Terrifying Iranian secret police. An inspiring forbidden love. And the horrors of war. Butterfly Stitching weaves a stunning tapestry of the lives of Sahar and Samira, daughter and mother. And through the strength, beauty and imagination of these remarkable women, reveals Iran herself.
Targeted Age Group:: 18-65
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
Butterfly Stitching, was inspired by my own true experiences and the women in my family and circle of friends. Through a tapestry of the horrors of political oppression, a terrifying secret police, an inspiring forbidden love, and the realities of war, Butterfly Stitching weaves the tale of Sahar and Samira. Daughter and mother. And through the strength, beauty and imagination of these remarkable women, reveals Iran herself.
How Did You Come up With Your Characters?
They are based on my own life and the lives of the women in my family.
Book Sample
The radio clock struck twelve noon. Sahar gestured as though painting with a big brush. She pictured Hayedeh, no longer allowed to sing at all because she was a woman, twirling to the colors on her brush. Dance through purple. Windmill through orange. Whirl and circle inside the car. She looked over at her brothers and saw the singer dance around them. Joy. There could be joy. Schools would reopen. Rockets would stop long enough for grass to grow in the park. She would feel hundreds of tingly green blades between her toes. Iranian songs would unwind themselves out of their sadness. If only she thought hard enough, was good enough, she could bring color and music and dancing into the fear of this moment.
She felt a chill and pulled up the quilt to her chin.
About the Author:
Shermin Kruse is the epitome of a global renaissance woman. Having lived several life times throughout the globe, as a child in Iran, a teenager in Canada, and a lawyer in the United States, this poet, mother, journalist, painter, model, photographer, and human rights advocate, finally found her true home in Chicago. Through it all, her truest gift was writing and telling stories. And so she now unveils Butterfly Stitching, her stunning debut novel, a gripping tale of oppression and redemption, obsession and love, and loss and authenticity.
Kruse began writing poetry as a child in Iran, where she lived in the midst of a bloody war with neighboring Iraq and under the control of Iran’s post-revolutionary secret police. After a childhood spent dodging rockets and the morality police, her family immigrated with little more than a few suitcases. Post immigration, Kruse rose in the ranks of the professional world. She obtained her law degree from the prestigious University of Michigan Law School, cum laude, and partnered at the top tier Chicago firm of Barack Ferrazzano at a very young age. An ardent supporter of the arts, and passionate about peace between the nation of her birth (Iran) and the one of her citizenship (the United States), Kruse co-founded and currently serves as a director of Pasfarda Arts and Culture Exchange, an entity committed to promoting peace between the two nations through the arts. She also fell in love with an American man, and together they have three Iranian-American children.
Besides her contributions to the artistic and literary world, Kruse is also a writer for the Huffington Post and served for many years as an advice columnist for Chicago Lawyer Magazine. She has authored scholarly legal articles, works with a number of pro bono entities in both civil and criminal cases, and is a frequent speaker on foreign policy issues.
Links to Purchase Print Books
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Links to Purchase eBooks
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Book Sample:
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