Victoria Wright has embarked on a journey to find her true self. In the process, she is remembering how to be whole, to look inward for guidance, and to know her truth. She is from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and is a member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, Aquinnah. She and her family live in Englewood, Colorado.
SunLit: Tell us this book’s backstory. What inspired you to write it? Where did the story/theme originate?
Wright: “The Quiet Butterfly” was written in two parts that I had no idea would actually come together. One of the sources of wisdom that Neepa, the main character, taps into to help her cope through her latest bullying ordeal are the poems that her Indigenous grandfather has written about nature.
I wrote those poems six months prior to even starting this book. I didn’t know what I would do with them but I knew that at some point they would turn into something bigger. As with all of my books, I am internally called to write them and they are a window into my life. One day I had the need to write and this story began to flow.
Prior to becoming a writer I was in the finance industry. Right at the beginning of the pandemic I took early retirement because my job no longer fulfilled me. I knew I needed something different but what, I did not know. As it turns out I was inspired to be more creative and do things that I never thought I would or could do, i.e. long form voice over work and writing.
Even though this new direction in my life was exciting, the negative voice or as I like to say the “bully inside” was hitting me hard, filling me with doubt and fear. To be able to move forward and enjoy this new adventure that I was on, I needed to do some internal work to understand why I believed I couldn’t succeed.
UNDERWRITTEN BY
Each week, The Colorado Sun and Colorado Humanities & Center For The Book feature an excerpt from a Colorado book and an interview with the author. Explore the SunLit archives at coloradosun.com/sunlit.
Bullying comes in different forms. The external bully. The kid or person that says hurtful things or is physical because the other person is different. The well meaning bully that isn’t trying to be hurtful but says that you can’t or you are wrong because it goes against their beliefs.
Finally, there is the inside bully. This is the one that we create ourselves — and for some can cause the most damage. No matter what type of bullying happens, the negativity plants seeds. If we believe the things being said, the seeds will grow, creating fear and doubt throughout our lives.
Bullying incidents in schools are on the rise per the 2023 Youth Right Now survey by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. I thought if I am having a hard time managing the inside bully at my age, how are young people doing it? It feels like they are getting hit from all sides — school, social media, home. My intent was to write a story that helps young and old realize that it doesn’t matter what others think of you. What is important is what you believe of yourself.
SunLit: Place this excerpt in context. How does it fit into the book as a whole? Why did you select it?
Wright: The excerpt is the first chapter that explains Neepa’s homelife and her relationship with her family. I chose this so the reader could understand that sometimes tough decisions have to be made and leaps of faith have to be taken for there to be growth.
SunLit: Tell us about creating this book. What influences and/or experiences informed the project before you sat down to write?
Wright: My heritage always plays a role in my writing. I am multi-racial but was raised Native American. Nature is just something that I have been taught to pay attention to. Animals, trees, the water speak to us and we have to slow down and pay attention to hear. Nature was speaking a lot to me, reminding me that the answers are always there, I just had to have the courage to listen.
“The Quiet Butterfly”
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The butterfly life stages also had a strong influence on the book. We all have stages in life, some prettier than others but young people don’t know that yet. They think what happens now is the most important thing and if things are bad they may never recover. As older people we know that is not the case and we can always build or create a better life.
SunLit: Once you began writing, did the story take you in any unexpected directions?
Wright: As previously mentioned all of my books are a window into my life. During the writing of “The Quiet Butterfly,” I was hit with a tremendous amount of fear and doubt about my new life choices. I was questioning if I needed to go back to corporate and forget this little joy ride that I was on.
Through my own inner wisdom, I was guided to speak to my younger self to understand the limitations I was facing. My inner child was holding on to things that I had long buried but were now resurfacing. I needed to face those beliefs and reassure my inner child that she was safe before I could move forward.
That experience created a vulnerability in my characters as Neepa experienced something similar. I don’t know if I would have allowed the story to go in that direction if it wasn’t for what was happening in my life. It is those unexpected narratives that bring realism to the story.
SunLit: What were the biggest challenges you faced, or surprises you encountered in completing this book?
Wright: The biggest challenge was that it opened up old wounds that I needed to address before I could move forward. The biggest surprise was the importance of a good cover design.
I have worked with designers on four different books, all of which I love, but this cover had to be different. It was my first young adult novel and I needed it to attract an audience that I was not a part of. I had some ideas but my designer brought in a different perspective. I didn’t really know what Neepa looked like until the designer created her. As soon as I saw her face I knew it was her and it made me feel like the book was finally complete.
SunLit: Has the book raised questions or provoked strong opinions among your readers? If so, how did you address them?
Wright: I was told by a few adult readers that the story really hit home and that it brought up emotions and feelings that surprised them.
SunLit: Walk us through your writing process: Where and how do you write?
Wright: My writing process is a bit unconventional. Most of my writing is done in my office and I don’t storyboard or think about the hero’s journey. I just put my hands on the keyboard and write what comes to me. At times the writing will fit neatly and other times, it won’t.
When it does not fit, I keep it to the side and inevitably the passage will find a home later in the story. I prefer to let my writing just come, without concern for grammar or spelling. Then I will go back later to see if it needs to be enhanced or modified. This is where I focus on the process of showing versus telling. Honestly, if I think about the writing process too much it takes away the fun and makes it much harder for me.
SunLit: Bullying is not a new young adult novel theme, why is The Quiet Butterfly different?
Wright: “The Quiet Butterfly” was not written to stop the act of bullying. However, resources are provided on how victims of bullying can get help. Putting an end to bullying is a much larger societal issue than a piece of fiction can handle.
My intent for this story is to show the reader that when we stop worrying about what others think of us and stop going outside of ourselves for validation, a bully’s negativity has less impact. Neepa’s story is about trusting herself to know what is best. To remember that she is perfect and it doesn’t matter what others say. To understand that she is not the reason for the bullying.
It is the bully who has feelings or beliefs that need to be resolved and they don’t know how, so they impose their frustration or fears onto her. It is also a story about having the courage to take leaps of faith. Knowing that each individual has the power within to create the life they desire.
“The Quiet Butterfly” addresses many themes, all of which impact today’s youth. I trust that the reader can see themselves in the pages of this story and take away some wisdom. When we can remember that bullying is a symptom of something larger, we can hope to understand each other better, and one day put an end to this type of behavior.
SunLit: Tell us about your next project.
Wright: My next project is a story I started last summer. It is about a prolific author who lives vicariously through her stories. Due to her unstable upbringing and family circumstances she has been the caretaker of her older brother.
When he unexpectedly dies, she is left alone to learn how to live life. Unbeknownst to her, she is never alone and through the wisdom of a child she learns how to release her past and look forward to her future.
A few more quick questions
SunLit: Which do you enjoy more as you work on a book – writing or editing?
Wright: Writing.
SunLit: What’s the first piece of writing – at any age – that you remember being proud of?
Wright: Poems that I wrote in the 7th grade.
SunLit: What three writers, from any era, would you invite over for a great discussion about literature and writing?
Wright: Mo Willems, Grace Lin, and Neale Donald Walsch.
SunLit: Do you have a favorite quote about writing?
Wright: I wouldn’t say it was a quote but more of a slogan – “Just do it”
SunLit: What does the current collection of books on your home shelves tell visitors about you?
Wright: That I am interested in business, spirituality, and Asian culture.
SunLit: Soundtrack or silence? What’s the audio background that helps you write?
Wright: Silence
SunLit: What music do you listen to for sheer enjoyment?
Wright: Old school R&B.
SunLit: What event, and at what age, convinced you that you wanted to be a writer?
Wright: My spiritual awakening around age 53.
SunLit: Greatest writing fear?
Wright: I will run out of stories to tell.
SunLit: Greatest writing satisfaction?
Wright: When someone says they were impacted by my story.