Author Interview with The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories Author – Annmarie SanSevero

Welcome to the author interview with Annmarie SanSevero as she shares with us about her book – The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories!

Blurb

Dive into Annmarie SanSevero’s gripping collection of speculative fiction, where suspense, mystery, and the supernatural collide with the frontiers of science. Each story pulses with themes of hope, resilience, and the ethical complexities of technological advancements. 

A testament to the human spirit, these tales weave suspense, mystery, and supernatural elements into a tapestry of speculative fiction that resonates with contemporary societal issues. Don’t miss your chance to experience these unforgettable narratives and embark on a journey that both challenges and inspires.

Ready to learn more about The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories and the author behind it? Keep reading for our interview with author Annmarie SanSevero!

Author SanSevero, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with Scribbles about your book, The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories!

Q:Author SanSevero, in your first story, The Butterfly’s Stroke, you give readers a bit of background on how the idea originated for this particular story. Nadia, the main character, is paralyzed like Joni Erikson was. We’re curious, did Nadia experience a similar accident to Joni? Or did she become paralyzed in a different way?

Author SanSevero: It was a diving accident like Joni’s. One difference is that she had been given a dare to try a certain dive at a party and declined, but then went back with just one of her friends after everyone was gone to see if she could do it.

Oh, okay. Sounds like a decision that she probably came to regret considering the aftermath that followed.

(a) What was the thought process behind excluding Nadia’s accident from the overall storyline?

Author SanSevero: That’s a great question. Mostly because it was a short story market that I was writing for and I wanted the focus to be on the aftermath of the procedure. If I’d done the accident, I’d use up a lot of “word real estate” with the parts that included the party, learning to live as a quadriplegic, her friends slowly exiting her life, etc. If I expand it into a novel, then all of that along with a ton of other things would be in there.

Ah! That makes a lot of sense. Once you start adding in all of those details and pieces of information the story goes from being a “short” story and begins to become more of a novella or well on the path of becoming a full length novel.

Q: Is the Butterfly’s Stroke so titled for the swimming style or is it named for the implant that Nadia receives in the story and the resulting aftermath that follows?

Author SanSevero: Yes… to both of those. I wanted it to pull double duty. I also need to give credit to a writing colleague of mine, David Hankins. I wasn’t crazy about the first few titles I came up with and so I started brainstorming with David. He helped me solidify that one.

Well! It sounds like we owe your colleague David Hankins our thanks as well! We’re glad that he was able to help you come up with a name that you felt adequately reflected the story.

Q: We’re curious to know more about Nadia. Why did you choose to make the story as focused as you did? The story is very streamlined, and doesn’t give readers a lot of detail or background into Nadia the individual. Why?

Author SanSevero: I did that for two reasons. First, Nadia was still getting to know herself again. Before the accident, her whole identity was swimming. Now she felt like she didn’t have an identity and had to figure out who she was. She’d lost her individuality (in her mind). Second, this was only the sixth short story I’d ever written. In some ways, I’m still a “baby writer” developing my writing chops. At the time, the only way I knew how to show that she’d lost her identity was by leaving it a bit blank.

Wow! We’d have never thought that, but that’s really deep. But it makes a lot of sense when you put it that way! Because the story beautifully reflects that without trying really hard to do so at the same time! You may classify yourself still as a “baby writer” but you absolutely have quite the talent for writing author SanSevero.

Q: What was it like writing The Butterfly’s Stroke? Did you have any moments where you struggled with the storyline? Or did it just flow naturally once you knew which direction you wanted the story to flow?

Author SanSevero: Let’s see if I can word this without giving any spoilers. I struggled with the idea of what happened to her mother. It wasn’t with how to write it as much as it was the impact on Nadia. Even though I know the characters aren’t real, my brain has an empathy chip on overdrive. I knew what that would do to Nadia and it was hard for me to put that on paper. In fact, I spent a stupid amount of time trying to find something as impactful for the reader that worked for the story. Finally, sitting at my computer I said out loud, “This is stupid. Nadia isn’t a real person. Just do it.”

We can understand that particular struggle. LOL! It was absolutely a jaw-dropping moment, but of course, we won’t say any more so that we don’t spoil it for our readers! If you want to know dear readers, you’re going to have to pick up The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories!

Q: In The Butterfly’s Stroke, you hint that Nadia’s implant could go “berserko” – is there anything specific that you are wanting readers to imagine?

For us, we imagined Nadia’s limbs going spastic and flailing all over the place so that she wouldn’t be able to function or move properly.

Author SanSevero: That is exactly what my mind pictured, so… whew!

Q: In the Butterfly’s Stroke you blend realism with just the right amount of science fiction that comes up on readers unexpectedly. What was it like for you as you began to weave the science fiction element into your story?

Author SanSevero: Total panic. I was submitting this to Writers of the Future. Many of their judges are the greats in the science fiction genre and I was terrified of writing some science element that was so wrong they’d want to hunt me down and tell me never to try scifi again.

In fact, every time I write a science element I worry about getting it wrong. The most recent story I submitted to them (which is still being judged) probably has the most real science I’ve ever done. I did a crazy amount of research. You should feel sorry for all the scientists I meet. I ask a LOT of questions. In fact, whenever I went to my radiation oncology appointments and the doc asked if I had any questions, they were rarely about my actual treatments and more a list of questions about the tech they were using on me. This had two upsides. I gained real insider knowledge and my radiation oncologist pre-ordered the short story collection because as he put it, “Anyone who does this much research has my interest.”

We love the fact that you put some effort into doing your research for your stories inorder to try and make sure that have such realistic elements in them! We love that you ask so many questions whenever your cross paths with a scientist. LOL! We feel a bit sorry for them and whatever “barrage” of questions they may be hit with, but it’s worth it when you yield up such amazing works.

Q: It’s truly amazing how you were inspired by the Neuralink and created your own twist of a story based on it. The deeper readers go into The Butterfly’s Stroke you begin to create a sense of heavy suspense and even a sinister element. How did you decide to take the story in this particular direction?

Author SanSevero: When I’m thinking about a story, I play a lot of “what if” scenarios in my mind. I often ask myself what are the worst things that could happen. To my children’s great frustration, this is also something that went through my head any time they went somewhere. That being said, while I had a general idea of where I wanted the story to go, much like the implant itself the story took on a mind of its own.

Q: The next story in your collection is “A Living Client.” What was the inspiration for this story?

Author SanSevero: Strap in because you may regret asking this one. I made a commitment to myself to enter Writers of the Future every quarter until I either won or pro’d out. Life sometimes throws us curveballs, so I only had 24 hours until I’d miss the deadline for that particular quarter. So, I did a brain dump. See if you can follow this. I made a list of everything I’d read or watched recently that I thought was superbly done and why I liked them. The three things that stuck in my head immediately were Deadbeat by Jim Butcher, the TV show Supernatural (my guilty pleasure), and Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. Boom! My main character would be a supernatural investigator that could see the dead (minus the anti-social wizard and bickering brothers, though there might be pie).

I’d also injured my leg and was walking funny, a bit like the AT-ATs in The Empire Strikes Back. That got me thinking about Star Wars. Don’t ask me how, sometimes my mind cannot be explained, but that spurred my thoughts to a Death in Paradise episode I’d seen a while back about a man who killed his wife and kept her skeleton as a visual aid in his science classroom. Those combinations suddenly made me think of the nickname Luke Thighwalker for a haunted femur. I laughed hard enough at the thought that I had to put it there.

The Supernatural show also brought to my mind our need as humans for family and connection, and what it does to us when that’s missing. Now I had my client. A young woman who needed to find her mother. The disease came later to create a sense of urgency.

Once I had my desperate detective and his trusty thighkick (See what I did there?), along with the even more desperate client, I was off to the races.

We absolutely LOVE this explanation! It is funny, informative, and will probably have us checking out shows and/or books! LOL! It’s so fun knowing that you took all of these different elements and blended them together to create your own unique story!

Q: Based on the name you give the haunted femur, we’re going to go out on a limb and say that you’re a Star Wars fan? LOL!

Author SanSevero: The force is strong with you. I definitely am. Lest I cause any undeserved hatred out there, I also love Star Trek. Now, both camps will either love me for enjoying their passion or despise me for not picking a side.

Well, we’ll be right there with you because we enjoy both Star Wars and Star Trek as well. So…we can safely say…if you’ve got a problem with that… “come at me bro.” LOL!

Q: How long did it take you to write A Living Client? It’s such a fun story that literally had us glued to the pages to find out what happened next.

Author SanSevero: That makes me so happy to hear because, as I mentioned, I didn’t have long to write it. I think I stayed up really late and wrote for six straight hours. Then, I got some sleep before having to get up for work. When my day was as done as it could be, I gave the story a quick edit for typos before sending it out. Honestly, I was convinced this one would get an R, but I was thrilled to learn I could write a story so quickly. When it got an HM, I was over the moon.

Well, you banged out a banger of a story! The characters were delightful, and the storyline was absolutely riveting! So, we’re glad that you got an Honorable Mention for it!

Q: You said specifically in your introduction for A Living Client that you intend to make this specific short story into a full length novel one day. Are you currently working on this?

Author SanSevero: Yes, but only in the sense that I’m jotting down ideas. I first have to meet a book 2 deadline on a middle-grade fantasy/steampunk series contract I have. The first book is slated for spring of 2026. I’m also still writing a short story at least once a quarter because I’m REALLY hoping for that Writers of the Future win before I pro out. And I have a YA book about a genetically engineered society I’m almost done outlining. So, it’s mostly just a few pages of ideas at the moment.

Okay, we can understand that you have other obligations that take priority. We do love that you are writing down notes for the story to be expanded when the time is right for you to work on it and devote your time and energy to it.

Regardless, readers who enjoy your collection of stories in The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories will probably be eager for more of your work, so they’ll be looking out for these new books that you have coming out as well as your short stories!

(a) Is this going to be a solo novel or are you thinking about making it into a series?

Author SanSevero: I will do a solo novel first and see what readers think. I do want to see what happens with this detective now that he’s solved a case that will make the front pages where he lives. I’m picturing his life turned upside down and him suddenly in demand. Plus, I have some very powerful people after him because they see his ability as a threat. At the moment, it’s just a bunch of ideas jotted down.

We’re going to level with you on this one, we loved the story. It was so much fun to read, and we could easily see it becoming a series with these two characters working together to solve paranormal mysteries.

Author SanSevero: Man! Now you’ve got me wanting to drop everything and write it. But I will be a good writer and finish up my immediate commitments first. Hopefully, that earned me some brownie points with my publisher.

We’re sure that your commitment to your promises to do your other books and stories will absolutely earn you some brownie points with your publisher. If not, well, maybe we can tempt you with some brownies to get started early. LOL!

Q: In your stories throughout The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories, we get the sense that quite a bit of research has gone into the story. However, you state that you had 24 hours to come up with a story to meet a deadline when it comes to A Living Client. So, we’re curious…is Muscle Protein Anthropophagy a real condition? If so, how did you learn about it and decide to utilize it in your story the way that you do?

Author SanSevero: While I made up that disease, anthropophagy is a real thing, which I know because I have a writer’s search history that I’m pretty sure has me on a government watch list somewhere. How I combined it with the muscle protein was more born out of my life experience than research. I sometimes joke that about once a year my body tries to kill me. Just to give a sampling, I’ve had surgeries now numbering in the double digits, a year or so ago my hemoglobin randomly dropped down to a 5 and they don’t know why, but the result is I periodically need blood transfusions or iron infusions, and I’m currently undergoing treatments for my second cancer, which weirdly is a completely different one than my first. So, I sometimes feel like my body is doing everything it can to stop me. But, I’m a tough little writer and keep going. That is what inspired the disease I completely made up and hope no one in real life ever gets it.

It’s probably a mandate for authors these days to have a search history that will have the “powers that be” eyeing them. LOL! Like… “hey! Keep an eye on that person over there. That search history…it’s looking pretty suspicious!” LOL!

Wow! Thank you for sharing all of that with us and our readers! We’ve absolutely learned quite a few things about you, and it reinforces just how strong we sense that you are, and that’s just what we got from reading your writing!

Q: The stories that you’ve created in The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories are quite unique and truly engaging! How did you come up with the storyline for Shattered?

Author SanSevero: I think I mentioned a YA I’m working on about a genetically engineered society. In that, my main character watches in horror as her mother shatters someone’s mind.

One of the reasons I write short stories is to test ideas and see where they can go. After that character’s mind was shattered, I started writing this short story as a means of exploring if it would be possible to restore their minds, and if so, how?

That is really cool how you use short stories to test out ideas and see where the characters and storyline will take you. That’s a really efficient way to do things. That way you can get an idea of what works and what doesn’t.

Q: What was it like writing Claudia’s character and the situations that she finds herself in?

Author SanSevero: I understood Claudia’s desperation to do well and help her family. She comes from a place of poverty and people were depending on her. Then, people come along and strip her of the opportunity and threaten everything in her life, including her own mind, if she doesn’t cooperate. She was helpless and had everything they needed at the same time. She didn’t recognize her position of strength. In a way it felt metaphorical to me. We often focus on our limitations we have or that others try to force on us and don’t recognize how powerful we really are.

Q: Is Shattered another story that you would ever consider writing a full-length novel about? It’s such a gripping short story, we’re sure that other readers would love to know more about this rebel group of Psions.

Author SanSevero: The funny thing about this question is I sent the short story to a friend just to get a feel for whether it was resonating to a reader who’s not a writer. She instantly texted me back and said, “If you don’t make this into a full novel, I will never speak to you again. I NEED to know what happens.”

While I’m definitely using the concept of shattering in the YA novel I have in my queue, I plan on showing what happens to Claudia in another novel. I have to. I like talking to my friend.

LOL! So, what you’re saying is that we can look forward to getting more of Claudia’s story…eventually. We’ll take it! LOL! So, we have yet another person to thank for encouraging and helping with your writing! LOL!

Q: Are the Psions an alien people, or are they humans with higher “psychic” style powers?

Author SanSevero: In this world, they are humans with more “evolved” powers. There is so much about our brains that we don’t yet understand. As you probably guessed, because I have more than one story about them, I find brains absolutely fascinating.

Q: What was it like for you as you wrote “The Heresy of Peace”?

Author SanSevero: That was a story I wrote as a means of finding hope of peace amidst conflict that currently seems irreconcilable. When I listen to the news or even read social media, it feels like we’re more divided than ever. The whole time I wrote it I felt hopeful. But that was because I knew the ending. My hope is that others who read it will see the benefits of forgiveness.

We will hope right along with you, because we got that sense from your story that there was more than meets the eye with it. We’re pleased to see that we were right. LOL! Hopefully, though, your story will inspire people to choose forgiveness and kindness instead of anger and hate.

Q:“The Heresy of Peace” is such an intriguing story. You start it off with a group of questions that are sure to intrigue readers. How did you come up with the characters?

Author SanSevero: I’m a people watcher. I knew the function of each character for the story I wanted to tell, but I needed a way to flesh them out. So, I studied people who embodied that particular character’s personality and moral compass. Some were people I know, even if only marginally. Some were from history or current events. Some were from conversations I overheard while running errands.

Q: You ask the question at the beginning, “The Heresy of Peace” – Would you save your enemy? So, we have to ask you: Would you, author SanSevero, save your enemy if you had the means to save their life?

Author SanSevero: I hope so. I don’t know that I would go as far as Bokrahm was willing to, but I can’t imagine willingly letting someone die when I had the means to save them.

That’s an honest answer, and we’ll take it. Bokrahm really goes the distance, and that is admirable for sure. Readers would probably benefit from learning from his example, within a certain degree of reason. LOL!

Q: What sparked the conflict that has divided the two races in “The Heresy of Peace”?

Author SanSevero: There was a natural disaster that caused the d’Nai to need to find a new home. The Nakim welcomed them. As their population grew both races started resenting the other. The d’Nai felt they weren’t being given the resources they needed. The Nakim felt the d’Nai were using up their resources without contributing enough.

Q: We’re curious about the disease that begins to afflict the d’Nai. Where did the parasite that sparks it come from?

Author SanSevero: There’s a little bit of handwavium involved here, but I’d imagined that they’d been mining in an area for some materials that could be weaponized, and several of them encountered the parasite, which spread from there.

LOL! “Handwavium.” We love it. Okay, we can roll with that.

Q: Memory Ghost is the next book in your collection of stories in The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories. This story is yet another science fiction-style novella that focuses on medicine and brains. What inspired you to write this particular story?

Author SanSevero: I think I mentioned needing blood transfusions. When I received my first one, I was so completely weirded out. Here I was laying on a hospital bed watching someone else’s blood going into my body. It was an uncomfortable thought. I knew nothing about them. Shouldn’t we have at least had dinner first?

Well, of course, that got me thinking what if it was something even more intimate, like my mind? I’m a total nerd who loves to learn. Not having complete control of my thoughts and intellect terrifies me.

Q: Do you think that brain grafts could ever be something that we could see in the future as medicine progresses?

Author SanSevero: That’s a definite yes. I think humans are capable of just about anything we set our minds to.

Q: Compared to the other stories in this collection, “Memory Ghost” has quite the amount of twists, surprises, and a jaw-dropping ending. Is there any intent to take this particular story and make it into a full-length novel as well?

Author SanSevero: This is a bit darker than most of the things I write. Because of that, I hadn’t considered turning it into a full-length novel. Now, if some producer wanted to talk about optioning it, then I’d certainly be willing to expand it, especially because I find the reason behind the ending compelling. Plus, can you imagine the aftermath? She has some hard decisions to make…

And now I’m plotting it out in my mind. Aaahhh! Why did you do that to me?

The aftermath is really what we would love to see explored! The ending points to such delicious drama that is yet to play out! LOL! We just love that we’re planting little seeds to stimulate ideas for story expansions. If they grow and turn into something epic, we’re here for it! If not, well, we tried! LOL! Not everything is meant to be, and that’s okay.

Q: The final story in The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories is, “Untethered.” You say in the introduction that you are toying with the idea of creating a series for these characters. How is that looking at this point and time? Is it a work in progress?

Author SanSevero: This is the second story I wrote with these characters. I didn’t put the first one in this collection because it was already purchased by Sally Port Magazine and came out in their July issue of this year. I LOVED the characters and plan on doing more with them. The story in Sally Port, “The Problem with Control,” takes place much later in their universe than “Untethered.” I wrote this story as a means of trying to figure out their origin story.

Okay, and as you’ve mentioned earlier, you have other obligations and places of focus when it comes to your writing, so there is a lot on your plate right now. It’s nice that you took a beat to write an origin story for these characters. When the time is right, we look forward to you continuing their story.

Q: What was your favorite story (if you have one) to write in this collection?

Author SanSevero: That’s a bit like asking me which of my children is my favorite. I should love them all equally, right? What I can tell you are the ones I plan on doing more with. Those are “A Living Client,” “Untethered,” and “Shattered.” But, man, you’ve got me thinking what could be done with “Memory Ghost” too.

We’re looking forward to it all! LOL! We’re sure that our readers will be as well.

Q: You mention being inspired by shows like Babylon 5, Dr. Who, and Supernatural. Are there are any other shows that have inspired your writing?

Author SanSevero: Oh my goodness, yes! I love stories, especially those that explore the human experience.

Some of them are Star Trek: the Next Generation, Warehouse 13, Firefly, Eureka, and the Little Dorrit Mini Series (also my favorite Dickens book).

Alright scifi lovers! If you haven’t already checked out these shows…here ya go! If ya have…well, watch ‘em again and see what inspirations pop in your own head!

Q: Is there anything that you’d like to share with our readers before you go?

Author SanSevero: I want people to believe that there is ALWAYS hope. Don’t give up even if things feel desperate.

… and maybe after they read “The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories,” keep an eye out for my middle-grade novel coming out titled “Marked by Magic.”

Author Annmarie SanSevero, we appreciate you taking the time to share with us here at Scribbles and our readers about your book, The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories. We look forward to reading more of your work in the near future! Thank you so much for your time today!

Author SanSevero: My pleasure.

We enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to read and review The Butterfly’s Stroke and Other Stories, and you can check out the review here.

About the Author:

Annmarie SanSevero grew up in New York City but was transplanted to the south in high school. She writes stories about hope, courage, and resilience in fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, and mystery. Annmarie loves exploring the human experience and wants readers to feel like they can do more than survive. They can be world changers.

When she’s not writing, Annmarie enjoys learning just about everything (yep, she’s a nerd), playing violin, tap dancing, and singing. One day, she wants to go LARPing. You can learn more about Annmarie’s work on her website https://asansevero.com/