Mandery's first novel Dreaming of Gwen Stefani was published in 2007 by [Ig Publishing] and was described by Jay McInerney as:

"a quirky and compelling riff on the nature of romantic obsession, celebrity worship, free will versus determinism and the joys of Papaya 'Queen' hot dogs."

The book deals with mathematical genius Mortimer Taylor Coleridge who, as a hot-dog vendor in New York City, devises methods of maximising his sales; however, he strives for a better life. Discovering VH1, he finds Gwen Stefani who represents a model of perfection and becomes the object of his dreams. As this one-sided love affair unfolds, his acts call into question the thin line between admiration and obsession in the fame-focused society of the contemporary USA.

As a poker player Mandery won the first casino tournament he entered and won $3,500. He took second place in a preliminary event of the 2005 United States Poker Championship, winning $21,280.