Sometimes I wish there was someone to write these biography-ish things for me, I can't write well about myself to save my life. Anyway. . .my name's Amanda, call me Mandy if you wish. My pen name is based on Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, only instead of Shay-La, it's Mandyla.

I'm a junior in college at Carroll University where I'm majoring in biochemistry with a minor in writing. I'm shy and quiet, but can be extremely hyper and random when necessary. I have a tendency to completely zone out in the middle of a conversation and am easily distracted and am a horrible procrastinator. I'm a total klutz and am always getting myself into socially awkward situations. I laugh way too much and am a bit of a creeper when I want to be.

You can look me up on Tumblr by the same username.

So a bit about my writing...I read a lot of fantasy, so most of what I write leans in that direction. Despite the fact that I'm horrible with romance, it always finds a way to weasle into plot lines somewhere. I like realistic endings. In other words, I like it when things go wrong and the damsel in distress ends up getting eaten by the dragon (a bit of an overstatement, but you get my point). Don't get me wrong, I'm not a completely depressing person and I do enjoy a nice happy ending as long as it's realistic.

Please leave reviews! I'll return the favor when I get the chance, though, I warn you, it probably won't be very constructive because I'm easily impressed. Don't flame me, though. You flame me...well, let's just say I won't be your friend.

Oh, and no sticky fingers. Steal my stuff and I will hunt you down. No joke.

Completed Stories:

The Last Ones: When his sister Akira is bitten by a vampire, Lance Strongblood seeks out the help of Ileea, a mysterious young vampire hunter who knows more about the Strongblood siblings than they know about themselves. At the discovery that Akira's transformation is more than just a freak accident, the two go in search of a way to reverse what happened. They soon learn from Ileea that dark forces are work, leaving the two in the center of a millennium-old quest for vengence. With the ruthless, sardonic vampire Neci on their trail, the three attempt to find a way to stop her. But Ileea has a secret, a dark secret that may jeopardize their ability to survive this nightmare. Favorite Chapter: 18 Currently undergoing editing.

Some Things Change, Some Things Don't: Two years have passed since they've seen each other, but now he's returned to find her with two things on his mind: convince her to join the secret organization that not only gave him his new start, but also seeks the extinction of the creatures she hunts; and win her back. At all costs.Favorite Chapter: 1

Life on the Other Side: After hiding his special abilities from everyone for years, Ash is suddenly discovered and shipped off to an island for the gifted where he meets Solana, a young woman who has spent most of her life on the island. When Ash gets caught up with the wrong group of people, he learns that Solana knows more than she lets on. To save his life, he may have to return to the place that wanted him gone to begin with, but even that may not be enough. Favorite Chapter: 5

Stories Being Worked On:

The Truth Lies in the Shadows- This is my NaNoWriMo novel for 2011, and though I did win with a total of 50009 words, it is no where near completion. From a young age, the people of Creighton have been taught to fear the Shadow Walkers, mysterious beings known only for stealing the souls of anyone unfortunate enough to cross their paths at night. Elle Addison, advisor to Creighton’s spiritual leader, knows better than anyone the benefits of remaining within the walls of the city for protection. She is well known for her ability to console those affected by Shadow Walkers, almost as if she knows exactly how they feel and exactly what they need to hear. But when her mother's body is found with the mark of the Shadow Walkers, none of her experience can protect her from the downward spiral she finds herself in. Everything changes when the spiritual leader from another city arrives unexpectedly. As his visit wears on, Elle can't shake the strange feelings she has whenever she finds herself in his presence. Her feelings grow into doubts as she begins to suspect the man is hiding something. The man is not who he claims to be, but his true identity will cause Elle to embark on a journey to discover the truth about her home and even herself. *Being completed during NaNoWriMo 2012

Stories on Hiatus:

Secrets of the Lamhostil- This is technically the sequel the The Last Ones but should be able to stand alone for those who haven't read it. Essentially, this takes place where the first one left off, except seventeen years in the future. Kyra is seventeen and has been trained as a ruthless vampire hunter by her mother. She knows the stories of her ancestry and the vampires that hunt her family, but there are secrets she doesn't know. What she wants to know about most is her father, a topic her mother won't speak of. When her mother's shady past catches up with her, Kyra is left to discover these secrets by herself with only the knowledge that someone will be looking for her...someone her mother has kept secret from her for her entire life. While secrets start to unravel, Kyra finds herself in the midst of a dangerous plot...one that may finally bring about the end of the Lamhostil line.

Whispers in My Mind: Sierra Anglowski has been a normal girl all her life. Now, after a chance event triggers a gift she never knew she had, she finds herself shipped off to Ringshore Academy for the Exceptionally Gifted with the rest of the "freaks". While there, she eventually begins to warm up to the idea of being gifted, until things start happening. Things that are strange even for Ringshore. And she seems to be the cause of them. Only one person may be able to help her...a very unlikely ally.

Waiting for the Answer: It's summer. Children should be laughing out in the streets, beaches should be flocked with swimmers and sunbathers, the world should be smiling. But it's not. It's been six months since the day that changed everything in the lives of those within the high-school walls. Power struggles and diminishing supplies have led to a divided society. I don't want to choose sides. I just want to fix this mess. I want to know what caused this.

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I don't write much poetry, but when I do it's usually for an English assignment or some kind of outlet for what I'm feeling.

MHS Tales: Mr. Viemeister- written as a parody of Canterbury Tales based on a teacher at my school

Ode to My Red Pen- written as an example of an ode after a week-long unit on odes

The Chemistry of Study Hall- my first non-assignment poem, inspired by my study hall first semester senior year, written after I noticed some things that I'd never noticed before while I was doing homework

It's Your Spotlight and Mother, Why?- both of these were written on the same night when I was again feeling like the unloved, unimportant eldest daughter (it was quite the pity party); the first is to my sister, the second to my mother; I'd thought about writing these for quite a while and finally decided to put them down on paper

The Lily- something I wrote for my mom for Mothers' Day about her favorite flower; very corny in my opinion

Demons in the Night and Popsicle- both written for the poetry unit of my introductory creative writing class; Demons is a villanelle while Popsicle is freeform

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One shots really aren't my forte, I prefer longer, drawn-out stories.

Let It Loose: This is dedicated to and inspired by my friends Elizabeth and Corinne (Congrats on everything ladies!). Angela is the valdedictorian of her class, but what she had been looking forward to all her life suddenly seems like the last thing she wants do. Throwing caution to the wind, she speaks her mind to her classmates, revealing herself as more than a quiet bookworm.

Behind the Guise: This was written for the first round of the Roadhouse Writing Contest. It's my attempt at writing a mystery story with a twist. Apparently, it worked, because I won!

Second Soul: This is an idea I've been playing with in my head for a while. It's based on the premise that two souls can inhabit one body and the trials that come with such a situation. In the future, I may expand on it more when I can better solidify where I want to take it.

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(O.o)
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