Authors > Chris Mancini > Author Revealed

Chris Mancini
Photo Credit: Don Spiro

Chris Mancini

A comic and a filmmaker, Chris Mancini has written and directed many films, shows, and people who were lost looking for the mall. The Sci Fi Channel awarded Chris the "Future of Film" award and a grant for his short film SKINS, which The Museum of... Read full bio

Author Revealed:
Q. What is your motto or maxim?
A. Keep trying, even if everyone thinks you're crazy. One of you has to be right, and if you're crazy, then what do you care?
Learn more about Chris Mancini
Chris Mancini Revealed
About Chris Mancini
  • What is your birthdate?:
    3/5
  • Previous occupations:
    I've had all sorts of jobs including being a vitamin label proofreader, a journalist, a spotter on American Gladiators and a soap opera writer. All true!
  • Favorite job:
    Writer
  • High school and/or college:
    Temple University in Philadelphia
  • Name of your favorite composer or music artist?:
    My tastes are eclectic, right now I'm listening to Coldplay and Rise Against.
  • Favorite movie:
    The Seventh Seal
  • Favorite television show:
    LOST
Revealing Questions
Q. How would you describe your life in only 8 words?
A. Joyfully unpredictable.
Q. What is your motto or maxim?
A. Keep trying, even if everyone thinks you're crazy. One of you has to be right, and if you're crazy, then what do you care?
Q. How would you describe perfect happiness?
A. Happiness, by it's very nature, is imperfect. So deal.
Q. What’s your greatest fear?
A. Clowns on motorcycles. I mean, think about it. If you see a clown on a motorcycle coming at you, there would be no question that the world was ending.
Q. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?
A. Either New Zealand or Glastonbury, England
Q. Which living person do you most admire?
A. My wife. She doesn't let anything get her down, including me.
Q. What are your most overused words or phrases?
A. "of course", "simply", "basically" "seriously", and "Where are you going with that midget?"
Q. What do you regret most?
A. Aging. Well, physically, anyway.
Q. If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
A. Being musically inclined. We have a piano in our house since my wife plays, but I can't do a thing with it.
Q. What is your greatest achievement?
A. Is this where I'm supposed to put "my kids"?
Q. What’s your greatest flaw?
A. The inability to keep my mouth shut.
Q. What’s your best quality?
A. My empathy, I think. Either that or my telepathy. Either way, it ends in a pathy.
Q. If you could be any person or thing, who or what would it be?
A. Our cat. She doesn't fucking do anything except sleep and whine until someone feeds her.
Q. What trait is most noticeable about you?
A. The constantly annoyed look on my face for no reason.
Q. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
A. Conan the Barbarian. Is that weird?
Q. Who is your favorite fictional villain?
A. Ben from Lost. Cause you WANT to believe him...
Q. If you could meet any historical character, who would it be and what would you say to him or her?
A. George Washington, and if I actually met him I would say" Oh My God! Are you a zombie?"
Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?
A. Trying to explain things to stupid people. Am I right? Who's with me?
Q. What is your favorite occupation, when you’re not writing?
A. Directing, or telling jokes to drunk people as a comedian.
Q. What’s your fantasy profession?
A. Dragon Whisperer
Q. What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
A. Intelligence, compassion, and a large amount of patience, mostly for interacting with me.
Q. If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your days, what would it be?
A. Is this a trick question?
Q. What are your 5 favorite songs?
A. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd, Clocks by Coldplay, Fade to Black by Metallica, Daydream Believer, The Monkees, Like a Stone, Audioslave
On Books and Writing
Q. Who are your favorite authors?
A. Neil Gaiman

Ray Bradbury

Robert E. Howard

Frank Miller
Q. What are your 5 favorite books of all time?
A. Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man and Martian Chronicles, and of course Fahrenheit 451

Catch-22

Robert E. Howard's short stories

Stardust

Frank Miller's Daredevil: Born Again and The Dark Knight Returns

Sorry, that's more than five.
Q. Is there a book you love to reread?
A. Who has time for re-reading?
Q. Do you have one sentence of advice for new writers?
A. Both write AND read all the time.
Q. How did you come to write Pacify Me?
A. I was so freaked out about having our first child that I bought a bunch of fatherhood books and read them in between dealing with my pregnant wife. Granted there wasn't a lot of time between getting the nursery just right for my wife, er... I mean the baby and going out for chocolate cake late at night, but I made the most of it.

This thing is, NONE of those fatherhood books helped me whatsoever. I realized there wasn't a book addressing how guys really feel about having children and their anxieties and fears. Will I ever go out again? Will I ever have sex with my wife again? Should I buy stock in Disney? Is my life truly over? I mean, it's not like we guys talk to each other about this stuff. If we did, well, then we would be women, wouldn't we?

So I wrote a book for the freaked out new Dad to help navigate the coming baby-shaped storm and maybe even have a laugh or two along the way. Next to valium, it's the best medicine, right? But I also wanted it to be useful, and contain the things I wish I had known at the time. So my book contains helpful advice, anecdotes, and lots of science fiction references. Is Dr. Spock really like Mr. Spock? You'll see.