creativity

First Brooklyn beach day of 2024

Christa Avampato

This week, I had my first Brooklyn beach day of 2024 at Coney Island! Since moving from the Upper West Side to Brooklyn almost a year ago, I’ve discovered a number of new joys in New York City. One of the biggest has been Coney Island — named one of the best 25 beaches in the U.S. in 2024 by Travel+Leisure Magazine. Coney Island is a 20-minute subway ride from my apartment. In addition to the beach, there’s a boardwalk loaded with delicious food and drinks, rides, games, a minor league baseball stadium, fun street art, music, city park land, and a load of characters from every walk of life. I look forward to spending many days here this summer.

Fun Coney Island and NYC beach facts:
– How Coney Island got its name is widely disputed. Some theories: (1) an Irish boat captain named Peter O’Connor sailed to New York from Ireland in the late 1700s, and named Coney Island after Ireland’s Coney Island, which was and remains a mile from O’Connor’s home in County Sligo and looks remarkably similar to Brooklyn’s Coney Island save for the fact that the island in Ireland is nearly deserted and Brooklyn’s Coney Island is a magnet for locals and tourists alike. (2) The Dutch settled Manhattan in 1624 and inhabited Coney Island soon afterward. It was home to a large population of wild rabbits and the Dutch word for rabbit is “konijn”. (3) The areas was once inhabited by the Konoh, or Bear, tribe. Records from all these times are spotty or non-existent so we may never know exactly how Coney Island got its name.

– NYC has 8 public beaches, a total of 14 miles.

– NYC’s waters are inhabited by an abundance of wildlife includes dolphins, porpoises, seals, and 6 species of whales. Organizations such as Gotham Whale offer boat trips into New York Bay and Hudson Canyon.

– NYC was once the oyster capital of the world. Unfortunately they were harvested to near extinction. Now projects such as Billion Oyster Project are repopulating our waters with oysters.

If you get the chance, whether you’re a local New Yorker or visiting, I highly encourage a trip to Coney Island, a unique NYC experience.

creativity

My author feature on Chapter Break

Christa Avampato
https://chapterbreak.net/2024/04/23/christa-avampato-introduces-emerson-page-series/

Julie and the wonderful team over at Chapter Break kindly published an author feature about me and my upcoming novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads. You can read the feature here: https://chapterbreak.net/2024/04/23/christa-avampato-introduces-emerson-page-series/

I talk about my five jobs as a writer: cartographer, painter, mason, tourist, and sculptor. I also discuss how I manage multiple writing projects and critique, my writing process, the relationship between my business experience and my writing, and advice for other writers. Thank you to Julie and Chapter Break for all you do for writers and readers.

creativity

Cut scenes from my upcoming novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads

Christa Avampato

Almost all my writing is re-writing. I write my first draft of a book in a month, and then spend many months re-writing and editing. This means a lot of content never makes it into the book. Now, for the first time, I’m sharing a few of these cut scenes with you!

Here are three cut scenes from my upcoming novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads. I’d love to know what you think — drop me a line. The novel is available now for pre-order and will be released everywhere books are sold on Tuesday, May 14th.

We’re Having a Party

Image by Christa Avampato. Made with Canva Magic Media.

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A Stranger in the Night

Image by Christa Avampato. Made with Canva Magic Media.

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The Scroll of Erato

Image by Christa Avampato. Made with Canva Magic Media.
creativity

You’re invited to my free NYC book launch party on Friday, May 31st

Christa Avampato

I’m so excited to invite you to my book launch party for my new novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads.

Date: Friday, May 31, 2024
Place: Kingston Hall, 149 Second Ave, New York, NY 10003
Time: 7pm – 9pm
Cost: Free
Open to: Everyone 21 years and older is welcome!
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-book-launch-party-emerson-page-and-where-the-light-leads-tickets-899217332247

Details: Author Christa Avampato will be in conversation with Matt Misetich, Senior Executive and Partner at Pipeline Media Group, in a reserved space to start the party. There will be delicious food-to-order, 2-for-1 drink specials until 8pm, cake with a bit of magic, raffle prizes, and free giveaways for all guests. Then enjoy the cozy and relaxed bar with a hidden outdoor patio, pool table, and Caribbean vibe.

You can also join the Facebook event page to get the latest details. (And please feel free to share with friends.)

creativity

Thank you for a great book promotion for World Book Night

Christa Avampato
Emerson and I send you love. Photo by Christa Avampato

Hello all – I’m popping in here to say a big thank you. Last week 1,202 people downloaded and bought my first novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters! World Book Night was the first special promotion I’ve ever done, and I had no expectation of how it would go. I’m so grateful to every one of you who downloaded and purchased the book.

It means so much to me, and I hope Emerson’s story brings you joy. If you feel inclined to write a review, you can do so here. Reviews help new readers discover the book.

Thank you again for all your wonderful support. I can’t wait to share the launch of my second book, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads, in just two weeks on May 14th!

creativity

The benefits of Zometa for early-stage breast cancer survivors

Christa Avampato
Me getting my recent Zometa infusion at Perlmutter Cancer Center

This is me at Perlmutter Cancer Center this week getting an infusion of Zometa, my own version of the Harry Potter Skele-Gro potion. The medications I take to prevent cancer recurrence have the unfortunate side-effect of decreasing my bone density. Zometa has the dual benefit of regrowing bone and reducing the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Isn’t that cool? The hope is I’ll only need 4 infusions (once every 6 months) so I’m halfway there! I also got all my annual bloodwork done and it’s perfect.

I get this infusion once every 6 months in the same chemo ward I went to during those dark days of active treatment in the midst of the pandemic before vaccines. I remember how sick and scared I was, how my dreams were on hold, and maybe out of reach. I’d flip through pictures of University of Cambridge and University of Oxford having put my graduate school applications to study environmental sustainability on hold, hoping I’d live to pursue those dreams.

Now I’m 3 months from finishing my degree at Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. The dream came true. It was a dream delayed but not a dream denied, thanks to the incredible care I received and the many people who made it possible for me to heal. Science and medicine are incredible. Better living through chemistry.

Managing through ongoing care can be exhausting. I’m also extraordinarily lucky to have access to the best medical care in the world. There are so many who don’t. And if this is what it takes to maintain my health and live the life I imagine, that’s fine with me. There is so much I’m learning on the journey, and I’m grateful to be able to use it to help others.

creativity

Honoring Phineas in his favorite part of Central Park

Christa Avampato

Get yourself a friend like this: Ashley painted my soul dog, not once but twice, and then on her day off from her intense job went with me to Central Park to commemorate him by taking photos under his favorite cherry trees in full bloom of the paintings she painted and the felt likeness of him given to me by another sweet friend.

The locket I’m wearing has a lock of Phin’s hair in it. Phinny was certainly with us as we saw 5 dachshunds on our visit. His way of saying, “Hi, Mom! Hi, Ashley! I love you.” A pair of them, Otto and Oliver, were just 7 months old. Their dads had lost their 13-year-old dachshund, Arthur, a year before getting Otto and Oliver. “Nothing can bring the joy of your dog back as much as another dog.”

It’s been 3 months since Phinny passed away in my arms. This visit to his favorite part of the park during his favorite time of year with my dear friend did my broken heart so much good. I realize now this grief will never leave me. I’m learning how to carry it while also finding joy every day. We contain multitudes. Phinny is still teaching me. He’s always teaching me. Our love story continues. 💗🐶💗🌸💚🌸

creativity

My first novel’s eBook is free on Amazon today

Christa Avampato
Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters

It’s World Book Night and the eBook for my first novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, is FREE on Amazon all over the world TODAY ONLY! Click this link to go right to the Amazon page for the eBook and download it.

I’m so happy to be able to offer the first book of Emerson’s story to everyone to support this wonderful cause. Happy reading!

(I took this photo in the Long Room at the Library of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland when I was there doing research for Emerson’s second book, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads, which launches on May 14th.)

creativity

My first novel’s eBook will be free on Amazon on Tuesday, April 23rd

Christa Avampato
Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters

To support World Book Night, the eBook for my first novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, will be free on Amazon all over the world on Tuesday, April 23rd. World Book Night is an annual program created by The Reading Agency to encourage people to read a book for an hour every evening. I’m grateful for all the love readers have shown Emerson over the years, and I’m so happy to give back and support this wonderful cause. 

All day on Tuesday, April 23rd, you’ll be able to download Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters for free at this link. Happy reading and happy Earth Day today!

creativity

Trust the timing of your life

Christa Avampato
Flowering trees in my Brooklyn neighborhood. Photo by Christa Avampato.

Yesterday I should have been inside working but the warmth and sun kept me outside most of the day. I was walking around gobsmacked by my beautiful Brooklyn neighborhood bursting with flowering trees. Cherry, apple, pink dogwood, lilac, redbud.

I’ve been thinking of buying a small home outside the city. On my walk yesterday I realized my neighborhood has everything I want and then some. Walkable, friendly neighborhood feel, plenty of green space, good public transit, 20 minutes by train to the beach and 20 minutes by train into Manhattan, delicious food, local shops. And unlike most other New York City neighborhoods, it’s mostly single-family homes. I ended up in exactly the right place, exactly where I wanted to be. So now I’m thinking about buying a home right here.

Sometimes, I wish I’d already done certain things. I wish I’d already met the love of my life, owned a home, had or created my dream job. And then I remember how important it is to trust the timing of our lives. Maybe I haven’t been ready for any of those things until now. And because none of that has materialized yet, I did lots of other things that have been wonderful in their own right. Maybe there were certain things I needed to learn first.

It may have taken longer than I would have liked to reach this point in life, but we arrive when we arrive. Maybe I had to travel through many other lives first to fully appreciate this moment, when anything and everything feels possible. I see my dog, Phineas, in all of it. He led me right to where I needed to be, and only then did he know it was okay to go. I just wish he was still here to see own home in springtime.

(Below are photos I took in my Brooklyn neighborhood. I can’t believe I live here!)