Interview with Irene Watson, Author of The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference

Irene Watson is the award-winning author of The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference and The Story Must be Told. She’s also the Managing Editor of Reader Views, a book review site catering to readers, writers, and the publishing community. Currently, Irene is touring the blogosphere to promote her memoir, The Sitting Swing, a candid, uplifting book about her sad, dysfunctional childhood and how she was able to find the path to recovery, healing and hope.

Thanks for being here today, Irene. Why don’t you begin by telling us a little about yourself?

My life has taken me on many paths, with breakthrough results and exemplar growth, to find my authentic and true self. I’ve designed and facilitated workshops and retreats throughout the United States and Canada. I hold a Masters Degree in Psychology, with honors, from Regis University in Denver, CO. My emphasis was spirituality and psychosynthesis. At present I live with my husband of 42 years on the banks of Barton Creek in Austin, Texas along with our Pomeranian Tafton, a rescued cat Patches, and a rescued cockatiel Clement.

When did you decide you wanted to become an author?

I had a story to tell, and I felt my story was going to help others heal from dysfunctional experiences in their childhood. I believe it’s never to late to find a way to re-write our scripts passed down for generations. By telling my story, I feel it gives hope to others.

Do you have another job besides writing?

Yes, I am the Managing Editor of Reader Views, a book review and publicity service based in Austin, Texas.

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

No, I wasn’t an avid reader as a child. Reading and education weren’t encouraged in my family or culture I grew up in. The emphasis was to become a “good wife.”

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

My pretentious life could go no further until I faced my past. My memoir begins at the end, in a recovery center, where I had gone to understand a childhood fraught with abuse, guilt and uncertainty. My story is a testament to the belief that it’s never too late to change your life, never too late to heal.

The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference shows us how guilt, fear, and ignorance are borne by our children. Two distinct parts of the book look at an abusive child rearing and the process of recovery that takes place years later. On many levels this is a classic story showing us that change, growth, forgiveness, and recovery are possible. It is also a heartwarming, healing story and a testament to the strength and courage of the human spirit. In the end it gives hope and freedom to those who accept the past and move forward by rewriting life scripts that have been passed down for generations.

Article Author: Mayra Calvani

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children, teens and adults. She also offers online workshops on the art of reviewing and picture book writing at SavvyAuthors.com.

Visit Mayra Calvani's author page — Mayra Calvani's Blog