Mott Haven resident self
publishes fi rst book
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BRONX TIMES REPORTER, M 48 ARCH 19-25, 2021 BTR
The cover of the book “PHENOMENAL”
by Mott Haven resident Chris
Bilcik. Courtesy of Chris Bilcik
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BY JASON COHEN
Christopher Bilcik spent a
decade working in the psyche
ward at Bellevue Hospital as a
nurse and never imagined he
would be a published author.
Well, that is exactly what he
is today.
In March, Bilcik, 60, of
Mott Haven released “PHENOMENAL,”
a book that is
a mashup of “Star Wars,”
“Rocky” and re-imagined biblical
characters for the 21st
century. It features drama,
action, science fi ction, humor
and life lessons and has characters
such as Satan as Dark
Hater, Jesus who looks like
the wrestler Stone Cold Austin
and the hero of the story, a
black teen named Shawn from
the south Bronx.
Bilcik began writing the
book in 2017, but is still surprised
he fi nally fi nished.
“It’s kind of scary,” he said,
“This is like my baby.”
Born in the Bronx, Bilcik
moved to Chester at age 6.
Even though he lived upstate,
the Boogie Down was always
in him. His dad, Rudy, was a
fi reman in Hunts Point and as
a child he would sometimes
sleep over night at the station
with him.
He initially wanted to pursue
elementary education, but
realized it was not for him. So,
he switched gears and got into
nursing.
Bilcik worked in the
psyche ward at Bellevue Hospital
from 1989 to 1999, which
was quite an experience, he
recalled. In fact, there is also
a prison there and during
his tenure housed the notorious
Julio Gonzalez, the man
charged for the Happy Land
Fires.
“Bellevue was an incredible
place,” he explained. “We
dealt with everything.”
Bilcik noted that psyche
patients didn’t scare him because
he is bipolar.
After leaving the nursing
fi eld tragedy struck Bilcik.
While in Queens visiting
a friend he was struck by
car and tore a ligament in his
knee and had bulging discs in
his neck.
It took him about a year
and a half to recover and he
went on disability. Shortly after
that he moved to Mott Haven
and has been there since
2000.
“It was very scary,” he recalled.
“I looked both ways
and didn’t see her.”
During his recovery Bilcik
realized he was done with
nursing. He began to ponder
about what he could with life
and writing popped in his
head.
He explained that he was a
creative guy and had 20 or so
letters published by the “Daily
News.” In 2017 his love for scifi
, fantasy and action began
brewing as his fi rst idea for
the book crept in his head.
“All the sudden I had these
visions in my head of Satan
and Jesus in a laser battle and
the song “Phenomenal” by
Eminem playing,” he stated.
Right then he began creating
and crafting “PHENOMENAL.”
He took a writer’s
workshop to help the process
and discovered the toughest
part was all of the revisions
and coming up with the characters
and plot.
“It’s not a ‘Star Wars’ story,
but also like a ‘Star Wars’ parody,”
he said.
Bilcik originally wrote it as
a play, but after showing it to a
script doctor was told it was
too complicated for theater.
His hope is to eventually have
it made for TV or Broadway.
Since the book was released
a couple weeks ago he
is on cloud nine. Some of his
favorite parts include a boxing
match between Jesus and
Goliath and a scene where Jesus
has an angelic light particle
saber.
Bilcik is a big boxing fan
and once met Mike Tyson.
“I’m very happy with how
it turned out,” he said. “I’ve
never written anything in my
life.”
The book is available at
the Shakespeare and Company
bookstore on the Upper
East Side and on their website:
shakeandco.com.
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