Month: December 2017

creativity

In the pause: I eavesdrop and observe for the sake of my writing

Christa Avampato
Screen Shot 2017-12-16 at 1.00.58 PM
The Astor Chinese Garden Court at the Met

To be a writer is to first be a listener and observer. I often go somewhere—a coffeeshop, a museum, a store—and just tune into the conversations of others. I don’t take out my phone or notebook. I don’t have any purpose other than to listen to what people say, how they say it, and then how people respond to them.

I tried this experiment recently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I went to their Astor Chinese Garden Court and sat there for a while as people wandered in and out. It’s a bright and peaceful place in the museum. Good for clearing the mind and opening up the ears.

It was fascinating to see such a diverse set of people come into the space and have a similar experience, of peace and contentment and happiness. It reminded me how hurried and cluttered our lives can become. And it made me more conscious of the power of places that give us time to just be. The expression of “wow” on everyone’s face when they entered the garden made me smile.

As we edge toward 2018 and the cold weather takes us indoors for a few months, I’m looking forward to more of these listening and observing activities. We have so much to learn from each other.

creativity

In the pause: How other authors bring out the best in our writing

Christa Avampato

Earlier this week a new author told me that he was afraid to let his characters be harmed. And I told him that he has to let them breathe and live, and that means that difficult things can, will, and must happen to them. It’s the overcoming of obstacles that makes for powerful storytelling.

What I didn’t realize is that giving this advice would give me new Emerson material. I have had the ending scene of the second book in my mind for some time and it puts a beautiful bow on this arc of Emerson’s journey. And then, after this conversation with this author, it came undone. Another very small scene came into my mind when I got home and it wouldn’t let me go. Though it’s only four lines, it’s jarring, even to me. And it’s absolutely what must happen. It hurt my heart to write, and so I had to get it down in ink. No matter how long we’ve lived with our characters, their stories will still surprise us.

While I’m busy working away on book 2, you can download the Kindle version of Emerson’s first book, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, for free for one more day today. Visit Amazon to get one for yourself and for all the readers on your list!

creativity

In the pause: Messages in dreams

Christa Avampato

I believe that our dreams can send us the messages we need exactly when we need them. Yesterday I had a dream that I had handed in my manuscript for Emerson’s second book. There was a note on top of it that said, “Dedication – that’s your only goal now.”

Though it was a very short dream, it had a powerful impact on me. It gave me encouragement to stay on this path, to keep creating, dreaming, and growing. To keep helping other people. To keep standing up and speaking out to help build a better world. I hope that by sharing this message, it helps to encourage you, too. Stay true to who you are and the impact you want to have. We need you.

creativity

In the pause: Get your free copy of my book on Kindle today

Christa Avampato

Screen Shot 2017-12-10 at 6.15.22 PM.pngToday’s the day! Today, tomorrow, and Saturday my book Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, is available for free as a Kindle download. Just go to the book’s page on Amazon, and you’ll see that the price has been reduced from $4.99 to $0 for these days only. Download it for yourself and to give as gifts to all the readers on your list. Happy holidays from Emerson Page!

creativity

In the pause: Grab your tickets for my live show about NYC secrets at CAVEAT on 1/29/18

Christa Avampato
kristina-flour-185592
Kristina Flour on Unsplash  https://unsplash.com/photos/BcjdbyKWquw

I’m so excited to share that my live storytelling show about New York City’s secrets will be at CAVEAT on Monday, January 29th at 7:30. I hope you’ll join us for this exciting event and your chance to win a wonderful secret surprise if you can tell the different between fact and fiction. Tickets are on sale now.

I’m looking for 5 expert storytellers who are passionate about sharing little known secrets of New York City to be in the show. If you or someone you know would like to be a storyteller, please let me know.

New York City’s Secrets and Lies
Can you tell the difference between a secret and a lie? Five expert storytellers spin incredible tales about the secret pasts of NYC locations you walk by every day. All the stories are true except for one. If you can identify the lie, you’ll be in the running to win a pair of tickets to a secret NYC event.

Monday, January 29, 2018. Doors open at 7:00pm. Show starts at 7:30pm. Run time: About 60 minutes. 

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CAVEAT, recently featured in New York Magazine, The New Yorker and The New York Times, is New York’s newest speakeasy stage for playful, intelligent nightlife. Join us for drinks and go home smarter.

Our core creative team includes a recovering theoretical physicist, a renegade museum tour guide, and a one-time Moth StorySlam champion. That love for science and unconventional storytelling is at the heart of Caveat’s booking philosophy: we regularly host comedy, science talks, storytelling, concerts, trivia competitions, live recorded podcasts, and special events that defy description… you’ll have to come experience them for yourself! Ticket prices range from $10 to $20 for most events.

The decor is Harvard Club meets CBGB – the wood-paneled walls and library shelves hold images, artifacts, and books from all corners of the academic world. Caveat seats about 120, with cabaret style tables, armchairs, and bar stools. The venue was created with podcasting and filming in mind with a state-of-the art light and sound system. There’s also a reading library/bookstore…when was the last time you went to a bar with a library?

The bar serves ten craft beers on tap, ten wines by the glass and by the bottle, a selection of ciders and digestifs, and some truly tasty specialty sodas. We are finalizing a menu but are currently serving imaginative grilled cheeses, charcuterie plates, spiced nuts, chocolate, and popcorn.

creativity

In the pause: Considering a New Year’s cleanse

Christa Avampato

This past weekend, I was very sick. It came on very suddenly and I was down for the count for 3 full days. I am finally almost back to normal but being that sick really caused me to think about my nutrition and exercise routine. (Lying there under a pile of blankets, I had a lot of time to think!) I realized over the past few months, I haven’t been taking great care of myself. The stress of the job search, getting up-to-speed on a new job, launching my book, and doing my best to take in all that New York City has to offer took its toll. I thought I was doing okay, but when I really stopped to reflect on my choices, I realized I haven’t been as diligent about my health as I usually am. This was a big revelation and though I wish I hadn’t lost three days to being sick, I realize now that it was actually a great thing to force myself to be so mindful of my health.

Yesterday, a friend of mine recommended that I try a cleanse for the new year after the holidays to reset and get my new year off to a solid, healthy start. I’ve never done a cleanse before so I’m looking for recommendations. Have you ever done one? Did you find it to be valuable? If so, which ones would you recommend? Thanks in advance for any advice!

creativity

In the pause: My book will be available for free download from December 14th – 16th

Christa Avampato

Screen Shot 2017-12-10 at 6.07.24 PMMark your calendars! This Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, December 14th – 16th, my book Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, will be available for free as a Kindle download. Just go to the book’s page on Amazon, and you’ll see that the price has been reduced from $4.99 to $0 for these days only. Download it for yourself and to give as gifts to all the readers on your list. Happy holidays from Emerson Page!

 

creativity

In the pause: Feed the good

Christa Avampato

I was recently talking to my friend Christopher. He’s fascinated by food science, and was telling me about the biome that exists in our bodies. We have bacteria floating around us, and the different foods we eat feed these different bacteria. Healthy food feeds the good bacteria, and the unhealthy food feeds the bacteria that isn’t good for us. Our job in nutrition is to feed the good.

What’s true for our bodies is also true for our mind, heart, and spirit. The thoughts and emotions that we have feed our view of the world, and our perspective on our place in this world. There are many troubling circumstances at play in the world today. As I prep my end of year charitable contributions, I’m reminded how fortunate I am and how many people need help, hope, and support. Providing that comfort through my contributions of volunteer hours and funds is my way of feeding the good in the world. And it also helps me to feed the good within me.

Happy Sunday.

creativity

In the pause: TheNerdyGirlExpress review of my book, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters

Christa Avampato

I am so excited to share the review that Katherine at TheNerdyGirlExpress gave to my novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters. I encourage you to hop over to their site and check out all of their wonderful contact. The text of Katherine’s review is below along with links to all of her other online content hubs.

“Christa Avampato creates a world fueled by imagination and wonder in her first novel Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters. This story focuses on title character Emerson, who is a strong and caring thirteen year old with powers beyond even her wildest imagining. After the tragic death of her mother five years before, she has begun to learn that she is not just a book lover, but someone who holds a powerful light that will change everything she has ever known.

Emerson has been coping with her mother’s death, but knows very little about what truly happened. After a terrifying woman enters her favorite book shop she begins to learn that her mother was part of a centuries old order connected to the Muses of ancient times. Emerson’s own connection to this ancient power begins to grow as she finds herself and those she loves being thrust into dangerous situations that all relate back to the terrifying woman, Cassandra. Over the course of the novel Emerson will have to accept her own power and learn how to control it. While she is trying to understand everything around her, Emerson’s inner strength shines through and is what will ultimately decide the fate of all imagination as we know it.

Avampato crafts a story that many young adult readers will enjoy, especially those with vivid imaginations and a love of books. Emerson’s character is tremendously relatable and I wish that someone like her had existed when I was younger. Avampato echoes this same sentiment in her Author’s Note where she says to the young adult reader who has picked up this book that “I wrote this book for you for many reasons. One of the biggest is that we don’t have enough women and girls in the center of young adult literature. So few books feature female protagonists, and there are almost no books in which a female protagonist takes control of her own life and destiny.” Not only is Emerson a strong female character, but Avampato includes strong women who assist Emerson along her journey of discovery. I highly recommend Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters for not only young adult readers, but those who want to indulge their imagination with a positive story full of wonderful characters.

You can find Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters for sale now.

Share your thoughts with us in the comments or on Twitter, @thenerdygirlexp. You can find me on Twitter, @kleffnotes, on my blog, kleffnotes.wordpress.com, on my kleffnotes YouTube channel, and I run The Nerdy Girl Express Snapchat, thenerdygirlexp.”

creativity

In the pause: Bravo to Time’s People of Year – #TheSilenceBreakers Who Launched the Rallying Cry #MeToo

Christa Avampato

Thank you to everyone who shared their story so that others with stories could be free to tell them. Because of you, people are being held accountable for their actions. Our fight to be heard and believed isn’t over. We have many more miles and years to travel together to find true equality and equity for all, and no one can deny that we’re on our way.

time person of the year