LoveReading, the UK’s leading book recommendation website, named my upcoming novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads, an “Indie Book We Love”. This is based on their ambassador readers providing top reviews for the book. A huge thank you to the LoveReading team for this recognition. I’m excited for readers to have this story when it launches everywhere books are sold on May 14th!
“Beautifully described and written. As a reader, you are rooting for her to win the fight for good.”
“A fantastical tale, imaginative world, and beautifully crafted story that allow the reader to become part of the story. Altogether thoroughly entertaining and literally spellbinding.”
“A fantastical tale that combines an academia style vibe (think Indiana Jones’ hunts for lost artefacts) with magical creatures. Into a mythical world, Emerson works to carry on her mother’s work, and we’re seeing a young teen and her family manage grief and try to come to terms with loss. This element adds another dimension to a magical adventure, and gives the story a lot of heart.‘Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads is part fantastical quest and part coming-of-age. It’s an easy to read story that teens and young adults will love. ‘Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads’ by Christa Avampato is book two in the Emerson Page series. I would recommend starting this series with book one, ‘Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters’ in order to fully immerse yourself in Emerson’s story.”
One of my great joys is encouraging a love of books and reading among children and young people. I send cards and a small gift from Emerson (and her, dog, Friday) to young readers whenever I know someone who’s bought my Emerson Page books for them. Each one is unique. If you’d like Emerson and Friday to send one to a young person in your life who loves the books, let me know. Books continue to take me on adventures, and it’s a privilege for me to open up these new worlds for others and share some light.
I’m excited to have a book launch party in New York City for my novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads. While I work out some fun details, here is a save the date for Friday, May 31st at 7pm. I hope you’ll add this to your calendar and I look forward to seeing you at the party!
I’m so excited for this next chapter of her adventure to be out in the world. A million thanks to everyone who’s loved us and cheered us on through our journey.
I’m smiling from ear to ear as I close out the week with two more reviews of my novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads, from people for whom I have enormous respect: Felicia Sabartinelli and Matt Joseph Misetich.
“It’s rare to find a book that not only ignites your imagination but explores the varying degrees of grief with such beauty and skillful precision. Through mystical creatures and new worlds, Avampato does an incredible job of balancing fantasy and folklore with the complexities of human emotion. This is – in many ways – an immersive and powerful ride through Emerson’s journey into young adulthood and the importance of finding one’s power. Readers, young and old, will not be able to put this down.” ~Felicia Sabartinelli, award-winning essayist, poet, public speaker, and creator of Ferocious. https://www.feliciasabartinelli.com/
“A thoroughly enchanting ride. Christa Avampato drops us into a wondrous world dazzling with imagination and magic. But what sets this apart is her keen ability to make us somehow relate so strongly, and so universally, to a story otherwise steeped in pure fantasy. A book drowning in charm. Avampato brings her own light and magic to familiar-yet-extraordinary settings alive with warmth, honesty, and an eclectic cast that will please even casual YA readers.” ~Matt Joseph Misetich, Senior Executive and Partner at Pipeline Media Group. https://pipelinemediagroup.com/
Today I’m writing my author’s note and acknowledgement sections of my novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads. With a May 14th release date, tomorrow March 1st is my last day to submit anything to my publisher. I’ve procrastinated (which to be honest I never do because it’s not at all in my nature) writing these sections for two reasons: 1.) I’ve been heads-down on my dissertation and 2.) I’m scared. My first full messy draft of my dissertation is nearly done so now I need to get over my fear and write these last 2 pieces.
Why am I afraid to write them? First, these are very personal sections of the book. I want them to be meaningful and poignant as I talk directly to the readers and publicly thank those who have been instrumental in the creation of this book in particular. At the time of this writing, the world is a heavy place. Since my first Emerson Page novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was released in 2017, the world at-large and my world in particular have gone through seismic shifts. I want to say something that gives people hope, and I want to express my immense gratitude as clearly as possible.
Maybe that’s it. Maybe that’s where I start, exactly where I want these pieces of the book to land—with hope and gratitude. If I can get those two ideas across to the readers, then I’ll have done what I set out to do.
Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads by Christa Avampato
Five 5-star reviews for my upcoming novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads, which will be released on May 14th everywhere books are sold! I cried big, happy, overjoyed tears reading these reviews. They express everything I hope readers think and feel in Emerson’s story.
Some highlights: “It’s Indiana Jones for young adults with much more magic and lore” “A mythic quest exploring grief, creativity, and what it means to step into one’s power” “Captivates from the first page to the last” “Every fantasy lover’s dream book” “Sleek and highly detailed” “I couldn’t put it down” “Unforgettable”
Longer reviews: “A mythic quest exploring grief, creativity, and what it means to step into one’s power. Avampato’s ability to weave themes of inner exploration, imagination, and loss into an epic adventure is second to none. From the hectic streets of Times Square to Dublin to worlds unknown, I’d follow Emerson Page (and Friday) wherever their light will take me! I wish I had this book when I was a teenager!” ~Torri Yates-Orr, Emmy-Nominated history and mythology communicator, writer, host, and creator of the “On This Day in History” series
“With a healthy dose of adventure, mystery, and magic, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads captivates you from the first page to the last. Christa Avampato has built an immersive fantasy world featuring talking trees, superpowered teenage protagonists, faeries, and a host of other magical creatures. Imagine Indiana Jones for young adults with much more magic and lore, and you will end up with something like this. Keeping a brisk pace to the narrative, Avampato weaves an absorbing plot that keeps you hooked with unexpected reveals and twists and turns you never see coming. Emerson is a likable main character who finds it easy to make friends. She is someone you want to root for. I found the book very entertaining, and if you enjoy YA urban fantasy, this will be right up your alley.” ~Pikasho Deka, Pittsburg Post-Gazette, and NBC, ABC, and Fox affiliates
“Since Christa Avampato has incorporated the necessary details from the first book, I had no trouble picking up the threads. However, I advise readers to read the previous book first because everyone should enjoy this amazing series to the fullest. I loved how Avampato included lush descriptions of a cozy bookstore boasting giant tomes, a club brimming with memorabilia from daring adventures, a planetarium with a view into the infinite world of stars, and the Library of Imagination with all its grandeur. The visuals made me feel like I was there with Emerson, soaking up the moments. Although the story depends on the death of a parent and even portrays Emerson’s grief, it is nonetheless full of positivity. With talking and moving statues, hidden rooms inside ancient trees, and secret underground pathways, Avampato transports readers to an alternate reality. Featuring an unseen world teeming with folkloric beings, hard bargains, and strange rules, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads is every fantasy lover’s dream book.” ~Shrabastee Chakraborty, The Chrysalis BREW Project
“Christa Avampato’s beautiful storytelling builds a magical world where human creativity has a tangible quality, and controlling it is the difference between life and death. The characters are crafted nicely with noticeable traits that the reader will easily connect with. Avampato impresses upon the reader the importance of developing an interest in adventure, honing leadership qualities, and appreciating what one can learn from books. Avampato’s storytelling is sleek and highly detailed, describing the magical creatures to such an extent that the reader will have no difficulty imagining what they look like. With its even pace and Avampato’s knack for dropping subtle clues in unusual parts of the plot, Emerson Page and Where The Light Leads is a balanced story that YA adventure fans will love.” ~Essien Asian, OnlineBookClub.org
“Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads has unique and creative lore that makes it unforgettable. Christa Avampato is a skilled writer who blends familiar mythology with imaginative elements to craft a compelling tale. Her descriptions are clear and detailed, painting vivid scenes that bring the story to life. The characters are interesting, with diverse personalities, backgrounds, and motives. What sets this book apart from other young adult adventures are the lesson-filled stories woven into the main plot and the thought-provoking riddles that serve as clues for Emerson’s quest. I could not put the book down because I did not want to miss anything crucial to Emerson’s journey.” ~Luwi Nyakansaila, Readers’ Favorite
“Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads is a captivating book that features intriguing characters and elements of Greek and Celtic mythology. The book is well-written, with a smooth flow and a unique plot. The lessons she learned along the way served their purpose in the final chapter. I highly recommend this book to all young adult adventure fans.” ~Doreen Chombu, Readers’ Favorite
On Friday, May 31, 2024, I’ll be hosting a party in New York City (and online!) to celebrate the launch of my book, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads / welcome summer / being alive. I’d absolutely LOVE to celebrate with wonderful YOU! We’ve all been through a lot in the last few years, the world is heavy, and I’d like to host a party filled with joy, love, laughter, light, food, drinks, music, dancing, gift bags, and general merriment. I’ll be doing a short reading from the book and brief conversation with a very special guest moderator that will also be available online for anyone who can’t make it to New York City for the party.
I’m still securing a venue and exact time. Save the dates will go out soon so if you’d like to know about the in-person or online details, please fill out this Google form below that takes about 10 seconds: https://forms.gle/53ACYqByeG7RQnbY9
Another exciting book launch milestone! The press release and sell sheet for my novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads, are complete and being sent out with the galley (watermarked book manuscript) to media for review. Please feel free to share these with any media contacts whom you think would be interested. Pre-order links will be available next week, and I’ll share those as soon as I have them. Thank you to everyone for all the support. It takes a village, and I’m glad I’m with you.
What would you do if the work you do right now ended tomorrow? I’ve been thinking about this question since I was at University of Cambridge / Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) in December for my Masters in Sustainability Leadership program. My wonderful friend, Karen, in my cohort found me one morning to show me a Stanford TEDx talk titled 5 Steps to Designing the Life You Want by Bill Burnett that she felt I needed to see. She was right.
The whole talk is worth watching and the part that affected me most is a future visioning exercise called 3 lives. You imagine the next 5 years of your career in these scenarios:
1. Keep doing exactly what you’re doing now and it’s going to turn out great. What does great look like? In your career and life?
2. What would you do if what you’re doing right now ends tomorrow? How would your career and life change? What would that look and feel like?
3. Now for your wildcard plan. You have enough money to pursue any career you want, and no one would laugh at you for it. What would you do? What would your life and career look like then?
Which of these lives feels like the best path? Put aside the inner critic. Which one makes you happier and more fulfilled? For various reasons, that one may not be the one you choose to pursue but having a sense of these different paths helps us get unstuck.
Futures visioning is a part of my Cambridge dissertation so doing this exercise was a part of practicing what I preach. I sat down and sketched out these 3 lives for myself. It helped me uncover hidden ideas, interests, and desires I didn’t even know I had. It also helped me realize a few things that Bill speaks to in his talk:
1. The really interesting opportunities present themselves in our periphery. They are the things we didn’t see coming and didn’t plan for. Realizing this encourages me to be open to new people, information, learnings, ideas, and opportunities.
2. Bill encourages us to look at these three lives with our head and our heart. Decisions made from your emotions are just as valid, if not more so, than those made from our logic and reasoning. Emotions have much more wisdom than we give them credit for.
3. There isn’t one way to build a life or career. We can and will grow into different lives, and that can happen at any and every age. There is no timeline that we must follow. We can trust the timing of our lives and career. Things unfold in ways we don’t always understand. That’s okay. Be open, and be prepared to be lucky.
Let me know how it goes for you if you try this exercise. I’d love to hear about what you discover and I’d also love to support your journey.
Christa Avampato 