Heights writer, model celebrates debut novel at Red Gravy
Brooklyn is chock-full of unique and talented writers, but Chris Campanioni stands out. He began his career as a journalist, which is not particularly unusual, but he also works as a model by day and teaches fiction writing and literature in the evening as a professor at the City University of New York. The Brooklyn Heights author, who recently released his debut novel “Going Down,” will appear in Brooklyn Heights to discuss his book this Sunday, Nov. 3, at Red Gravy.
A former journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle and the Newark Star-Ledger, Campanioni started writing his novel over six years ago when he began working simultaneously as a model and a copy editor. “In 2007, I was mainly exploring the issue of ‘growing up,’ especially in today’s society in which the sociological parameters of adulthood have become increasingly outdated,” said Campanioni.
As he delved deeper into his writing, however, Campanioni realized the stakes were rising. “The novel became more than just a coming-of-age story and an exploration of my generation,” he said. “Going Down” focuses on the fashion industry from the lens of a Cuban-American journalist and male model. Struggling to manage such separate careers, the protagonist soon realizes he is living two lives, and as each becomes increasingly complex, he feels he is losing sight of himself. While Campanioni’s book explores the distinct experiences of being in the newsroom and on the runway, it also gives voice to a Latino model – a traditionally underrepresented figure.