Swagger & Ink

Stories that traverse the landscapes of womanhood, aging, and the American West—where grit meets grace.

Amanda Barusch 9/30/25 Amanda Barusch 9/30/25

Heroes don’t Flinch

A little old lady goes to the shooting range. She’s the only one who doesn’t flinch! Find out why, here.

Amanda Barusch 10/9/23 Amanda Barusch 10/9/23

But hey, punctuation goes inside the quotes. Everyone agrees.

Don’t they?

Amanda Barusch 7/22/10 Amanda Barusch 7/22/10

I dreamed of studying at the Writers Workshop for years. The dream seemed to feed on my dissatisfaction.

Amanda Barusch 12/6/08 Amanda Barusch 12/6/08

The essence of book is not a thing. It’s a process.

“Breathe Deeply, Read Widely.”

— Amanda Barusch