Tag: books

creativity

A Year of Yes: My young adult novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, won a Nautilus Book Award

Christa Avampato

Screen Shot 2018-04-30 at 11.57.23 PMI am so incredibly honored to share the news that my young adult novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, won a Nautilus Book Award for young adult fiction. The Nautilus Book Award is given “To recognize, promote, and celebrate books that support conscious living and sustainability, high-level wellness, spiritual growth, and positive social change.”

I’m especially honored to be on the list of winners with so many authors I greatly admire: Kenneth Lacovara and his excellent book Why Dinosaurs Matter (Ken encouraged me to submit my book to Nautilus), Peter Wohlleben, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Tim O’Reilly, Brené Brown, Thich Nhat Hanh, Eva Moskowitz, Katherine Applegate, and Ibi Zoboi.

Congratulations to all! See a PDF of all winners here.

Thank you to everyone who continues to believe in me, in Emerson, and the message of this book that the human imagination is our greatest gift for building a better world for all beings.

 

 

creativity

A Year of Yes: My book is in The New York Review of Books

Christa Avampato

Ending another week of happy book news! A few months ago I was invited to be in the Independent Press Listing of The New York Review of Books – Spring Books issue. I’m honored to be among so many fantastic books and authors in this publication that I have admired for years. You can pick up a copy of Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, and in independent bookstores everywhere. Thanks to all of you who continue to support my book and this journey with Emerson. I hope you keep writing—through all the difficulties, rejections, and doubts. It’s worth it and the world needs your story. I can’t wait to read it.

Screen Shot 2018-04-18 at 8.56.28 PMnyrb040518

creativity

A Year of Yes: What’s on your bookshelf?

Christa Avampato

“What is a bookshelf other than a treasure chest for a curious mind.” ~Anonymous

I buy a lot of e-books but every once in a while, there’s a book I have to buy in traditional print. It’s a book that I want to refer to again and again. A book I feel I need to hold, to underline, and write in the margins of. Mine is getting more eclectic all of the time—science, fairy tales, biographies, yoga, New York City history, books about writing, business books, ancient philosophy, every sub-genre of fiction. It says a lot about who I am—always changing, always learning, always curious. What’s on your bookshelf?

creativity

A Year of Yes: The necessity of rewriting and revision

Christa Avampato

“That’s the magic of revisions—every cut is necessary, and every cut hurts, but something new always grows.” ~Kelly Barnhill, author

I’ve been thinking about this quote a lot as I prep for Virginia Festival of the Book. When I think of my favorite books, plays, songs, and pieces of art, they are the ones without any fat, the ones where every word, every note, every brush stroke is carefully and purposely chosen. That concern, that love is what strikes me right in the heart. Rewriting and editing is the lifeblood of art that lasts. It’s the cuts that matter most because that’s where we find the seeds that need to be planted and nurtured.

creativity

A Year of Yes: Talking about writing to 500+ students, teachers, and staff at Charlottesville schools

Christa Avampato

“The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.” ~Peggy O’Mara, editor, publisher, and child advocate

I’m in heavy prep mode as I get ready to talk to over 500 students, teachers, and school staff members in Charlottesville as a speaker for the Virginia Festival of the Book. I am ecstatic to chat with with them about my book, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, the process of writing and revision, character development, the importance of a book’s setting, the publishing business, creativity and imagination, and mythology in the age of hip hop. What?! Yes, it’s true. And I can’t wait!

creativity

A Year of Yes: David Bowie on books

Christa Avampato

“Q: What is your idea of perfect happiness?

A: Reading.” ~David Bowie

As if we needed another reason to love David Bowie. He was known to be a voracious reader and traveled with a library on film shoots and concert tours. Earlier this year, his son, Duncan Jones, launched an online book club in honor of his father. The Bowie Book Club will work its way through Bowie’s list of his 100 favorite books.

Another of his quotes about books that just knocks me out:

“I’m a real self-educated kind of guy. I read voraciously. Every book I ever bought, I have. I can’t throw it away. It’s physically impossible to leave my hand! Some of them are in warehouses. I’ve got a library that I keep the ones I really, really like. I look around my library some nights and I do these terrible things to myself–I count up the books and think, how long I might have to live and think, ‘F@#%k, I can’t read two-thirds of these books.’ It overwhelms me with sadness.”

David Bowie, we will miss you forever for so many reasons. Long live your beautiful spirit and the love of books.

creativity

A Year of Yes: The power of books

Christa Avampato

“Books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” ~Plato

As I was getting ready for my talks for the Virginia Festival of the Book, I came across so many beautiful quotes and art inspired by the love of books. This one above is one of my favorites. Books give us such strong connections—to one another and to the best versions of ourselves.

creativity

A Year of Yes: Prepping for my Virginia Festival of the Book talk at Charlottesville schools

Christa Avampato

Screen Shot 2018-03-11 at 1.59.10 PM.pngWorking on my presentation about writing for the 7 Charlottesville-area schools I’ll be presenting to as an author for Virginia Festival of the Book in less than 2 weeks. I’ll be talking about the writing, revision, and editing process, the power of the imagination in world building, and curiosity as the best tool to generate and craft ideas. Drawing wisdom from these sages whose work has inspired mine over the years.

creativity

A Year of Yes: I’m as much a rewriter as a writer

Christa Avampato

“A good book isn’t written; it’s rewritten.” ~Phyllis A. Whitney

There is an excitement in crafting something from a blank page, but I will tell you that I’m much more excited to add the layers of revision once the bones are set. To me there is something very special about the furthering of a vision that makes me love rewriting more than I love writing. I work very hard to get through that first phase quickly. With the track laid and the outline in front of me, that’s when my creativity really takes off. I’ve learned to see revision not as a necessary evil but as an old, dear friend who helps me put the pieces together so that my stories can be shared and heard.

creativity

A Year of Yes: Never stop reading fairy tales

Christa Avampato

“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” ~C.S. Lewis

I never outgrew reading fairy tales. I became a writer and an author because of them. They’ve helped me to make sense of life, to have hope in times that seemed so bleak. I don’t believe in happily ever after; I believe in stronger and braver ever after. And that has made all the difference.