Month: November 2016

creativity

Wonder: Check out my Lit to Lens podcast interview about my YA novel, Where the Light Enters

Christa Avampato

So excited to share this podcast episode that I did with the Lit to Lens podcast team about my book, Where the Light Enters.

“Podcast Season 1, Episode 4 – SPECIAL EDITION: Interview with author Christa Avampato”

Hello there LTLiens,

This post is a bit late, but exciting nonetheless. In case you aren’t up to date, about a month ago we interviewed the author Christa Avampato about her debut novel Where the Light Enters.

The novel is about a young teenage girl, who goes by the name Emerson Page, living in New York city on a mission to find out who killed her mother. The young adult genre novel covers everything from magical libraries, the power of manipulating light, to the struggles of growing up without a mother.

In the interview Christa covers everything from how she became such an avid writer, who inspires her, to what it’s like trying to get your first novel published and pushed out to the real world.

Take a moment to listen to Christa tell her exciting story.

Listen here, or subscribe to us on iTunes.

L2L

*We will provide updates to this post once more good news is heard…fingers crossed!

Source: Podcast Season 1, Episode 4 – SPECIAL EDITION: Interview with author Christa Avampato

creativity

Wonder: The Daily Show (The Book): An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff and Guests

Christa Avampato

We forget that Jon Stewart’s time at The Daily Show wasn’t all wine and roses. Personally, I didn’t become a fan until after those first bumpy years so I never knew that it was anything but the societal lightning rod it now is.

I didn’t know Jon Stewart had failed so badly in his early years. I didn’t know that if The Daily Show with Jon Stewart had failed, then he likely would have never been heard from again. I didn’t know any of that when I began the book and in the first handful of pages, on page one actually, he lays all of that out in no uncertain terms.

And that’s why he’s so loved by so many—for his raw honesty, his bravery, his unapologetic, educated opinions, for his desire to be as intelligent as he is funny, for his integrity, and for his uncompromising optimism heavily influenced by his deep knowledge of history. This book, told from Jon Stewart’s perspective and the perspectives of the show’s writer, actors, and producers, is a reminder to all of us that we have all lived through dark days—as individuals and as a society.

It’s the perfect time for this message as we head into what could be another sad and fearful chapter in our nation’s news and government. I miss Jon Stewart’s voice in the national conversation. I didn’t even realize how much I missed him until I read this book. Reading this book was like visiting an old friend: I’m so glad to hear from him and after 444 pages, I am also sad, again, to see him go.

creativity

Wonder: Turning a story into a piece of art

Christa Avampato

I’ve been working on a paper collage – my largest piece yet – that depicts the story of my book, Where the Light Enters. I spent yesterday immersed in tiny bits of colorful paper while binge watching This Is Us. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our writing is to make it visual for ourselves and for the world to see. Now when I’m busily writing, editing, and revising Emerson’s story, this collage will be there pushing me forward.

screen-shot-2016-11-27-at-10-33-25-am

creativity

Wonder: Give yourself the gift of all your feelings

Christa Avampato

I talked to a friend yesterday who just isn’t feeling the holidays this year. She’s had a difficult year, and the holidays are proving to be stressful and draining to her already. I listened to her for a long time, and was glad to be there for her. When she looked at me and said, “You know what I mean?”, I said, “Yes. I do. And you don’t have to do the holidays this year. You’re an adult. You can choose.” She burst into tears, not out of sadness but out of relief. She hadn’t thought of the option of opting out. And she felt better. A little lighter.

This is an option open to everyone. Do whatever you need to do to feel lighter. You can feel whatever you want to feel and do whatever you want to do—holidays or no holidays, for every reason or for no reason. And if, like my sweet friend, you need someone to just listen for a while, I’m here. I’m all ears.

creativity

Wonder: Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Christa Avampato

“I fell in love with my work and dedicated my life to it.” ~Jiro Ono

A friend of mine recommended I watch the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi. It’s about Jiro Ono. 85-years-old, he is considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. (Yes, the finest food can be found in a subway station!)

Humble and unassuming in appearance, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious three-star Michelin Guide rating. Sushi fan from all over the world repeatedly visit and make reservations months in advance. Jiro is completely unimpressed with himself. At 85, he says he is still searching for perfection, still trying to get better every minute of every day. He is also a fierce advocate for greater environmental regulations to protect the oceans and wildlife.

His dedication, passion, and commitment to his work is without equal. I enjoy my work but I don’t have what he has. It gave me something to aspire to, to search for. I’m looking.

creativity

Wonder: Stitching together my own silver lining

Christa Avampato

I’ve been looking for the silver lining of the last few weeks. I couldn’t find one so I started to stitch together my own. And with that decision, everything shifted. For the first time in a few weeks, I’ve started to feel hopeful about the future.

The new administration has already proven it’s going to be a nightmare, even and maybe especially for many of the people who voted for it. My chosen industry, healthcare, is now in a rocky position at best. I’m still recovering from that nasty fall down the stairs of my apartment building.

Then, I read and watch the news and I see how much suffering is happening around the world. Compared to so many, I have such a long list of things to be grateful for. I’ve got my problems, and plenty of them. I also have the ability to fix a great many of them, and I will in the coming year. It’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to be without its hiccups and bumps, but I know it’s possible. And it’s up to me to make it probable.

creativity

Wonder: Strong bones, rest, and protecting what you love

Christa Avampato

“Thank god you have strong bones.” That’s what the physician’s assistant said to me this weekend via a One Medical video chat after I fell down a set of stairs in my apartment building. I was carrying Phineas down the stairs to protect his back when I slipped; the irony isn’t lost on me. As I was falling, I told myself “protect Phineas, don’t hit your head, stay flexible.” Thankfully, I completely protected Phineas from getting hurt, I didn’t hit my head, and I didn’t break any bones. I’m just very sore and bruised. I can’t really sit down comfortably for more than a few minutes so I stand or lie down on one side.

I took the required weekend of rest to mostly be offline, sleep, read, take a lot of pain meds, apply ice packs, and meditate. Now that the holiday season is upon us, we turn to reflection, evaluation, and contemplation. What’s going well in life? What’s not going well? What could be better? And how could we make it so?

I’m right there with you. I have a lot to be thankful for. I also have a lot of things that I want to be better. I imagine 2017 will hold a lot of change for me. Some of it I can already see coming and I’m actively planning for. Some of it will be a total surprise to me. Because that’s how life is. We make decisions, we plan, and then we fall down a flight of stairs so we have to adjust. Lately, everything feels like we’re going up the down staircase. Maybe we always were, and now we’re just waking up to the reality of it all.

In this time of uncertainty, I trust in this idea: No matter what happens, if we remain flexible and ready to protect what we love and value at all costs, then we will make it through. We may end up sore and bruised, but we will survive. We may end up down for a bit, but let’s not count ourselves out of the race. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

creativity

Wonder: Taking action with the International Rescue Committee and Planned Parenthood

Christa Avampato

I love how Hillary Clinton lived the words of her Methodist faith: “Do all the good you can, for all the people you can, in all the ways you can, as long as ever you can.” I took those words to heart this week as I signed up with the International Rescue Committee to assist families who are being re-settled from foreign countries into the areas around Washington, D.C. I also contacted Planned Parenthood about working with them at their office in D.C. that is only a few blocks from my home. It’s going to up to us to take care of each other and support one another through this administration. I’m going to do my part to show that there is goodness among all the muck.

creativity

Wonder: And there is the first crack in the economy post-election, right at my doorstep

Christa Avampato

The first economic casualty of this election found me yesterday. My favorite staff member in my apartment building told me that my landlord is outsourcing the staffing of the building in preparation for a recession that they think will hit in the coming months. The staff is being offered the chance to interview for the outsourced company, though there is no guarantee of a job and even if they do get a job, their pay will be cut and their housing subsidy will be taken away.

“Even if I get the job, they’re going to cut my pay by $3.50/hour,” he said to me. “And that’s going to hurt a lot. My last day could be November 30th if I don’t get this job. I was wondering if you could do me a favor, Christa. Would you write a recommendation letter for me that I could bring to the interview?”

My eyes teared up. This man has been a good friend to me, and really makes my building feel like home. He’s professional, kind, and caring. He loves his job and the people who live in my building. I’d pay double my rent to help him and the rest of the staff who do such a wonderful job helping all of us. I was prepared to take out my checkbook right there, and instead what he asked for was a letter. $3.50/hour is a lot to him; it makes the difference between being able to pay his bills and not being able to pay his bills. Let that sink in. He lives in D.C., a very expensive city, and makes less than $35,000/year before taxes, and that could drop to $27,000/year. That’s what he’s fighting for. That’s what he’d be grateful to get. This is the working poor. Right. Next. Door.

The President-elect, ensconced in his 3-story, 24K gold penthouse on Fifth Avenue, doesn’t care a lick about people like my friend. But you know what? I care. I can do something, and I will. I wrote my heart out in that reference letter for my friend. I’ll be writing a lot of letters in the coming days, weeks, and months. I’m not going to standby and watch our economy and our country go to hell in a hand-basket at the hands of an inexperienced madman and his cabinet of ignorants. Deplorable? Yes. Unstoppable? No.

creativity

Wonder: Leaders, you must lead

Christa Avampato

We are now in the societal version of the financial crisis that reared its head in 2008. I was working at American Express in 2008 and with a front row seat to the recession, the picture was bleak. And here’s what CEO Ken Chenault and his senior staff did: they talked to us, and kept talking to us. All the time. Every week. They told us what they were afraid of. They told us what kept them up at night. They shared data with us. They didn’t give up. They urged us to do whatever we could with whatever we had from wherever we were in the company. And so I did. I’m going to write him a letter and thank him for his example that I carry to this day.

I realize that my expectations of leadership are very high, and I have no intention of lowering them. I didn’t always agree with Ken’s decisions while I was at Amex (and sometimes I adamantly and publicly disagreed), but I certainly always respected him. I always believed he was trying to do the right thing given extenuating and complex circumstances. I know that no matter how hard I was working, he was working harder.

My boss at Toys R Us, Bob G., was the same way. He was always invested in who I was as a human being first, and as an employee second. And he would often tell me that in addition to showing it through his world-class mentoring and advice.

I recognize that I have been tremendously fortunate to have had many great leaders during my career. (Some god-awful ones, too, but we’ll save that for another post.) CEOs, don’t throw away an opportunity to exercise leadership and to inspire your people, especially during these trying and difficult times. That’s when your people need leaders the most—not when the sailing is smooth but when the water is choppy and the direction unclear. Your people need you. Don’t fail them.