Heather Christie, host and author of ‘LoveNotes!’, chatted about her latest projects and her upcoming podcast.
How did the book “LoveNotes!” come about?
The book and the entire LoveNotes! project (the off-Broadway storytelling show, the satellite city shows, and the soon-to-be-launched podcast) came to me during the loneliest, saddest, and darkest season of my life.
It was in the wake of divorce and subsequent dating disappointment that I became indignantly curious about what real love looked like—how did it walk around in the world?
As a writer, my theory was that if I could find proof of real love in other people’s real stories, then that would be the evidence I needed to believe that it was possible for me too.
So, I put out the call for real stories by real people about real love. And violá—LoveNotes! was born. Keep in mind, LoveNotes! is different than a straight-up anthology. Think of all the bits and pieces you’d scribble into a composition book—quotes, doodles, puzzles, questions, and thoughts, etc.
LoveNotes! combines all of this: incredible true love stories with related, interactive journal prompts, puzzles, artwork, and more.
Can you tell us about your forthcoming podcast?
The podcast will be an extension of the stage shows and books. Each episode will feature a true love story, written first, and then read on-air by the storyteller. I will then interview the storyteller to ask questions about the “story” behind the “love story.”
Each episode will end with a love note penned by one listener to another listener. Dear So-N-So, This is why I love you… Imagine the LoveNotes! podcast as a lighter, accessible smash-up of This American Life and Modern Love that hunts for proof of love and tries to spread hope along the way.
What inspires you each day as a digital content creator?
I am inspired by the accessibility of social media. There isn’t a gatekeeper. As a creative, I can take my message to the masses and it is free to land where it is supposed to take root.
That said, it can be frustrating when the space feels crowded with many voices vying for attention. Nevertheless, I trust that if I keep sending the LoveNotes! message into the digital world, it will find its people.
What do your plans for the future include? Can you tell us about your upcoming events in New York?
The 2nd Annual all-star Off Broadway LoveNotes! storytelling show, featuring the best of the best storytellers and several fabulous love songs, hits the stage at Symphony Space just in time for Valentine’s Day Weekend on Saturday, February 15, 2025 with shows at 2, 5, and 8 PM and the Livestream at 8 PM.
The podcast will launch later in 2025, followed by future editions of the book: LoveNotes! Heartbreak Survival Guide: Stories of Hope & Healing After Disappointment, Divorce & Death and LoveNotes! Dating Diaries: Stories First Dates, Last Dates, & All The Messy Dates In Between.
LoveNotes! is also looking for creative entrepreneurs to launch satellite storytelling shows in other communities. The Indianapolis and Chicago territories have already been awarded and their shows debut January 31 and February 1 respectively.
How does it feel to be an author and educator in the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent)
There are many pros for authors and educators in the digital age—everything from having mounds of research at one’s fingertips to the ease of communication with readers and students.
Being able to livestream a storytelling event, or do a reading via Facebook Live, and go directly to the listener/watcher/reader is priceless. However, the challenge in the classroom is the cell phone and the distraction it causes.
Social media can all-consuming, especially for the younger student, which can interfere with learning.
That said, the benefits outweigh the negative and with the proper expectations and boundaries in the classroom, the digital age creates a rich and vibrant environment for both authors and educators.
What is your advice for young and aspiring authors and educators?
My advice is be prepared to do the work. Work hard. Work so hard that something amazing is bound to happen.
What does the word success mean to you?
The word success means that LoveNotes! finds its audience, that it gives people hope, and spreads love one story at a time.
If I had to quantify what that looks like, it would be seeing the New York City LoveNotes! show fill up a Broadway-sized theater in the next year or two; watching little LoveNotes! productions pop up in other communities; having the LoveNotes! books hit a bestseller lists; and the podcast launching and becoming a collective mainstay of hope, healing, and love.
