Mary Amato

Writing with Humor, Heart, & Grit

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Books
  • Bio
  • Teaching
  • Contact
  • Resources
  • What’s New
loading...

Appearances & Events

Connect with Mary in person or via Skype.

2020-2021 Schedule

  • August through December Weekly Writer’s Studio classes for kids (every Wed from 4:00-4:30 EST) and for adults (every Friday from 1:00-1:30 EST
  • August 3-21 Hold Carpe Diem Artventures
  • August 30 Amato/Feffer Day-Long Novel-Writing Retreat
  • Sept 21 Highpoint Academy Songwriting Zoom, 8th grade. Pasadena, CA
  • Sept 23, Highpoint Academy Songwriting Zoom, 7th grade, Pasadena, CA
  • September 26 Amato/Feffer Day-Long Novel-Writing Retreat
  • November 1 Amato/Feffer Day-Long Novel-Writing Retreat
  • Nov 11, Carroll County Library event Westminster, MD
  • November 21 Amato/Feffer Day-Long Novel-Writing Retreat
  • Dec 11 West Education Campus Online Workshop, AOBF 9 am.
  • Jan 15 West Education Campus Online Workshop, AOBF 9 am.
  • Jan 20 Drummond Area (WI) School District 3-6 grades, how to workshop.
  • Feb 12 West Education Campus Online Workshop, AOBF 9 am.
  • Feb 17 Drummond Area (WI) School District 3-6 grades, writing process workshop.
  • TBA Lima Symphony Orchestra NEA-funded songwriting residency with 5th grades, dates TBA
  • Mar 19 West Education Campus Online Workshop, AOBF 9 am.
  • (NOTE DCPS Schools closed March 8-12 for spring break)
  • April 16 West Education Campus Online Workshop, AOBF 9 am.
  • May 14 West Education Campus Online Workshop, AOBF 9 am.
  • (DCPS Schools end June 3)

Archive 2020 January-July

  • January 6 Torch & Twang
  • January 9 Dufief ES
  • January 14 Easton ES, afternoon assemblies, Talbot County, MD
  • January 14-19 Retreat Eastern Shore, MD
  • January 28 Creating Character Workshops Full Day at Diamond ES, MD
  • January 28 Private Creative Writing Lesson 4 pm
  • January 29 SoHy Sing
  • February 3 STEM Songwriting Residency, Rock Creek Forest
  • February 4 STEM Songwriting Residency, Rock Creek Forest
  • February 5 STEM Songwriting Residency, Rock Creek Forest
  • February 5, 7-9 pm Inside the Blank Book II, PAAC
  • February 6 STEM Songwriting Residency, Rock Creek Forest
  • February 11 SoHy Sing
  • February 12 DePauw University, Prof. Stasik, Children’s Literature Course Skype
    9:30-9:45 and 12:45-1:00 EST
  • February 17 Torch & Twang
  • February 18, private lesson
  • Feb 20 CBG lecture, DC
  • February 21 Meeting NG
  • Feb 24, Poolesville ES
  • February 26 SoHy Sing
  • February 27, private lesson
  • February 28 HIVE
  • March 2 Torch & Twang
  • March 3, private lesson
  • March 5 Singing Performance for Carpe Diem Arts Family Fun Night Out at El Golfo at 5:45 and 6:45 pm
  • March 25 Free Skype Day: Blue Bell ES (PA) 9 EST; Red Rock ES (MN) 11 EST
  • April 18-24 Authors in April, Rochester, MI
  • May 7 Maderich CESA 12, Ashland, WI Skypes
  • May 8 An Open Book Foundation video
  • May 27 Book Club Zoom
  • June 5 free Zoom/Skype day
  • June 6 Mulberry Jam
  • June 10 Zoom Appearance 12:15 PST/3:15 EST
  • June 18 CBG lecture, DC
  • June 25-28 Hold ALA
  • July 13, 15, 20, 22 Writing Workshops via Zoom for Libertyville, IL, branch library
  • July 21 Pen/Faulkner and Horizons Greater Washington Presentation grades 4 and 5 from 1-2 pm Virtual
  • July 27-31 Hold Gadget Lab camp
ARCHIVES: 2019 JAN-MAY  Schedule (In Person and Skype Events)
  • January 17 Guild meeting
  • January 18 Diamond ES, Full Day Assembly and Workshops
  • January 25, 10 am Audio Project Session
  • January 26 HOLD Amato/Feffer One Day Writing Retreat CPAE
  • January 28, Torch & Twang, TP, MD
  • January 29 Strathmore meeting at 2pm
  • January 29 Vocal/Uke Group Hyattsville 7:30 pm
  • January 31 Brown Bag for Creatives 12:30-2pm
  • February 1 Okay Cafe Song Circle, 7-10pm
  • February 2, Recording Session Lucy McGee songs for Book 2
  • February 4 Rock Creek Valley Follow Up Workshops
  • February 8, HIVE
  • February 9 PAAC Hyball
  • February 10, Recording session with Nico, Lucy McGee Book 2
  • February 11 HOLD as make-up day for Rock Creek Valley in case of Snow.
  • February 17, Silencio Blanco, UMD 3 pm
  • February 19, Vocal/Uke Group Hyattsville 7:30 pm
  • February 20, Recording Session Lucy McGee songs for Book 2
  • February 21 Guild meeting
  • February 22 Hyattsville Library meeting H.Jackson, 2 pm
  • February 25, Torch & Twang, TP, MD
  • February 28 Brown Bag for Creatives
  • March 3 Axtmann Open Studio, Music performance, 3-6 pm TP, MD
  • March 5 Songwriting Workshops, 3rd grade, Stedwick ES, Montgomery Village, MD
  • March 8 HIVE
  • March 8 Okay Cafe Song Circle, 7-10pm
  • March 13  Sussex Avenue School, Morristown NJ
  • March 14 North End School, afternoon visit, Cedar Grove, NJ
  • March 14 South End School, morning visit, Cedar Grove, NJ
  • March 15 Breakfast meeting CH, Noon meetings HH, NYC
  • March 16 Watchung Booksellers Storytime book signing and sing-along 10:30 am, Montclair, NJ
  • March 18, Torch & Twang, TP, MD
  • March 21 Brown Bag for Creatives
  • March 21 Guild Evening Meeting
  • March 26, Vocal/Uke Group Hyattsville 7:30 pm
  • March 30, Uke making at Gadgetlab
  • April 11 Children’s Book Guild meeting
  • April 11 Private Creative Writing lesson 7-8 pm
  • April 12 HIVE
  • April 12 Okay Cafe, 7-10pm
  • April 15, Blair HS YA Writing Festival, Silver Spring, MD
  • April 21, Proof Meeting, 2 pm, MD
  • April 22, Torch & Twang, TP, MD
  • April 22, Rehearsal 2:30 pm
  • April 23  St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
  • April 23 Vocal/Uke Group Hyattsville 7:30 pm
  • April 25 Skype Day; West Shore Middle School (CT) 9:00 am; Union School 9:30 am; CESA 12 Ashland WI 11:30 and 12:15; Red Rock ES (MN) 1:45pm
  • April 25 Private Creative Writing Lesson 7-8 pm
  • April 27 DC Author Fest Structuring the Novel workshop at Library of Congress
  • April 28 HOLD Singing Paint Branch
  • May 2 Maryland Library Association MD Author Award Luncheon and Breakout
  • May 3 MLA
  • May 5 National Gallery of Art Writing Workshop 1:00 pm
  • May 8 Meeting JM Audio books
  • May 9 Brown Bag
  • May 11 Guild Non-fiction Award luncheon.
  • May 17 Meeting CHannigan; 12:30 pm
  • May 20 Meeting MDahbi; 2:00 pm
  • May 21 Meeting PWM 10 am
  • May 21 Vocal/Uke Group Hyattsville 7:30 pm
  • May 28 Beauvoir Teacher Workshops 8:30-11:30 am
  • May 30-June 2 SCBWI Mid-Atlantic Novel Revision Retreat
  • June 4 Sing with Me, Lucy McGee launch
  • June 4 Mary Amato Takes Over Holiday House Instagram
  • June 5 An Open Book Foundation event AM
  • June 9 Research,KPA Musical, Arlington, VA
  • June 10 Private meeting MD and BG
  • June 13 Performance Riverdale Park Farmer’s Market
  • June 15 Research, Venus Theater, Laurel, MD
  • June 16 Father’s Day Open Mic & Launch Party, Lucy McGee, Hyattsville, MD
  • June 17 Torch & Twang
  • June 17 Private Lesson M&M
  • June 20 ALA Cleveland Park Library Book Buzz
  • June 21 ALA Holiday House Reception, National Press Club
  • June 23 ALA Signing of Sing with Me Lucy, McGee, Convention Center 11:30-12:00
  • June 23 ALA Banquet
  • June 24 Research, Joe’s Movement, Mt. Rainier
  • June 27 Guitar Notes Skype with SF summer school 1:30 pm EST
  • July 3 Private Lesson M&M
  • July 8 Private Lesson M&M
  • July 10 PAAC Inside the Blank Book, 6-8 pm
  • July 15 CBG Meeting
  • July 15 Private Lesson M&M
  • July 16 Auction Lesson
  • July 20 Bidlack Retreat
  • July 21 PAAC Writing the Illustrated Book, 12-2 pm
  • July 22 Torch & Twang
  • July 23 Private Lesson M&M
  • July 25 PAAC Writing the Illustrated Book, 6-8 pm
  • July 30 Kennedy Center research
  • July 31 Private Rehearsal for Lucy McGee5:30-6:30 pm
  • August 3-4 Bidlack Retreat
  • August 5-9 Carpe Diem Arts Camp
  • August 6 St. Michael’s Branch Library, 10 am St. Michael’s, MD
  • August 6 Seaford District Library and Cultural Center Program, 2:00 pm; Seaford, DE
  • August 12-16 Gadget Lab Uke Camp
  • August 18-25 NYC trip Sendak research Morgan Library
  • August 26 Torch & Twang
  • August 29 Rehearsal Lucy McGee
  • August 31 National Book Festival appearance Washington Post KidsPost booth 1:00 pm
  • Sept 4 CDA phone meeting 4:30 pm
  • Sept 10 SoHy Sing
  • Sept 14 Hyattsville Porch Fest
  • Sept 15 HIVE 2-6 pm planning and 6-7 dinner, MD (KG/DF)
  • Sept 18 private lesson 7-8 pm
  • Sept 19 CBG lecture, DC
  • Sept 21-22-23 Torch & Twang Retreat
  • Sept 25 Lunch meeting Cap Hill, RK
  • Sept 24 SoHy Sing
  • Sept 27-29 Albuquerque Ukulele Festival
  • Sept 30-October 6 Research
  • Oct 7 MCPS Big Learning Showcase 7:00 pm
  • Oct 8 SoHy Sing
  • October 9 Pen/Faulkner Writers in Schools programs 10 and 1 pm; 5th grades West Education Campus (O.Wolf); DC
  • October 10-12 ILA in New Orleans
  • October 17-18 Roanoke
  • Oct 21 CK appointment 12:00
  • Oct 21 Torch & Twang session
  • Oct 22 2:20 apptment phone KC
  • Oct 22 SoHy Sing
  • October 23 Exploring the Antagonist, College Park Arts Exchange, MD
  • Oct 25 HIVE
  • October 26 Half Day Writing Retreat CPAE
  • Oct 28 Workshop Days with MC in UP
  • October 30 Exploring the Antagonist, College Park Arts Exchange, MD
  • November 1 National Press Club National Press Club’s 42nd Annual Book Fair & Authors’ Night, in partnership with Politics and Prose
  • November 4 Torch & Twang session
  • November 5 TUES SoHy Sing
  • Nov 7 Singing RPFM Farmer’s Market
  • Nov 13 HOLD Bannockburn ES (TBD)
  • Nov 13, Exploring the Antagonist, College Park Arts Exchange, MD
  • Nov 14 CBG lecture, DC
  • Nov 15 HIVE
  • November 18 Torch & Twang session
  • November 19 11:30 Mystery Writing with 3rd graders St Stephens and St Agnes, Alexandria, VA
  • November 20 WED SoHy Sing
  • November 21-24 HOLD NCTE in Baltimore Workshops: November 21 and 25-26
  • Dec 3, 4:30 private lesson
  • Dec 4 SoHy Sing
  • Dec 5 KPA Skypes with Brumfield ES
  • Dec 10, 4:30 private lesson
  • December 13 Sipsey Middle School Skypes K.Borden
  • December 14 Takoma Book Fair 2-5, Busboys & Poets
  • December 16 Torch & Twang session
  • Dec 17, 4:30 private lesson
  • December 17 SoHy Sing
  • Dec 20 HIVE
ARCHIVES: 2018  Schedule (In Person and Skype Events)
  • January 15, T&T Uke & Voice Lessons, Takoma Park, MD
  • January 16, CDA Uke & Voice Lessons
  • January 18, Children’s Book Guild Lunch, Neal Porter
  • January 22, HIVE Uke & Voice PG
  • January 23, CDA Uke & Voice Lessons
  • January 24, Writing Group
  • January 25, Artist Lunch
  • January 29 (hold 30), Rock Creek Valley Residency, MD
  • January 29, T&T Uke & Voice Lessons, Takoma Park, MD
  • January 30, CDA Uke & Voice Lessons
  • February 2, Hive
  • February 2, Maryland Public Television Airdate: 7:30 pm ArtWorks Reading
  • February 5, HIVE Uke & Voice
  • February 6, CDA Uke & Voice Lessons
  • February 7, Writing Group
  • February 9, Free Skype Day: West Shore Middle School (CT); Onalaska Middle School (WI); Grey Cloud ES (MN); Joseph Williams ES (FL); River Bend MS (VA); Red Rock ES (MN); Harborside Middle School (CT)
  • February 10, Monologues and Dialogues, College Park Arts Exchange
  • February 15, Children’s Book Guild lunch
  • February 19 Hive Uke & Voice
  • February 20 (hold 22), Rock Creek Valley Residency Follow-up, MD
  • Feb 26, T&T Uke & Voice Lessons, Takoma Park, MD
  • February 28, Writing Group
  • March 1 Potomac Elementary Songwriting Residency (see below)
  • March 3, College Park Library Book Fair
  • March 5, 6, 7  Potomac Elementary Songwriting Residency
  • March 5, HIVE Uke & Voice
  • March 9, Hive
  • March 11, Wolves viewing
  • March 15, Children’s Book Guild meeting
  • March 16, Potomac ES assemblies
  • March 18, Songwriting 101 through Carpe Diem Arts, 3-5 pm
  • March 22, Thomas Circle Concert performance
  • March 27 Business lunch MHS in Brookland
  • March 28 Essay on Teen Library Toolbox
  • March 29, Audio meeting
  • March 30 Gateway Artists Breakfast
  • April 6, CBG dinner
  • April 7, Children’s Book Guild Award Lunch
  • April 9, Meetings NYC
  • April 11, Diamond ES
  • April 19, Business lunch in TP
  • April 23, Skype Workshops, Ashland, WI
  • May 1, SSSA, Mystery Writing Workshop, St. Stephens & St. Agnes, Alexandria, VA
  • May 3, Interview with Children’s Corner blogger Karen MacPherson
  • May 3, Open Mic Archie Edwards Blues Foundation
  • May 7 HIVE
  • May 11-13, private booking.
  • May 17, Children’s Book Guild
  • May 24, Skype with Boys’ Book Club, Sparta Book Club (NJ) 6:30-6:50 pm.
  • May 30 and 31, BEA for Lucy launch
  • June 7, Meeting P&P DS and Company
  • June 14, Children’s Book Guild
  • June 22, Meeting with copyeditor TP, MD
  • June 26, Rights Meeting HH
  • June 28, Performance Songwriting Trio, 4-7 pm RPFM, Riverdale, MD
  • July 1, Open Mic for my students
  • July 5, Meeting for Band arrangements
  • July 11, Meeting P&P NG
  • July 16-18, Write-a-thon M&M, Hyattsville, MD
  • July 28 Meeting for Lucy songs, Bethesda, MD.
  • August 2, Kidlit Author Night
  • August 6-10, Make Your Own Uke camp at Gadgetlab
  • September 2018 Release of Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery, CarolRhoda Lab
  • September 15 Porchfest Hyattsville Performance
  • September 15 OMN Private Book Event
  • September 12, 19 Songwriting Classes  CPAE
  • September 20 Guild meeting
  • September 21, National Press Club EPE RW
  • October 2, Private Group Teaching, TP, MD
  • HOLD October 6-8 NAIBA Baltimore
  • October 12 HIVE
  • October 15-19 LUCY Book Tour
  • October 15 The Country Bookshop (Southern Pines, NC) – daytime school visits, 4:00 pm in-store event
  • October 16 Bookmarks (Winston-Salem, NC) – daytime school visits, 5:30 pm school bookfair event (off-site)
  • October 17 Page 158 Books (Wake Forest, NC) – daytime school visits, 6:00 pm in-store event
  • October 18 Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, NC) – daytime school visits
  • October 18 bbgb (Richmond, VA) – 5:00 pm school bookfair event
  • October 19 bbgb (Richmond, VA) – daytime school visits
  • October 21-31 Research
  • November 2, National Press Club Book Fair, Lucy McGee, 5:30-8:30 pm
  • November 3, Hooray for Books, NanowriMo mini workshop, 6 pm
  • November 4 Hockessin Bookshelf (Hockessin, DE) – 4:00 pm book signing of Open Mic Night followed by a 4:30 pm signing of Lucy McGee.
  • November 8, Private Lesson 9:45-11:45 am.
  • November 10, Book Party at My Dead Aunt’s Books in Hyattsville, MD 5-7 pm
  • November 12 Skype Brumfield ES with Kid Pan Alley project
  • November 15 pre-lecture Guild meeting and Guild lecture
  • November 19, 7:30 pm Uke Class
  • November 26, 7:30 pm Uke Class
  • November 28, December 5, December 12, Songwriting Classes CPAE.
  • November 30, HIVE
  • December 1, Greenbelt Festival of Lights 10 am-1 pm
  • December 1, Chicken of the Family Dance in AZ
  • December 12, 2:45 Skype Franklin High School, MA
  • December 12 HOLD Carpe Diem Arts, Civic Center, SS, MD
  • December 15 HOLD Takoma Book Fair, Busboys & Poets, TP, MD
  • December 17, 7:30 pm Uke Class
  • December 21, HIVE
ARCHIVES: 2017  Schedule (In Person and Skype Events)
    • January 27, Play Writing Workshop, Woodrow Wilson High School DC, 4-6 pm. Kick-off to Play-in-a-Day Festival
    • February 16, Children’s Book Guild Luncheon
    • February 20, Strathmore Play Writing Workshop with Blue Sky
    • March 8, Attending National Gallery of Art workshop on empathy
    • March 16, Children’s Book Guild Luncheon
    • March 17, Riversdale Museum meeting
    • March 21, recording session Carpe Diem & Ukes on the Move at Revels
    • March 27, High Point Academy, LA area
    • March 28 South Pasadena Middle School and LA area
    • March 30, lunch Gotham
    • April 5-6 Children’s Institute (ABA); Portland, OR
    • April 21  Beverly Farms ES full day
    • April 27, Vocals gig with Cletus Kennelly at Mediterranean Cafe, Mount Rainier
    • April 29, Children’s Book Guild Luncheon
    • April 30, Seeger House concert Carpe Diem
    • May 1,2,3 Charlottesville, VA, songwriting residency through Dave Matthews Band grant
    • May 5, DC biz lunch
    • May 18, Children’s Book Guild Luncheon
    • May 23, Hold for lunch author Erica Perl
    • May 25, Diamond ES, Gaithersburg, MD
    • May 25, Riverdale Park Farmer’s Market, uke and vocals
    • May 30, 31 Capitol Hill Montessori Residency
    • June 2, Skype to celebrate One Book One School reading of Edgar Allan’s Official C.I. Notebook, Enfield, CT
    • June 8, Hyattsville Elementary School, 3rd grade assembly
    • June 9, East Silver Spring ES
    • June 11 Books in Bloom, Downtown Columbia Book Festival, Symphony Woods, Columbia, MD
    • June 15, Children’s Book Guild Luncheon
    • June 24 Diary Writing Workshop, Regency Ladies’ Weekend, Riversdale Museum
    • June 27, Meeting with CPAE, College Park, MD
    • July 3, Meeting with Collab, Takoma Park, MD
    • July 10-13  Hands on History Week, Riversdale Museum, ages 8-12.
    • July 17-21 Carpe Diem on the Shore
    • August 5, Writer’s Notebook Workshop, Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center
    • August 7-11, Make-a-Uke Camp with Uke Lessons, GadgetLab
    • August 20, Private Nemesis Workshop
    • August 26, Students Performance Party
    • August 30, Ukes on the Move performance, Veterans Plaza
    • August, 18, Sept 1, Sept 22, Private Lessons 4:15 pm
    • ONGOING Torch and Twang Uke Class Jan. 16,30, Feb 6,13,20 March 13, April 3, 24, May 8, June 5, June 22, July 3, August 21, August 28
    • September 9, Green Expo, Hyattsville, Music Performance 10:30-11:00 am.
    • September 10, Private Songwriting Workshop
    • September 13-17 SCBWI WI Conference
    • September 20, Carpe Diem Arts lunch
    • September 23, DC Readers Appreciation Lunch, DCPL
    • September 26-October 10 Research Block
    • October 16, Skype Sipsey Middle School
    • October 17, Maryland Public Television taping for Words Pop-up on Artworks
    • October 19 Rocky Run Middle School, VA
    • October 27, Ask an Author Pop-up, Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center, MD
    • October 29, Singing, Remembrance Service, Washington Ethical Society
    • November 2, KPA Skype
    • November 7, Meeting with Gayle Danley
    • November 6,13,20,27 Humor Writing Class for adults through CPAE, 7-9 pm
    • November 15, Editorial meetings in NYC
    • November 16, Thomas Jefferson ES, Morristown, NJ-17
    • November 17, Alexander Hamilton ES, Morristown, NJ
    • November 29, KPA Skypes with Brumfield ES, VA
    • November 30, Assemblies Jones Lane ES, North Potomac, MD
    • December 4, Skype Union School, CT
    • December 8, Private lesson
    • December 12, Hold Skype, Bells Elementary, Bells, TX

 

Previous Appearances are archived here.

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Get Updates

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Humor and Heart

I give voice to the funny, sad, messy, and wondrous stories of life, especially the stories of children and young adults. My mission: each book has humor and heart. If you are a teen and/or you're looking for info about my books and music for older readers, please check out my www.thrumsociety.com site.
Learn more about my mission and resources.

Appearances and Private Lessons

See my appearance list and find out about private lessons via Skype or in person.

Get Updates

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Please note, if you use Gmail, Mary Amato messages may land under your “Promotions” tab or even in your Junk folder.

I play Luna Ukes & Guitars

Copyright © 2021 Mary Amato.