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196 ratings | 20 reviews | avg rating:4.02

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Craig Machen

Goodreads Author

Born

Oklahoma City, The United States

Twitter

craigwmachen

Genre

Biographies & Memoirs, Humor

Influences

John Steinbeck, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hunter S. Thompson, Nick Hornby, ...more

Member Since

April 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/craig111

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Craig Machen was raised on and off in Oklahoma, with stops along the southeast coast of Florida and central Arizona. A life long book, movie, and rock-n-roll fan, he got his start, and a healthy dose of inspiration, working concert security in high school, and later from a college job at the Improv Comedy Clubs in Tempe and San Diego.

After graduation, Craig moved his young family to Los Angeles and became a story analyst for Miramax, New Regency, Jersey Films, Robert Redford’s Wildwood Productions, Turner Pictures and finally the Jim Henson Company, where he got his break as a screenwriter.

A new career as a professional writer allowed him to be a stay at home dad while his kids were growing up, which has easily been the greatest joy of his Craig Machen was raised on and off in Oklahoma, with stops along the southeast coast of Florida and central Arizona. A life long book, movie, and rock-n-roll fan, he got his start, and a healthy dose of inspiration, working concert security in high school, and later from a college job at the Improv Comedy Clubs in Tempe and San Diego.

After graduation, Craig moved his young family to Los Angeles and became a story analyst for Miramax, New Regency, Jersey Films, Robert Redford’s Wildwood Productions, Turner Pictures and finally the Jim Henson Company, where he got his break as a screenwriter.

A new career as a professional writer allowed him to be a stay at home dad while his kids were growing up, which has easily been the greatest joy of his life.

In 15 years of writing for Hollywood, Craig has worked for Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films, Ivan Reitman’s Montecito Pictures, the WB, Jim Henson Pictures, Warner Brothers TV, Paramount Television, Spelling Television, Tollin-Robbins Productions, VH-1, Viacom, 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, and many others. He also wrote the award winning movie WASTED for MTV, and the Zac Efron show SUMMERLAND.

In 2010, as his oldest son was preparing to head off to college in Oklahoma, Craig turned away from screenwriting and began his new memoir, STILL LIFE WITH BRASS POLE. At its heart, it's about the things that made him want to be a dad, but the logline is basically, "Young love and coming of age in the strip clubs." Part love story, part maturation tome, and part deconstruction of the titillation business, Still Life With Brass Pole is a funny, debauched, and totally heartfelt story about a kid with roaring White Knight Complex on a demented quest for a family of his own.

Craig is currently hammering away again in Hollywood, and spending down time walking his hound, surfing, working out, playing guitar, and composing a shorter bio. Craig holds an unused Marketing degree from Arizona State University. His diploma is signed by former governor and convicted felon, Fife Symington. ...more

Combine Editions
Craig Machen’s books

Average rating: 3.38 · 280 ratings · 67 reviews · 2 distinct works

	Still Life With Brass Pole 3.37 avg rating — 276 ratings — published 2011 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The 1-Hour College Admissions Essay: A Simple Path to a Successful Personal Statement 4.25 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2015 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Craig Machen (?)

“I like it here. I like the girls, and I like the DJ's, and the cocktail waitresses, and the loud rock'n'roll (though I would happily beat everyone in Poison to death with the severed limbs of the members of Warrant).”
― Craig Machen, Still Life With Brass Pole

tags: memoir, total-fangirl

6 likes

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Seasonal Read...: Spring Challenge 2012: Completed Tasks -DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC	2297	786	May 31, 2012 09:02PM
THE JAMES MASON C...: * BOOKS AND WRITINGS BY MEMBERS	3999	2182	Oct 21, 2021 03:43AM

Craig’s Quotes

“Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television.”
― Woody Allen

tags: art, humor, life

2463 likes

“I don't know the question, but sex is definitely the answer.”
― Woody Allen

tags: humor, life, sex

6552 likes

“My one regret in life is that I am not someone else.”
― Woody Allen

tags: life

1160 likes

“There are moments when one has to choose between living one's own life, fully, entirely, completely-or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands.”
― Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan

1550 likes

“A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Critic As Artist: With Some Remarks on the Importance of Doing Nothing and Discussing Everything

849 likes

More of Craig’s quotes…