Bios

Short Bio

(14 words)

Amanda Barusch writes captivating narratives about everyday miracles in the lives of everyday folks.

Medium Bio

(45 words)

For Amanda, it’s about sun-warmed tomatoes sliced thick on fresh sourdough bread, a stranger’s smile on a rainy day, a kitty petting her sleepy check. For some strange reason, she likes to wave at people she doesn’t know and is thrilled when they wave back.

Long Bio

(91 words)

Amanda Barusch has worked as a janitor, online matchmaker, exotic dancer, editor, and college professor. She lives part-time in the American West, where she spends as much time as possible on dirt paths. The rest of the time, she is in New Zealand, hanging out with her two-year-old grandson. Amanda has published eight books of non-fiction, a few poems, and a growing number of short stories. Aging Angry is her first work of creative non-fiction. In her fiction, she likes to use magical realism to explore deep truths of human experience.

Professional Introduction

(237 words)

Amanda Barusch writes fiction and nonfiction about extraordinary events in the lives of regular people. She strives to harness the power of narrative to explore deep truths about human experience. She has published 8 books of nonfiction, a few poems, and a growing number of short stories.

Amanda divides her time between the Western United States and the North Island of New Zealand. She identifies as a Kiwi-American. She received her Ph.D. in social welfare at the University of California, Berkeley, and her MFA at the University of Utah. A distinguished scholar, she holds appointments as Emeritus Professor at the University of Utah and the University of Otago (New Zealand). She is a fellow in the Gerontological Society of America and a member of the New Zealand Society of Authors. While she has officially retired from academia, Amanda continues to supervise students and to teach workshops and courses in various universities and correctional facilities.

Her writing career began at the age of nine, when she won an essay contest. Drawing upon her experiences as the daughter of an alcoholic, Amanda wrote her essay on the horrors of drinking. Her prize was a crisp $20 bill that she used – of course – to buy books. Since then, she has turned her pen to the complexity of family relationships, the miracle of metamorphosis, and the gift of redemption.

Amanda’s blog, Swagger & Ink, introduces her readers to obscure and beautiful books.