLA. His short stories have appeared in numerous literary magazines, including The Gettysburg Review,Glint Literary Journal, and The Criterion, among others. His work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
BOOK INFORMATION:
The Stove Junker
Literary Fiction; Little Feather Books; April 2015; $16.95; 344PP; ISBN 9780990779063
Follow the author on Twitter @SuryaKalsi | Visit his site
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