Thursday , March 28 2024
"I want readers to parallel their lives with mine, and know there is a way to make a change in their lives and move forward."

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.

What was your goal when writing this book?

I want readers to parallel their lives with mine, and know there is a way to make a change in their lives and move forward. Sometimes our lives become enmeshed with what I call “stuff” that gives us a sense of hopelessness. My hope is readers will grasp the fact there IS hope.

The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference not only has my story, but it has much information about recovery, dealing with the first 3 steps of the 12-Step program, and a lot of explanation and clarification of how the recovery process takes place.

What will the reader learn after reading your book?

They will learn many tools to help them create a life they want for themselves. Although The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference is a memoir, it is also a book of inspiration and self-help, not only for mind but for the spirit also.

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?

Yes, I sure do. My personal website is www.irenewatson.com and my blog can be found here. My blog has articles pertaining to life, re-writing scripts, spirituality, addictions, and musings.

I love to communicate with people and I promise to answer all emails, as well as respond to comments on my blog.

Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

Another book? Oh my, possibly. Right now I am concentrating on facilitating at retreats and workshops. That is a passion of mine. The facilitation I do goes in line with my book, my philosophy and my experience. My goal is to help others find tools to help them take their lives to higher states of consciousness – a place where their dysfunctional past no longer controls their lives. I want readers to find their authentic self and live the life they were meant to live – full of fun, love, and laughter.

Thanks for stopping by! It was a pleasure to have you here!

Thank you, the pleasure is also mine.

About Mayra Calvani

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. Represented by Serendipity Literary.

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