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submerged
I don't like to tell you this
but when I cross the line
I see you there too
waiting, daring me
with your bedazzled eyes of sapphire
to take the final step
until I am wholly submerged

Amber Byers
Dec 31, 20251 min read


Finding a Writing Life Through Competition
I dropped the onesie I was folding when the ad popped up. Microfiction. Two hundred and fifty words. Two days to write. Prompts. A writing competition? How strange, how thrilling, how intimidating!

Amber Byers
Dec 15, 20255 min read


the place the loon calls lonely
they asked me what I'll write
as if I could define such a thing
as if the halls weren't covered in moss
and brimstone
the mountains weren't faded with fog
and mirrors

Amber Byers
Nov 30, 20251 min read


Stronger Together: When Collaboration Outshines Competition
At Compassiviste Publishing, we’ve had the privilege of working closely with Tadpole Press ~ especially around their writing contests and the launch of their new literary magazine. What we’ve learned: when two organizations decide to support one another rather than view each other as rivals, something remarkable happens. Ideas expand, creative energy multiplies, and everyone benefits.

Amber Byers
Nov 15, 20253 min read


the shape of you
some things, I've decided,
are better left as fossils
crumpled, shaken things
you never would have said

Amber Byers
Oct 31, 20251 min read


Reclaiming Our Truth
A few months ago, I went to my tribe's powwow on Sugar Island. I've been to other powwows across the US over the years, but this was the first time I've been to the one by my tribe. There was something special about it that felt like coming home.
This is how we reclaim our truth. This is the power of owning the narrative. This is why storytellers are our most powerful allies.

Amber Byers
Oct 13, 20252 min read


how could we have known?
the heat that came in waves
throughout our homes, our feet, our minds
sizzled like slugs
caught on the drying, moth-eaten rind

Amber Byers
Sep 29, 20251 min read


where lost memories go
it's the place where lost memories go
to die
to be reborn
and maybe
circle back
around
and around
twice or thrice
until we forget
which side was up
where fact left off
and fiction gained
and truth became the thorn

Amber Byers
Sep 14, 20252 min read


words of sinew and muscle
he told me once
that watching me write
was like witnessing
a professional athlete
stretching
primed
before a big race
I like to imagine my words like that
all sinew and muscle
stretched taut across the page
with the force of a jaguar
ready to run

Amber Byers
Aug 30, 20251 min read


raindrops always sound like home
they say you're only lonesome when it rains
something about the gods weeping
but I don't think that's true

Amber Byers
Aug 14, 20252 min read


What Happens When You Share Your Story: From Contest Entry to Global Impact
This is what fills me with hope: These authors entered a short writing contest. Now their words are published in an international anthology whose profits support humanitarian and sustainability projects. That’s how you go from a contest entry to global impact.

Amber Byers
Jul 14, 20252 min read


syrupy dreams
the consistency
of my dreams
has changed
recently

Amber Byers
Jun 29, 20251 min read


Compassiviste Dialogues: A Discussion with Ali Horriyat and Amber Byers
We believe in the power of stories to drive change. Every episode of the Compassiviste Dialogues podcast is a platform for turning compassion into action. A space where diverse voices come together to inspire, educate, and challenge the status quo.

Amber Byers
Apr 14, 20251 min read


The Three Phases of Creative Living: A Gentle Approach to Self-Expression
Creative living isn't about waiting for the perfect studio, the right materials, or that elusive "someday" when we'll finally have enough

Amber Byers
Feb 12, 20254 min read


One Word
Clarity in my writing. Clarity in my work. My one word for the year 2025. What are you focusing on this year?

Amber Byers
Dec 31, 20242 min read


When Your Creativity Needs to Rest: A Guest Post
Your creativity isn't gone when it grows quiet—it's just gathering strength for its next beautiful expression. The mango tree in my garden i

Amber Byers
Nov 30, 20242 min read


20 Things I Learned in Thailand
Whose life are we living if not our own? This was a last-minute trip and I was hesitant to go at first. But by the end, I was wishing I coul

Amber Byers
Oct 30, 20243 min read


สวัสดี ~ Hello from Thailand: How My Someday Dream Materialized Today
Do you have a dream to travel the world someday? What if your dream was actually closer than you think? What if someday was today?

Amber Byers
Sep 29, 20243 min read


A Little Moment of Bliss
One summer when I was in college, I worked as an orientation leader giving tours and presentations to prospective students and their...

Amber Byers
Mar 30, 20242 min read


One Word
If you could choose only one word for the coming year, what would it be?

Amber Byers
Dec 31, 20233 min read
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