2nd day of novel writing – 1,679 words. The best parts of this process are the surprises – characters, scenes, and plot twists I didn’t see coming before I started. C.S. Lewis was so right – “You can make anything by writing.” Here’s the next bit of Chapter 1 and some pics. Let me know what you think!
“Jasper, how do you know her?” asked Emerson.
“Irene and I went to school together so you can imagine how long we’ve been friends,” he said as he took hold of the mala beads he always wore around his neck. “She’s a gifted doctor and a voracious reader of ancient medical texts. I’ve never heard of ailment she can’t fix. Once when I was very ill, she gave these mala beads to me along with a daily meditation. And would you believe I’ve never been sick since?”
“How’s that possible?”
“Everything’s possible, Emerson. But not everything is probable. We all need a touch of luck from time to time.”
“Even you?” asked Emerson.
“Especially me,” he said.
“How did she know my mother?”
“Your mother was known and loved by so many people, Emerson. Irene’s right—you do have her heart. And her curiosity.”
“What did she mean about this book’s…”
The church bells next door chimed their familiar and unusual chorus. Friday made his way to Emerson’s side and pushed the top of his head into her hand.
“Well Friday, we know what those bells mean, don’t we?” said Jasper. “4:25 on the dot. My five-minute warning. Better get to my perch before Skylar arrives. I wouldn’t want her to think something was amiss. Irene was also right about that book. It will serve you well. Take it with you.”
Jasper smiled and winked. Emerson smiled knowingly. He made his way up one of the ladders that lined the Stargrass walls to be among his books. The ladders led to extensive walkways that meandered through the highest shelves and allowed customers to get close to the mountains of books out of their normal reach. Emerson found them especially useful because at five feet tall, most everything was out of her reach.
Emerson and her dog, Friday, relaxed at Stargrass every day after school. Jasper would be at his mammoth desk surrounded by open books and often deep in negotiations with someone who wanted to buy one of his valuable finds or sell Jasper one of theirs. At 4:30pm sharp Skylar, Jasper’s granddaughter, waltzed through the door of Stargrass. Usually she hummed with her eyes glued to her phone. Jasper always greeted her with a booming voice as his head grazed the skylight. “Grandpa, you’re going to give someone a heartache if you keep that up!” she’d yell. Jasper would clap his hands together, float down the ladder, and give Skylar a hug.
Once they left Stargrass, Emerson and Skylar would grab a snack to-go at the Crooked Willow Cafe and head to Emerson’s home. Skylar would stay until Emerson’s dad, Oliver, got home from work. Emerson smiled at the comfort of the routine. This had been her routine as far back as she could remember.
At 4:27, Skylar stormed through the door. She seized Emerson’s arm and Emerson clutched the small book in her hands. Friday jumped to his feet and led the way as Skylar rushed Emerson toward the back office.
Here is a gallery of images that inspired my scenes. I didn’t create any of them and I don’t own the rights to any of them. I gathered them all from various Pinterest boards.
Mala beads that Jasper always wearsBook cover that catches Emerson’s eye
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
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