PJ Manney
A novelist and futurist who maps the collision of human consciousness and technology, asking what we become when we can upgrade our minds.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American novelist·Birthday: September 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
PJ Manney writes from the tense frontier where biology meets silicon. With a background in film and television development, she brings a cinematic eye to her speculative fiction, crafting narratives that are less about gleaming gadgets and more about the philosophical and ethical tremors they cause. Her 'Phoenix Horizon' series, beginning with '(R)EVOLUTION,' explores transhumanism through the lens of character and crisis, earning praise for its emotional depth alongside its big ideas. Beyond her novels, Manney is a sought-after speaker on futurist and humanist topics, engaging with the real-world scientists and thinkers who are shaping our tomorrow. Her work positions her as a crucial storyteller for an age of accelerating change, one who insists that the most important upgrade is to our own humanity.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
PJ was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When PJ Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
PJ's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Author of the 'Phoenix Horizon' series of techno-thrillers, including '(R)EVOLUTION' and 'UPRISING.'
- Served as Chair of the Humanity+ Board, a nonprofit organization advocating for the ethical use of technology to expand human capacities.
- Her writing has been featured in prominent futurist and scientific publications like The Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.
- Previously worked in creative development for major Hollywood studios and producers.
Did You Know?
She is the great-granddaughter of early 20th-century American playwright and director George S. Kaufman.
She was a founding member of the Los Angeles Transhumanist Party.
Before writing novels, she wrote for television shows including 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.'
She has spoken at conferences like Comic-Con International on the future of storytelling and technology.
“We are at a point where we can choose evolution. Not Darwinian evolution, but evolution by design.”
