DT:  How long did it take to write Reflections?
MW: The book took me around 6 years to write. Partly this was because I worked at it in my spare time, and partly because I wrote the story without an outline. I rewrote it umpteen times. My need to write it arose from my own troubled childhood, Evangelical upbringing, as well as 20 years clinical practice with troubled children, families, adolescents and adults. I wanted the world to hear the voice of a child trying to understand the adult world.

DT:  Why did you write this story?
MW:  Part of the reason I wrote the book was to give voice to children, and adults, traumatized by the western Judaeo Christian concept of a punitive masculine God. The growth of evangelical fundamentalism in North America (as well as Islamic fundamentalism in other parts of the world) is alarming to me. God is not man or woman, Christian or Hindu and faiths that promote themselves as having an ultimate truth that people must believe, or else, at the risk of eternal damnation, are wrong and destructive. Promoting these beliefs to innocent children, instead of generic values of humanity and inclusiveness, is emotional child abuse and socially destructive.

Reflections from Shadow by Malcolm Watts

Mankind’s survival now depends upon our appreciation of difference in beliefs and acceptance of what people want to do and believe as long as those beliefs do not infringe on the rights of others, maintain they constitute the ONLY truth there is, or impose themselves on others. Despite what theological scholars will insist, most ordinary people understand intuitively that there are basic truths that underlay most religions and ethical contructs, i.e., the Golden rule. These universal ideas are what we need to pay attention to and understand that other aspects/structures of religion and belief systems are the result of political/cultural and sociological factors that range back hundreds and thousands of years. As the pinball wizard in my book says, They are all true, and not true. Each is an aspect of truth -- facets in the gem of understanding.

DT:  Was Jared based on someone you know? Or was his character straight from your imagination?
MW:  Jared is an amalgam of many kids I knew growing up, including myself, as well as children I have worked with in my clinical practice. We care for Jared, I think, because he has a way of questioning his world yet lacks the maturity to reconcile his questions. He also represents that child extant in all adults that continue to feel bewildered by certain questions of life, death, meaning and belief.

DT:  Why did Jared not seek out his birth parents?
MW:  Remember that in the past it was very difficult, nearly impossible for people to search for their birth parents. Also, such actions were generally viewed negatively by adoptive parents in that era. Children felt compelled to repress such desires and could not even speak of them for fear of “hurting” ones' adoptive parents. Many writers in the professional literature on the subject of adoption refer to this as the child playing out the role of “Good” adoptee vs “bad” adoptee. Strictly in terms of the story, I never really thought about having Jared pursue this. Generally, in those days, if someone was to search for birth parents it would not be until they were older than Jared was at the end of the book.

DT: Have you visited locales mentioned in the book?
MW:  Yes, I have traveled extensively. I met my wife while traveling in Europe in 1974. I spent time in Amsterdam and Germany, and many other places, and yes I visited Dachau camp museum. I studied history in University and am particularly interested in world war II. I wanted to describe Amsterdam as it was in those days, and is to some degree like that today -- a mecca for young people. I also carried out book and Internet research on Dachau to ensure the information about the camp was accurate with respect to the layout, buildings, research and other activities that happened there.

Dachau was the first camp established by the Nazis, but was never an extermination camp such as Treblinka and Auschwitz. Experiments in hypothermia and anoxia were carried out at Dachau by the Luftwaffe to assist them in planning for care of downed German pilots. My wife and I met in Switzerland while backpacking in Europe. She is also Canadian and is from the Toronto area.

DT:  Who is your target audience?
MW:  This is a good question. I wrote the book for adults, but primarily people who grew up in small town Ontario in the 60’s and were part of the counterculture, Anti-Vietnam etc. I plan to market the book to a number of target audiences including social work and social science/medical students. The book can be read as a story but also can be examined with regard to professional practice issues for therapists. I think students in such courses as psychiatry or social work or clinical psychology could learn a lot from the book while having the enjoyment of a good read at the same time.

DT:  Where have you had signings? Are there any upcoming events?
MW:  I have had readings and signings in coffee shops and big box book stores in southern Ontario. I have been interviewed on two cable television programs in York Region (The Greater Toronto Area) and some coverage in local media. I have been disappointed by the lack of interest from mainstream media in my book because of their rigid rules about not reviewing self-published books. My readers have generally liked the book a lot. Here is a sample of comments I hope to post on my website at some point.

"It was a beautiful and flowing read…a breeze to sail through".

"Such a sincere and well crafted story…."

"I had a lot of fun reading your book…I know fun is an odd word when you are talking about a book the plumbs the potential for evil that lurks in all of us….The intellectual honesty that went into this work had me cheering from the sidelines."

The judges commentary from Writers Digest magazine self-published competition is on my website.

DT:  What’s next for Malcolm Watts?
MW: I intend to spend a lot of time in the next year or so promoting my book to get the audience it deserves. At some point I would like to write a screenplay of the story as I know it would make a terrific film. I have another novel idea I am playing with, as well as a clinical treatment textbook for social workers. A number of readers have asked me about a sequel to Reflections. Perhaps one day, but only if I can make it really good. I would likely pursue the paranormal themes more in a sequel.

DT:  Any pearls of wisdom for new or aspiring writers?
MW:  Read a lot. Join, or form, a local writers group for support. Remember that writing and editing are two different things altogether. Let it FLOW and get it down. Fixing comes later. The Artist’s Way is a great book to help you deal with your inner, and outer critics, and blocks to creativity. Others can help you but listen to your own guts about what works, and doesn’t, for you. Let others read your stuff and get feedback. Read it ALOUD to yourself to get the rhythm of the language. I went through my whole book once with the sole purpose to make the words, sentences and language FLOW like a stream.

DT:  On behalf of Blackrefer.com and our readers, I'd like to say thank you for this candid interview. We wish you nothing but the best!

Malcolm's website:   Malcolm Watts