Mary Amato

Writing with Humor, Heart, & Grit

The Chicken of the Family Collection

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Enjoy this free collection of stories. Perfect for ages 3-6.

When you’re little, even an ordinary day is filled with big troubles and triumphs—especially when you have two older sisters who win trophies, play tricks, and seem so brave. Four-year-old Henrietta struggles with her jealousies and fears as she finds her place in her funny and loving family. This audio collection, narrated by the author, includes five new stories plus The Chicken of the Family, the beloved picture book in which Henrietta was first hatched.

Written and narrated by Mary Amato. All rights reserved.

Original music by Amy Bormet. More about her at: amykbormet.com/about/

To listen on soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mary-amato-author/sets/the-chicken-of-the-family-collection

Free Skype Day 2020: March 25

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Every year, I offer one free Skype day for schools and take reservations for time slots for 15-minute Q&A on a first-come, first-served basis.

To schedule a free Q&A session, please email me info (at) maryamato (dot) com from your school/library email address with all of the following info listed in one message:

    • Preferred time (listing your time zone, please)
  • Your name and your skype name.
  • Name of school, snail mail address, and phone number of school or library
  • Grade level(s), size of audience, and which of my book(s) you’d like the Q/A to focus on.

If your session is approved, you will receive guidelines via email and your school name will be added to this schedule.

Skype Workshops

I also offer effective Skype workshops for classes, groups, and individuals. See more.

Rave Reviews

  • “The skype visit with Mary Amato was great and inspiring!” –Mary Litwinczuk,  Weaver Lake Elementary, MN
  • “We had a very successful Skype experience with Mary Amato. We did the two-part character creation workshop. We would like to schedule for the same time next February!” –Hope Preston, Gill St. Bernard’s School, NJ
  • “This afternoon was incredible! All 70 sixth graders were riveted to the screen while you were talking. I can’t thank you enough for all the wonderful things you shared with us about your writing process. What a truly inspiring discussion. One really neat coincidence was that I had just shared my writing notebook earlier in the morning and then you shared yours. The connections were flying like wild fire…You have made a wonderful lasting memory for so many students today.” –Franklin, WI 6th grade teacher
  • “My students loved her and I loved the way she subtly got across the message of ‘grit.’ She told students how important it is to revise written work… and how mistakes can be a fabulous opportunity for learning.” Patricia London, Media Specialist Avon Middle-High School, MA

From Students:

  • “I don’t like writing, but when Mary said that she did not like writing as a kid and now she is a author it encouraged me to want to learn how to write now. She let me know that I could be a great author some day.” – R.J.
  • “The thing that really was a life lesson and really inspiring was the quote she said – ‘The only way you fail is by not trying.’ – Laykin
  • “The Skype with Mary Amato taught me that if you jot something down you are more likely to remember it.” – Ava
  • “It was a great experience to meet Mary Amato, and talk to her about her writing process! Skyping is a very fun activity. I would love to do it again. It is fun to see different ways authors, like Mary Amato, create amazing books. So all in all I loved Skyping with Mary Amato.” – Bailey

In-Person Visits

Want information about actual, in-person visits with me? Go to: Workshops.

Songwriting Workshop at Stedwick Elementary School

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How spirit-lifting it was to walk into Mary Ruth McGinn’s classroom at Stedwick Elementary School and see a circle of third graders with their ukuleles, ready to write songs.

Before my arrival, the teacher and I had already begun to give the students the experience of critique and revision—an essential part of the songwriting process. About a week before the workshop, McGinn emailed me a draft of a collaborative song, I wrote comments, made suggested edits, and emailed it back. She shared that with the students and together they re-wrote one of the verses and talked through why I had made the suggestions I had made.

During the workshop, we set those lyrics to music and practiced it. After that, we wrote an entire new song together. The focus for this workshop was on a trio of elements that are often employed in songwriting: rhythm, repetition, and rhyme. As we wrote, we tested each lyric line to a beat to make sure the rhythm of the words sounded right. Sometimes, we had to make a change, such as substituting a one syllable word for a longer word if the line sounded awkward.

When it was time to write our new song, I taught how I often start by writing down a lot of possible ideas, rather than just one idea for each line. For example, in the first four-line verse, when it came time to write the last line, I asked them for lots of ideas. I wrote them all down so we could pick the one we liked best.

If I built a wall,
I’d build three more
It would be a small house
With a door
(or one of these instead)
With four doors
With sixteen doors
With a floor
With a floor and a door

We ended up liking the humor and the symbolism of sixteen doors.

Next, we worked on the idea of establishing and repeating a pattern. In this case, the pattern for each verse was four lines with the second and fourth line repeating. We also worked on the idea that the chorus of a song can be simple and make use of repetition.
Here’s the whole song:

If I built a wall,
I’d build three more
It would be a small house
With sixteen doors

If I built a window
I’d look outside
I’d say, “Hello World”
To the bright blue sky.

CHORUS:
So many people can come inside.
So many people can come inside.
Come inside!

If I built a roof
I’d make it warm
It would keep us safe
From the big dark storm.

If I built a floor
I’d use it for my band.
Everybody come
And jump and dance.

CHORUS:
So many people can come inside.
So many people can come inside.
Come inside!
Come inside!

Thanks to Carpe Diem Arts, Inc., the non-profit arts organization that organized and funded the experience, to Busy Graham, CDA’s founder, Ms. McGinn, and all her students.

Free Skype-an-Author with Mary Amato

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April 25, 2019

Every year, I offer on free Skype day for teachers and students. During the year, I take reservations for time slots for free 15-minute Q-and A on a first-come, first-served basis.

To schedule your free Q&A session, please email me info (at) maryamato (dot) com from your school/library email address with all of the following info listed in one message:

  • Preferred time (listing your time zone, please)
  • Your name and your skype name.
  • Name of school, snail mail address, and phone number of school or library
  • Grade level(s), size of audience, and book(s) on which you’d like the Q/A to focus.

If your session is approved, you will receive guidelines via email and your school name will be added to this schedule.

Looking for a longer Skype workshop? See more info.

Rave Reviews

  • “The skype visit with Mary Amato was great and inspiring!” –Mary Litwinczuk,  Weaver Lake Elementary, MN
  • “We had a very successful Skype experience with Mary Amato. We did the two-part character creation workshop. We would like to schedule for the same time next February!” –Hope Preston, Gill St. Bernard’s School, NJ
  • “This afternoon was incredible! All 70 sixth graders were riveted to the screen while you were talking. I can’t thank you enough for all the wonderful things you shared with us about your writing process. What a truly inspiring discussion. One really neat coincidence was that I had just shared my writing notebook earlier in the morning and then you shared yours. The connections were flying like wild fire…You have made a wonderful lasting memory for so many students today.” –Franklin, WI 6th grade teacher
  • “My students loved her and I loved the way she subtly got across the message of ‘grit.’ She told students how important it is to revise written work… and how mistakes can be a fabulous opportunity for learning.” Patricia London, Media Specialist Avon Middle-High School, MA

From Students:

  • “I don’t like writing, but when Mary said that she did not like writing as a kid and now she is a author it encouraged me to want to learn how to write now. She let me know that I could be a great author some day.” – R.J.
  • “The thing that really was a life lesson and really inspiring was the quote she said – ‘The only way you fail is by not trying.’ – Laykin
  • “The Skype with Mary Amato taught me that if you jot something down you are more likely to remember it.” – Ava
  • “It was a great experience to meet Mary Amato, and talk to her about her writing process! Skyping is a very fun activity. I would love to do it again. It is fun to see different ways authors, like Mary Amato, create amazing books. So all in all I loved Skyping with Mary Amato.” – Bailey

 

We are Singing

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Here is a quickie demo of my new song to hear all the parts.

I’ve had requests from my friends who sing in groups and choruses to provide sheet music for melody and harmonies for my song.

Here are links to find sheet music you can print out.

Melody sheet music

High harmony sheet music

Low harmony sheet music

Key of C…if you’re playing uke or guitar…chords are C, F, G. Please share and enjoy!

Rock Creek Valley Residency

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Thanks to the PTA, staff, and students of Rock Creek Valley for bringing me in for a residency in fiction writing. Every student wrote and revised a story. We focused on details, dialogue, and drama. Listen to Josie’s story to hear one great example of the work. The recording was a group effort using an the voice recorder on a smart phone.

Writing Workshops for Adults

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pencils-lotsWednesdays (January 11, 18, 25, Feb 1)
Noon to 1 pm
Robert Harper Books

6216 Rhode Island Avenue, Riverdale Park, MD 20737

Each workshop will involve:

  • Brief lecture-discussion on a different theme
  • An in-class writing exercise

The themes will be applicable to fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, play writing, and songwriting.

  • January 11: Concrete Writing: Exploring the Show-Don’t-Tell Rule
  • January 18: Point of View: Exploring the Unusual Persona
  • January 25: Between the Lines: Exploring Subtext
  • February 1: Withholding: Exploring When/How to Withhold Information from the Reader

Bring a notebook or fully-charged laptop to each session. Feel free to bring your lunch if you’re coming from work on your lunch hour.

Questions about the workshops? info@maryamato.com

Questions about Robert Harper Books? robertharperbooks@gmail.com

Class size is limited.

$15.00 per workshop if you register for all four in the series; $20.00 per workshop if you register for individual workshops. Registration is required and payment must be received in advance. To do so, email Mary Amato:info (at) maryamato (dot) com.

Mary Amato writes for both the adult and the children’s market. She has published sixteen works of fiction for young adults and children and has a new YA and a new series coming out. For adults, she has written numerous essays, articles, poetry, plays, and songs. She has a master’s in fiction writing from Johns Hopkins University and has taught locally at Johns Hopkins and The Writer’s Center as well as for numerous institutions and organizations around the country.

Book Club for Kids Radio Show about Our Teacher is a Vampire

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img_4904Kids are the most fun book reviewers and have great voices for radio. I had a blast appearing on the Book Club for Kids radio show. The students had prepared by reading my book Our Teacher is a Vampire and Other (Not) True Stories. They chatted about the book and then asked me questions. Enjoy the episode and more from Book Club for Kids. Thanks to host Kitty Felde and her sub for the day, Mindy.

Our Teacher is a Vampire Cover

 

Private Lessons

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Get Happy Cover
Join me to explore:

  • Writing (Fiction, Poetry, Plays, Essays)
  • Songwriting
  • Performance
  • Ukulele
  • Beginning Guitar

Kids, teens, and adults. In person or via Skype.

I love to tailor experiences to help you reach your goal whether it’s to craft a poem, sing at an open mic, jam on the uke, or write your own songs. Learn ways to overcome writer’s block and/or stage fright. Learn to love your notebook and/or a microphone. Learn to embrace your own voice and find the joy in expressing yourself.

Contact me for more information.

info (at) maryamato.com
Student at Open Mic

 

 

Humor, Heart, & Grit

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, heart, and grit. 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.

I play Luna Ukes & Guitars