What a year for the citzens of Memphis, Tennessee! Not only does their hometown become the spotlight for one of the best movies of the decade, Hustle and Flow, but 36 Mafia wins an Oscar for everyone's favorite song, "It's hard out there for a pimp". Well if Memphis scribe Marlon LeSean Sanders has his way, it won't be hard for an author at all! Let's find out what exciting action tales Marlon has up his sleeve as well as knowing more about this new dynamic Southern writer destined to make an impact in the literary world.
Charles: Marlon, you’re a new author on the scene but you didn’t start out as an author. Could you please share with us how you started your literary career?
Marlon:It sort of happened by accident. When I started writing, I was a graphic designer at the time, and during downtime between production, I would sit at my computer, doing what’s called ‘Stream Of Consciousness’ writing, where you write off the top of your head. After doing this about six or seven months, I started experimenting with it, writing scenes about my co-workers. I’d watch them in their cubicles and narrate a story to their actions in real time, but little did I know I was training myself to write fiction. When I began writing my first novel, I used this same approach. This is why the main character, Freedom Dandridge, her words read as though she’s thinking, rather than talking to an audience. Over the next four years, I learned the mechanics of writing—style, prose, scenes & sequels, plot character development, until it became what is now. I read and absorbed as much as I could, studied other authors, did some freelance editing along the way, and polished the story before becoming a published author.
Charles: Let's talk about your debut novel, The Other Man. What was the inspiration behind the story?
Marlon: What inspired me was The Jennifer Wilbanks Story from last year, about the bride who said she’d been kidnapped and taken to Albuquerque to get out of marrying her fiancée, but instead of running away, Freedom goes through with the marriage, then decides she wants out. I wrote it this way because it’s easier to get out of marriage beforehand (and without coming up with an elaborate kidnapping story), but it’s a lot harder to walk away from marriage after you’ve said ‘I Do.’ And this isn’t like two or three years into the marriage. Freedom wants out from the very beginning, and we spend the entire story watching her struggle with her decision.
Charles:Who is your main character, Freedom Dandridge? Why is she so unhappy with her life?
Marlon: She’s not so much unhappy as she is unfulfilled. We meet Freedom at a new beginning in her life, and the unfamiliarity of new beginnings can make anyone unsure of themselves. Marriage was an impulsive decision on her part, only to take the place of a relationship she hadn’t let go of. She breaks up with Boney McIntyre, her ex-boyfriend, starts a rebound relationship with Vance Dandridge, and by the time she wakes up, she finds herself married to a man she doesn’t love. Freedom is a woman trying hard to hold on to her ideals of love and relationships against the harsh reality of a bad break-up.
Charles: What can you tell us about Boney McIntyre? Why is he someone the readers should look out for?
Marlon: I think every woman has had a ‘Boney McIntyre’ in her life at one time or another. He’s the bad-boy who isn’t good for her, but she just can’t walk away from. He has control over her physically, mentally, and emotionally, and takes advantage of her in every way possible, until it finally takes it’s toll. Boney is the exact opposite of Vance, and pitting their characters against one another helped create the “Good vs. Evil” aspect of the story.
Charles: Why did you use the city of Memphis in your book? Besides it being your hometown, was there another reason why you used the city as the setting?
Marlon: The thing about using Memphis as the backdrop for writing AA Fiction is that it’s never been done here. I think it’ll be something fresh and new for readers to see professional African-Americans who live in the south, instead of places like New York or Los Angeles.
Charles: Why don't we talk about your next baby, The Professional, due out in 2007. It looks like an action-filled tale. What's the premise behind it?
Marlon: The story is about a sexy, female assassin who’s hired by her ex-lover to do a hit on a government witness, but the job isn’t as easy to pull off as she anticipated. Throughout the difficulties she faces, she ultimately has to come to terms with her lingering feelings for the man who hired her, which means confronting her past once and for all.
Charles: Who was the inspiration behind your femme fatale, Asian Wasp (not her real name of course)?
Marlon: No, her real name is Suki Jamison. Asian Wasp is only one of her many aliases throughout the underworld. She’s an ex-Marine Corps sniper who served in The Gulf War, then after being discharged, fell in love with Drake Evans, the CEO of a front company called Southern Logistics, who seduces her, and convinces her to use her sniper skills to further his criminal empire.
Charles: Besides your two books right now, what else can we expect from Marlon LeSean Sanders next?
Marlon: My debut novel was published under my own imprint, Blue Note Press, but I don’t plan to stop there. The company will shortly begin soliciting manuscripts from unpublished authors. This entire experience has given me a wealth of knowledge that I intend to use to launch the careers of other writers as well.
Charles: Marlon, I'm sure our readers would like to know where can we find out more about you? Do you have a website?
Marlon: Yes, the website is http://www.marlonlaseansanders.com/. There’s a brief bio and some information about my books, and a Press Kit with more info.
Charles: In closing, if there's anything you would like to share with the new and beginning authors out there, what would you tell them?
Marlon: Set long-term goals for yourself, and I can’t emphasize this enough. Always have a story in the works. Plan your career as a writer. You never know when a publishing house my be interested in signing you as an author, and may want to see your ‘other works.’ Having something more to show proves to them you’re not a one trick pony.
Charles: Marlon, thanks a lot for the interview! I'm looking forward to finding out what happens in The Other Man and The Professional in 2007!
Marlon: Thanks Charles, I appreciate the opportunity to be on Authors N Focus.
0 comments:
Post a Comment