My heart is overflowing. I read these reviews while I was in Bed Bath and Beyond. I started bawling right there in the pots and pans aisle. If you’re writing something now, and you’re not quite sure if you should keep going, this is the sign you’re looking for: don’t give up. The world needs your story as much as it’s ever needed any story.
“A radiant adventure that will intrigue the young fantasy reader. From the very beginning, the story is both captivating and mystifying. There is a story beneath the story, an underground stream giving it momentum, a life source, a perpetual light waiting to be revealed. The young heroine is brilliant and inspiring. Her character grows and evolves with each turn of the page. Surrounded by a strong cast of supporting characters, Emerson is curious and bold, strong and vulnerable, loving and powerful. The narrative stretches the imagination, imparts hope and takes the reader on a grand, daring adventure. As you turn the last page and read the final words you are assured by an ageless truth – love conquers all. Being a book lover, I really appreciated the beautiful and eloquent words penned about books, and the power of the story held within them. “Books are magical.” Yes. Indeed. At times, “we feel as though they are written just for us.” I am certain that many young readers will relate to the heroine and feel that her story was written just for them. Emerson bravely follows the path set before her and lets her light shine.” ~Cheryl E. Rodriguez
“A refreshing new look at the YA genre. The book starts on a high note and doesn’t flag, not one bit. The story is different, something original and it is all go, all the way through. It is a fascinating story, well written and clearly, Ms. Avampato has a very inventive imagination. She clearly thought this story out and has produced a masterpiece, in my opinion, a tale of strength and adventure, a story with strong and well-developed characters. I defy any young adult not to enjoy this story and I defy them not to want more when the story is told. I certainly did; there are not many books that can pull me deep into them, but this one did and there was no letting go until the last page. Excellent story, I hope that this is the first of many.” ~Anne-Marie Reynolds
Published by Christa Avampato
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/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
Heart is like an Volcano. More it stores inside,more it explodes.
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