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Return to the Housewife Award page.
Meet the authors of our Housewife Awards® books
MEET LINDA WISNIEWSKI
AUTHOR OF OFF KILTER
Off Kilter: A Woman's Journey to Peace with Scoliosis, Her Mother, and Her Polish Heritage
By Linda C. Wisniewski
ISBN: 978-1-59719-012-1
Even before she was diagnosed with scoliosis at thirteen, Linda Wisniewski felt off kilter. Born to a cruel father and a long-suffering mother in the insulated Polish Catholic community of upstate New York, she learned martyrdom as a way of life. Off Kilter shows her learning to stretch her Self as well as her spine as she comes to terms with her mentally deteriorating, widowed mother and her culture. Only by accepting her physical deformity, her emotionally unavailable mother, and her Polish American heritage does she finally find balance and a life that fits. Susan Wittig Albert calls Off Kilter a "splendid first memoir about the difficult business of finding balance in our lives. Funny, honest, deeply moving, Off Kilter reminds us just how hard it is to adjust to the physical pain, the emotional loss, and even the surprising beauty of being fully who we are."
Find out more about Linda by visiting her website: LindaWis.com
Q. Give it to us quick and dirty: what the basic premise of the book?
In Off Kilter, I use my scoliosis, a lateral curvature of the spine, as a metaphor for my life.
What feels uncomfortable needs to be adjusted: my off balance body, a difficult mother-daughter
relationship and mixed feelings about being Polish-American.
Q.What was your inspiration?
In 2003, an essay I wrote, called "My Body, My Self," was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
My wonderful teacher and writing mentor, Maureen Murdock, suggested I expand the essay into a book.
Of course, it took a few years for me to figure out how to do that! And lots of workshops with excellent writing teachers,
most notably through Story Circle Network
and the International Women's Writing Guild Both of these organizations support
women writers and both played a big part in my success.
Q.If you could go back in your life and relive any part- what part would you like to revisit?
This is a tough one! I don't think about doing that, because 'now' always seems to be the most interesting time to me.
I guess I'd go back to the times with my grandparents, my mother's parents, when I was old enough to have conversations
with them but too young to appreciate them, from about 9 to 12. I'd ask them about coming to America,
what the voyage was like and the homes they left behind in Europe. All the rich history they lived through,
what they thought about things...so many, many questions, for me as a woman and as a writer.
Q.If they were to make a movie based on the book, whom would be your dream cast?
I should be so lucky! Seriously, I hope the book is an enjoyable read in itself, and appreciated for my use of words as much as for the story.
I'll let the casting director choose who is to play my real-life characters in the Lifetime TV movie.
Or maybe it should be the History Channel! LOL
Q.What do you hope readers come away with after reading "Off Kilter"?
After they close the cover on "Off Kilter", I hope readers feel inspired to speak up when they are moved to do so,
instead of being silenced by society. I hope women, especially, feel empowered to be outspoken and not worry about being 'nice.'
I also hope survivors of verbal abuse will feel encouraged to talk about it so no women will have to live as my mother did for sixty years.
Finally, I hope women readers will decide to explore their spirituality. Our lives are much more fulfilling when we explore all our choices,
and revisit them throughout our lives.
Linda Wisniewski is a librarian and newspaper feature writer who teaches adult education memoir classes. "Off Kilter" is her first book.
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