Amanda Starks
Bio
Lover of the dark, fantastical, and heart-wrenching. Fantasy writer, poet, and hopefully soon-to-be novelist who wants to create safe spaces to talk about mental health. Subscribe to my free newsletter at www.amandastarks.com for updates!
Achievements (2)
Stories (107/0)
- Top Story - May 2024
If Evil, Why Cute?Top Story - May 2024
It starts like this, fair readers: It's the early morning, and I've just stolen the last cup of coffee from the pot. I open up my brainstorming journal to scrappy pages, my laptop primed upon a dusty, glowing white screen; words either already written or about to be written upon the blank spaces.
By Amanda Starks5 days ago in Humor
- Top Story - May 2024
And the Sun Came Up TremendousTop Story - May 2024
In memory of the 12 girls who were among the first victims of the atomic age. The screen on Mara's smartphone screamed beams of blue light into her eyes as she doom scrolled through social media. It was 4:13am, and she was still laying on her side in her bed unable to let go of the news headlines whipping past.
By Amanda Starksabout a month ago in Fiction
Return of the Tidecaller
Change. It can occur without warning. Run, they scream. They are all screaming, but I do not turn to ask them why. Their robes bristle and their teeth flash in the light of the setting, blood-stained sun, but I do not feel alarm. I can feel the rumbling of hundreds of fleeing feet hitting the sand around me, and a gentle roar steadily growing louder, and louder, and louder until it begins to drown out my own thrumming heartbeat. And yet, I do not move.
By Amanda Starksabout a month ago in Fiction
100 Stories on Vocal.Media
Wow, this article is harder to start than I thought! What does one do to celebrate 100 of anything? Making 100 of something can go in the blink of an eye as it seems so small and inconsequential to the millions of other things in the universe.
By Amanda Starks3 months ago in Writers
Voice of the Forest
Sap, grime and blood coated Vex’s boots as he traversed the murky streets of Old Carthus. Residents milled about on their crumbling entryway steps and tightly packed balconies, giving him wary glances down their noses as his cloaked form slithered past them in the fog. Anyone who grew up in these parts would know the stories of the leather clad Resin Hunters and their brutal purpose. Whenever one of them appeared, it meant death was afoot.
By Amanda Starks3 months ago in Fiction
- Top Story - March 2024
How to Write With Chronic IllnessTop Story - March 2024
Do you ever open up Vocal and see a ton of notifications from other creators who are pumping out stories weekly, daily, hourly, and wonder why you are incapable of being as fruitful with your work? Today I'm here to tell you that you're not 'lazy' or any less of a writer than they are, because more than likely you looked at the title of this article and said: "Yes, I have a chronic illness and I am a writer, but how do I maintain both without ruining the other?"
By Amanda Starks3 months ago in Writers