Life at Open Heart Publishing

Hello Readers!

I recently had the opportunity to ask C.B. Calsing, author of the story Gran’s Prophecy, a few questions.  Enjoy!

Here we have C.B.’s inner child…telling us a story perhaps?

Is “Gran’s Prophecy” your first story to be published?

I have had several short stories and poems published over the years; I started submitting in high school and have been submitting, on and off, since then.

Who or what inspired you to be a writer?

I can’ t really say. I started writing for my own entertainment in the second grade. I composed my first novella as a freshman in high school. I think part of it might have been that my mom is a wonderful painter, and I could never create artwork as beautiful as hers, so I had to find a different outlet for my creativity. I didn’t have a lot of friends in elementary school, either, so it sort of functioned as a means of escape.

What was your favorite book as a child and why?

As a child, my favorite book was “Firerose,” a story about a foundling girl with a dragon’s tail who is raised by a Gypsy. She’s never quite accepted because she is different, but eventually she finds exactly where she is supposed to be. I often felt just like Firerose, like I was some kind of foundling because I, too, never quite fit in. It wasn’t until college that I discovered a peer group that I had strong ties to.

How do you organize the books on your bookshelf?

Alphabetical by last name, then, if there’s more than one by an author, chronologically by publication date.  I do the same with my LPs and CDs.

What are some other things you are passionate about? (besides writing of course)

I am passionate about my neighborhood, urban renewal and urban self-sufficiency, new technology, the food from wonderful chefs in my city, Irish whiskey being better than scotch…

What do you think is the meaning of the masthead, “An Honest Lie”?

I think most people tell themselves lies everyday to survive in this world.  It’s looking in the mirror every morning and saying, “I’m fat”, or “I’m successful”, or “I’m worthy of love”, or “I’m a great writer”.  After all, a mantra really is a lie we tell ourselves until it becomes the truth…I think my character in “Gran’s Prophecy” is doing just that, though in a more extreme way than most people in the real world.

Why do you believe people should read your story?

I think people should read “Gran’s Prophecy” because it’s a good for a laugh.  It’s not my usual style of writing; I started it as a sort of exercise to see if I could write like Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams.  I shared it at my graduate reading, and I had to stop for the laughter to die down.  I think it will make people smile and walk away feeling a little bit better about how well they function within their own world.

C.B. Calsing was born and grew up in the small Central Coast town of San Luis Obispo, California. As a child, she spent long hours composing stories and plays. Half-way through her junior year in high school, she left to attend Cuesta Community College, where, after a few years of study, she received her associate of arts degree with honors. Following that, she transferred to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. There, she completed her bachelor of arts in English. She took a year off, traveled to Indonesia and Ireland, and then decided to return to school to become a certified English teacher, which she did. In 2002, fresh out of her studies, Mrs. Calsing and her future husband moved to New Orleans, where she began her career in education. In 2004, she married. Following her evacuation from Hurricane Katrina, Mrs. Calsing returned to New Orleans and began her master of fine arts degree in creative writing, fiction, at the University of New Orleans. She completed that in 2009. Now, she teaches middle school English, edits for a prominent e-book publisher, and writes when there is time. “To Wade Alone,” a story from her unpublished collection All Along the Pacific, took second place in the On the Premises “First” contest in June 2009. Other work has appeared in college literary journals, guerrilla zines, and on Web sites, such as Crossedgenres.com. Her two favorite genres to write are historic and science fiction because both allow her to visit other worlds. If she has any free time, Mrs. Calsing takes care of her old car, her old house, and a brood of chickens.

Wanna find out more?  You can visit her website at www.cbcalsing.com or keep up with her blog at www.cbcalsing.blogspot.com