Name?
Oscar: “Oscar Sanders”
Age?
Oscar: “54”
Where are you from?
Oscar: “The Bronx, NY”
A little about your self `ie your education Family life etc
Oscar: “I was born in 1960 in the Bronx, NY, to loving and supportive parents from South Carolina. I went to community college after high school and dropped out to become a jazz guitarist/recording artist with Polygram/Soul Note records in Milan, Italy. In 2005 I founded the multi-media company Malcolm Entertainment. I have won multiple awards as a filmmaker of music videos, feature, and short films. My jazz documentary Billy Bang: Long Over was heralded for its innovative (Hollywood cinematic effects) style-a style of filmmaking that hadn’t been used in the documentary film genre. I started writing creatively as a child and incorporated this interesting story telling style (quotable dialogue) into indie films such as “Splitting Hairs 2.0: Case Cold” and “Why Hire a Killer? Final Hearing the novel was completed some time ago, but couldn’t be published until now because of film commitments. My true talent for weaving real life events with personal experiences had made my writing interesting as well as compelling. Final Hearing embodies these writing ingredients as the first of two in the Final Hearing series.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news?
Oscar: “Just writing my memoir Ice House: How Incarceration Made Me a Better Man and finishing up production on my latest jazz documentary Michael Carvin: No Excuses.”
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
Oscar: “I was always a person who was enamored with words and how they were spoken by people from different parts of the world and cultures. I hardly listen to music. I am always eavesdropping on people’s conversations picking up phrases and gestures to create new characters for my films and books. I truly love words.”
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Oscar: “I guess it was around 16 or 17 years old when I began shooting feature films with a Super 8 Bell & Howell camera. I was writing the scripts and dialogue. When people told me that they enjoyed my work I knew I was on to something. Then many years later I wrote, directed, and produced award winning features and documentaries and now a novel-the first of a few.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
Oscar: “My love for head line news, politics, corruption, sports, power, and sibling loyalty all balled up in my head throughout the years started to unravel and formulate into a book entitled Final Hearing.”
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style?
Oscar: “Yes, more dialogue driven than descriptive with unforgettable, quotable lines that sound believable coming out of the mouths of people that you can believe truly exists. The words bounce off their lips, off the pages, and into your imagination. Not to confuse anyone, description is very important and is a necessary ingredient in my books but dialogue is the ruling power! I use my character’s dialogue to form description, if you can understand my style and intent.”
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
Oscar: “Final Hearing describes the final phase before an inmate/prisoner is released from incarceration. It has everything to do with revenge in my book, not giving away the ending.”
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Oscar: “Yes. People get into politics and public service with intentions to remain ethical and moral but the waves of power that permeate government have ways of testing and subsequently changing your intentions. And by not playing along, they (those ethical people) can find themselves swimming against the currents of their character, if that makes sense?”
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic?
Oscar; “The themes, situations, and most of the characters are realistic.”
Fiona: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Oscar: “Yes. A few of the characters are drawn from people I know and few I have met and
Fiona: What books have most influenced your life most? A mentor?
Oscar: “None that I can think of but listening or reading about individuals’ struggle to succeed and find/pursue happiness continues to influence and motivate me to this day.”
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Oscar: “I am reading Larceny Games: Sports Gambling, Game Fixing And The FBI By Brian Tuohy.”
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Oscar: “No. I tend to read autobiographical/memoir type books about people I admire, subjects, or moments in history (be it sports, music, politics, etc.”
Fiona: What are your current projects?
Oscar: “On the filmmaking front, I am wrapping up production on my latest jazz documentary about master drummer jazz icon Michael Carvin entitled Michael Carvin: “No Excuses, which documents Michael and his quartet Experience preparing to record his latest solo CD Flash Forward at the fames Avitar Studios in New York City. There is an abundance of live performances, educational tours of past and present jazz club history, and lastly interviews with musicians and others involved in the project. On the book front, I am writing my memoir entitled Ice House: How Incarceration made Me a Better Man, which explains and describes how confinement can mold you into man with a purpose driven to succeed at all cost, if you pay attention to what freedoms you were deprived of and control instincts for instant gratification and substitute them with a concrete plan to move forward and succeed in life.”
Fiona: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Oscar: “I would have to say Junior High School and College. Places where my writing was appreciated, critiqued, and encouraged.”
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Oscar: Yes, well at least one of my careers-my left arm. Filmmaking is my right arm.”
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Oscar: “No.”
Fiona: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Oscar: “Having ideas and writing them down.”
Fiona: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Oscar: My memoir and production on my latest jazz documentary.”
Fiona: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Oscar: “No. My thoughts pretty much flow freely once I have found a story topic and develop the characterization. I know what I want the book to say and just create it.”
Fiona: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Oscar: “Bob Woodward. I am a real fan of his writing style and his reputation. My favorites are: Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA, 1981-1987, The Agenda: Inside the Clinton White House, and Wired: Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi.”
Fiona: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Oscar: “My book published October 31, 1914, so I am talking with a few people about speaking engagements and a tour.”
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
Oscar: “I do with a little consulting from a few people I respect.”
Fiona: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Oscar: “It’s always just getting started, typing the very first letter. Because after that I am on my way.”
Fiona: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Oscar: “That I am a passionate writer and idealist who enjoys conveying my point of view without preaching.”
Fiona: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Oscar: “Yes. Don’t second guess yourself. If you have a book in your head just write it! Don’t make excuses. Just write it!”
Fiona: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Oscar: “I love all you guys who buy and read my books and I hope to meet you and talk about what you enjoyed about my stories and let’s continue to stay in touch.”
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
Oscar: Not sure. Maybe Curious George or The Cat in the Hat.”
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
Oscar: “What makes me laugh? Irony, humor, and the wonderment of children. What makes me cry? Sudden death of friends and family and those that I admire from a far.”
Fiona: Is there one person pass or present you would meet and why?
Oscar: “Humphrey Bogart because I grew up on film noirs from 1932-1957 when I was a child. His characters were always strong, smooth, cool, and sensitive, if I can say that? He is a New Yorker too. I never heard a negative word written about him.”
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone and why?
Oscar: “I Go All In because Life Is A Gamble” “Why? Because everything you obtain in life normally is through thinking you deserve it and then putting a plan in place to obtain it. To me, that is a form of gambling-you’re taking a chance on the belief that you can get this object or a project, etc. It is something that you didn’t possess prior to your belief that you could procure it. Chances = Gambling
Fiona: Other than writing do you have any hobbies?
Oscar: “Cooking, attending comedy clubs, live concerts, movies, theater, traveling, museums, watching live sports, walking the streets, and meeting new people.”
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Oscar: Mostly heist films, live comedy concerts, suspense thrillers, government spying and conspiracies, cooking shows, documentaries, live concerts films.”
Fiona: Favorite foods / Colors/ Music
Oscar: “Foods: Italian, Creole, Thai/Japanese, Mexican, Comfort foods. Colors: Blue, Orange, White, Black, Brown, and Grey. Music: Music from the Andes, main stream jazz from the 50’s and 60’s from the labels Blue Note/Verve/Brunswick/Columbia and Hip Hop/Rap.”
Fiona: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done?
Oscar: “Well, actually I’m doing it being a writer/producer/director/filmmaker of jazz documentaries, music and corporate videos. My last documentary was the multiple award winning jazz documentary about the late composer/jazz violinist Billy Bang entitled Billy Bang: Long Over Due and my current is in the last phase of production about master drummer/jazz icon Michael Carvin entitled Michael Carvin: No Excuses.”
Fiona: Do you have a blog/website? If so what is it?
Oscar: “Yes. Readers can contact me and buy merchandise at:
Email: malcolmentertainment@yahoo.com
http://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Sanders/e/B00OD8SLGA
https://twitter.com/oscarsanders
http://www.malcolmentertainment.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/malcolmentertainment
https://www.facebook.com/FinalHearinganovel
https://www.facebook.com/BillyBangLongOverDueMovie
https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCarvinNoExcusesthemovie
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