I'll start by thanking you again for agreeing.
Then throw out the first question: How did you choose the order of your stories? Was it based on the impact that moment had on you, the way you thought about your life and the moments that were most memorable popped up and you went from there, or another way?
Chris: well you're welcome
Chris: I get the feel of a story, and then see how it blends with the next story. Like, you know when you're making a comp cd for someone? You don’t just throw good songs together, there’s a method. Like you wouldn’t put slayer next to the format. You would go maybe like the format to lifetime to my chem to cancer bats to slayer it would be a good progression. I changed the order a bit from the manuscript of 'a life deliberate' because I felt that 2 of the stories clashed too much

Did you feel vulnerable when writing these stories in which at that moment in your life you were embarrassed?
Chris: I was never embarrassed with any of the stories. at points DURING the story I may have been embarrassed like the way I treated my moms or the way that I had to explain to the world how I came on some random gross chick but 'telling' the stories in retrospect, nah, I like to have fun with 'em

The one that I felt most vulnerable with was 'my first hero', but that’s only because it was so raw for me when I was writing. It was a subject that I never really dig deep into because I knew how much it would hurt if I did.

What was your personal purpose to write this book? Was it to show how unique your life is, to show how you lived your life to your desire and made best of what you had, to show how some guys think, act, and do the things they do, or something else?
Chris: wow, that’s pretty accurate actually. Although it really wasn’t done trying to 'prove' anything, I think that the overall message of 'living deliberate' kind of manifested itself within the theme and feel. Hence, why I named it what I did.
I just feel that I have stories that I have learned a few things from, and hey, if someone can take something from that, rad. and if someone can be entertained by that, hey, my job here is done

Why exactly did you WANT to do the running with the bulls?
Chris: haha, hmm. Good question. Maybe because everything in me told me not to. Its kind of one of those things where you say to yourself, "man, ill never have the balls to do anything like that." then you roll over in bed one night and say to yourself, "well why the fuck not?" I started to call into question all the things that I've pussied out on in my life. I’ve played everything safe and I not only wanted, but NEEDED to prove to myself that I could take one of the things that I thought was the most insane events I could think of (never mind the difficultly of GETTING there) and throw myself in the deep end to see just how well I could swim. I was just trying to prove to myself that maybe I have a little more in me than I thought. It was my little experiment.

What is the craziest thing a lurker has done?
Chris: believed in me.
Kim: I don't think that's crazy
Chris: I do.

What is the craziest thing you’ve EVER done for money?
Chris: I don’t know if you're looking for, "hey, I ate a banana cream pie out of a dudes ass for $80." or "I sacrificed my soul and dignity wasting away waiting tables at a restaurant that I felt compromised my beliefs." kind of story
Kim: just, something that you've done that was...something you didn't think that you would do (i.e. I was an emergency Easter bunny at a mall. Fastest $200 I’ve ever made)
Chris: ate cat shit for like twenty eight bucks
Kim: no wonder you hate cats
Chris: or chewed 25 pieces of spit and gum for gas money
Chris: oh, I don’t hate cats. I actually love cats.
I hate dogs.
I just don’t like living with cats.
Right now.
Kim: wait? Right now? Planning on buying or getting one?
Chris: ...nah, I'm not in the market for a cat

What is the biggest downside to being e-famous?
Chris: having to admit you're "e-famous". Saying that "people know you from the internet" never comes off cool. haha

If Chicago was wiped off the face of the earth, where would you choose to live, and why?
Chris: London, because it has so much fucking character. It’s urban without feeling shitty like Paris or New York

What culture do you find fascinating?[b]
[b]Chris: can you be more specific?
Kim: not my question. I’m not really sure.
Chris: hmm, well, that can mean damn near anything. I’ve always been fascinated by hip hop culture, maybe because it’s so closely aligned with the 'punk' culture. Like chuck d from public enemy said, "Hip hop is just black punk rock." It’s real and raw and born out of frustration. People like grandmaster flash and melle mel and krs-1 were taking on topics that never got any attention from mainstream radio
Kim: I think that may have been more about ethnic culture
Chris: ethnic? hm, I dunno. Maybe Canadians. They’re like Americans just a little off, and everyone’s nice

What are some other things on your "List of Things to Do Before I Die"?
Chris: to start a fire. Like a boy scout
Kim: you can't do that? (I’m sorry I need to stop making comments). But, that surprises me.
Chris: I’ve never tried it. I live in the city, man. I don’t even see grass very often
Kim: Haha! Okay, I’ll give you that

At the end of the day, what do you hope to be known for?
Chris: person that through everything, the ups and downs, the E-fame and the fall, the compliments and the criticism...stuck to what he believed and didn’t believe the lies or the bullshit that was thrust upon him.

If you had an hour to meet anyone in the world, who would you like to meet?[b]
[b]Chris: fuck. That would be insanely difficult. John Lyndon a.k.a. Johnny Rotten. Theres so much insanity and history in that dudes head I would just love to sit within his presence or Henry Rollins. Just to see how his mind works in conversation. And I have a current crush on Kathy griffin. ha


Would you ever wish to go back in time to redo a day in your life? Why or why not?
Chris: of course I would. There are plenty of things I could have done more, or better at. There is plenty I regret in life. I think the people who say, "I don’t regret anything." are naive and just saying that because it’s a good sound byte some famous person said once. I would go back and make my family understand how much love I have for them. I wouldn’t have wasted some of my ex-girlfriends time by making them think I was more invested than I really was. I would have paid more attention in school. I would have tried the shark meat in Mexico. I would have said hey to Greg Brady in the GAP. Oh, we could be here for days.


The classic: If you were trapped on an island, and could only bring one thing, what would you bring and why?
Chris: provided that there was enough food and water?
Internet porn. Really, it’s a life essential for me.

These questions may seem a bit invasive. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to (they are mine so I promise I won’t be upset)
Chris: you know who you're talking to, right?
Kim: true

Why do you refuse to have sex with a prostitute, but, have no problem with a one night stand?
Chris: um, because a one night stand is free
Duh
I don’t think there is anything wrong with exploring your sexuality. It’s the only way you can understand what you truly like and it helps you understand who you are.
Kim: but you would pay to just watch and not do anything?
Chris: I have actually.
Kim: I know
Chris: when I was in Prague I paid to video tape a prostitute masturbate.
Kim: I’m just saying..Why (only watch)?
Chris: I did it for the experience. Sure, I don’t have a problem with that. I know what its like, now I don’t have to do it again. I honestly don’t have any beef with prostitutes. I think people prostitute themselves every day, and any motherfucker who tells you they haven’t done something in a romantic way to get something out of someone else is either 14 or lying. People are nice to their husbands so they can go on vacations or guys are nice to their gfs so they get the shoes they want for their birthday. Girls and guys are gold diggers. Which essentially is prostitution. Even straight up street walker, craigslist shit I don’t have a problem with. It’s a victimless crime. Someone wants something and someone else will give it to them. The only reason why it’s illegal is because the government won’t get a cut...and shit, it already is in Nevada (outside of Vegas) and plenty of European cities and countries.

Do you defend the mantra “keep is secret, keep it safe?”
Chris: it all depends on the context. In the story, I was actually taking a shot at the person who came up with it. But really, it depends on the situation. Everyone keeps secrets.
Kim: did you read the rant
Chris: a bit, then it got out of hand. What you were addressing with the relationship thing and the wall...
Well, it all depends. Did I say anything? No. why? Well, because I didn’t want the fight. But then again you can argue the fact that if you cant tell your significant other about something then it automatically means you're trying to keep something from them and that’s perfectly fair is there is something more specific you're getting at? I wasn't saying that with your particular story (because nothing really happened) that it would be something that you should HAVE to tell as long as it was a one time thing. But, if it was something that you knew that you would do frequently or even semi-frequently, they should know
Kim: no, just sharing a P.O.V
Chris: I think it all depends on the circumstance and the status of the relationship. Like is it a committed relationship? Is it casual? Are you married? What is your intention with the relationship? Does it directly affect the quality of the relationship? Are you lying? Would she think you were lying? There are so many questions and conditions that it would be unique to each and every relationship

The book club occasionally does some mini-questions, so I thought I'd throw a few of those in as well.
Chris: ok

Would you rather, wait an hour at a restaurant for an amazing meal, or wait 5 minutes for a so/so meal?
Chris: depends on how hungry I am and who I’m with

Skim milk, 1%, 2% or Whole??
Chris: I’ve just graduated to skim. It took my whole life but I’m finally there. If I drink anything else it just seems, I dunno, phlemy

How do you like those eggs? Over Easy? Scrambled, Over Medium? Over hard?
Chris: scrambled

Is there anything you want to add?

Chris: to thank every person in the club who actually agreed to read my rants and randomness. It’s an awesome feeling to know that there are people who take me seriously.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bean,

This is awesome! I really liked his answers for things. And it was cool to see what he had to say to the ones I specifically asked about. AWESOME!!!

great interview. i love his answers!

It was nice to be able to do something like this. It's not like it's an easy thing to get an author to do a Q&A for a book club. I guess the closest we've come to actually asking an author about their work was the Monica Drake interview for the newsletter (oh, this will be in the upcoming one if you haven't already heard about that).

yeah, i know what you mean, so that's pretty dang sweet. yeah, that's sweet it will be in the newsletter..

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lauren,

This interview is so great! I love his answers. And it's so cool that it's going to be in the next newsletter!

that was so cool!!

so i'm going to pretty much copy everyone else and say cool interview. i like the answers, especially to the lurker question. although i'm not sure if i completely agree with the whole idea that all people are gold diggers.



it was really nice that he took the time to do this.