Author Christopher Penczak is no stranger to the pagan world. He has written more than 15 books on witchcraft, spirituality, healing, and magick. Many of these books have won awards including several Coalition of Visionary Resources awards.
Suite101 contributing writer John Culbertson caught up with Christopher Penczak on August 27, 2009. Several topics were discussed in this interview, including Mr. Penczak’s life prior to becoming the acclaimed author of witchcraft books that he is today.
Growing up – Christopher Penczak’s Youth
Q: When and where were you born?
CP: "I was born in Lawrence Massachusetts in 1973 in the month of Taurus."
Q: Where did you grow up?
CP: "I grew up just over the state line from where I was born, in Salem, NH. Once I got in the Witchcraft world, I liked to joke I was the official witch of the not so famous Salem."
Q: What was growing up like?
CP: "It was pretty normal [suburban] life - small town neighborhood with a few friends around. Small, close family of me and my parents. I had a pretty normal childhood growing up."
Q: Who were your parents and what were they like?
CP: "Ronald and Rosalie Penczak. Overall my parents were very cool. I was very close to my parents as an only child. I was extremely close with my mom and still am. Growing up, I was less close with my Dad, particularly in our teen years, but we are really close now. My mom was a homemaker and my dad worked for Raytheon doing government contract work a lot. He traveled quite a bit, so there were some time when it was just me and mom for long stretches."
Q: What were you like as a kid?
CP: "I was pretty bookwormish - I liked to read and draw a lot. I played outside too, but always in a fantasy world, always making up stories and playing pretend. I had a few close friends but I wasn't popular. I was a big robot toy freak, and loved the transformers, GI. Joe, comic books, that sort of thing."
Q: What is your best memory of childhood?
CP: "I think one of my best memories as a kid was visiting Hawaii with my parents. We went several times over the years, so they start to blur together, but they were really happy, fun times for us all."
Q: What did you think your life would be like when you were older?
CP: "At various points, I thought I would be a scientists, artist or musician. I thought i would probably be living in a big city like NYC or Boston, with a bit more of either an urban or corporate lifestyle."
Christopher Penczak and School
Q: Did you enjoy school? Did you go to college? If so, what was your degree in?
CP: "My degree is a Bachelor of Music Performance (voice) with an emphasis in Music Business. I flitted from sound recording engineer to music composition and eventually landed in music business. The only one I didn't try was music education. I knew I didn't watch to teach music lessons to kids."
Q: What kind of student were you?
CP: "Obsessive and competitive. I based a lot of my self image when I was younger around being the "smart" one. I almost went into chemical engineering as I have an aptitude for science, though not so much for the math. I worked really hard for any A I got in a math class and thankfully realized that I didn't want to spend my life doing higher math. Little did I know that math was secretly the backbone to music."
Q: What would you do for fun?
CP: "I was in a rock band, which was both fun and work, but hanging out and jamming was great. We weren't super partiers, but we did. Lots of music, concerts and shows in those days - rock, Broadway, classical... I was into a lot."
Q: How would your classmates remember you?
CP: "The guy with the flaming red hair. It was like cool aid for a while. I was the heavy metal, leather jacket wearing red haired punk. Who did classical music by day. I think i was well liked and respected. I was kind of quiet around people I didn't know. I had a small core group of friends. They were supportive of the witchcraft I was learning then. Many I'm still in touch with now. I think they were the reason I went to music school, not so much to be a full time musician, though it gave me some talent in dealing with an audience of people, which helps me lecture today. By the time I got to music school, I was less competitive because I didn't think of music as competitive, though many voice majors didn't agree
Q: Was there a teacher or teachers who had a particularly strong influence on your life? Tell us about them.
CP: "Professor Anton Holevas, hands down. He was my composing teacher and mentor in college and he taught me to 'put notes on paper' every day. I take that same attitude to writing witchcraft book. He was fun, kind, creative and hard, but not so hard that you hated coming to class. He gave me a lot of encouragement, but was also very honest in his critique of things."
Q: How can one find out more information about you?
CP: "My website is probably easiest – ChristopherPenczak.com."
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