Tony Amato (he/him) is
a bookhusband, a teacher,
a facilitator, and a long-time activist.
For more than thirty years, he has coached, edited, and shepherded writers in nearly every writing genre: literary fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction, poetry, horror, mystery, romance, theatre, science fiction, songwriting, young adult, playwrighting, academic, commercial nonfiction—and some that blend, cross over, and create whole new genres.
A lifelong activist, Tony has devoted his time to causes near to his heart: HIV/AIDS in the original San Francisco ACT UP, union organizing, soup kitchening, needle and condom exchanges, unhomed outreach, and domestic violence, to name but a few. He has consulted for theatre, television, and film projects. His pro bono writing facilitation has included workshops and master classes for all ages from youth to elders, and from San Francisco to New York and a lot of places in between.
A published author in his own right, and former board member for Saints & Sinners GLBT Literary Festival, he is the recipient of The Theater Offensive’s Gender Hero Award and the Virginia Bigwood Voice for Justice Award for his work with REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, among many others. He lives in Kingston, New York with his wife, The Reverend Dr. Susan Corso, and their delectable feline, Smooch the Cat.