After growing up in suburban New York, Oristano moved to Texas in 1970 to attend Texas Christian University. A major in Mass Communications, Mark was hired by WFAA-TV in 1973 as a sports reporter, the start of a 30-year career covering the NFL and professional sports.
Mark has worked with notable broadcasters including Verne Lundquist, Oprah Winfrey and as a sportscaster for the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network and Houston Oilers Radio Network. He has covered Super Bowls and other major sports events throughout his career. He was part of Ron Chapman’s legendary morning show on KVIL-FM in Dallas for nearly 20 years.
In 2002 Oristano left broadcasting to pursue his creative interests, starting a portrait photography business and becoming involved in theater including summer productions with Shakespeare Dallas. He follows his daughter Stacey’s film career who has appeared in such shows as Friday Night Lights and Bunheads.
A veteran stage actor in Dallas, Mark Oristano was writer and performer for the acclaimed one-man show “And Crown Thy Good: A True Story of 9/11.”
Oristano authored his first book, A Sportscaster’s Guide to Watching Football: Decoding America’s Favorite Game. A Sportcaster’s Guide offers inside tips about how to watch football, including stories from Oristano’s 30-year NFL career, a look at offense, defense and special teams, and cool things to say during the game to sound like a real fan.
In 2016 Oristano finished his second book, Surgeon’s Story, a true story about a surgeon that takes readers inside the operating room during open heart surgery. His second book is described as a story of dedication, talent, training, caring, resilience, guts and love.
In 1997, Mark began volunteering at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, working in the day surgery recovery room. It was at Children’s that Mark got to know Kristine Guleserian, MD, first to discuss baseball, and later, to learn about the physiology, biology, and mystery of the human heart. That friendship led to a joint book project, Surgeon’s Story, about Kristine’s life and career.
Mark is married and has two adult children and two grandchildren.
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As a book bloggin’ and book luvin’ Princess, I’m always
curious to find out how authors got the ideas for their books. How did you come up with the idea for your
book?
I got to know the surgeon, Dr. Kristine Guleserian, because
I’m a longtime volunteer at Children’s Medical
Center in Dallas. The more I found out about her, the more I
was convinced it was a book.
Can you tell us what your book is about?
About a pediatric heartsurgeon who can stand at the
operating table for 17 straight hours with no breaks, cut open a kid’s chest,
remove the heart, and sew another heart in its place.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what
would that be?
Don’t get it right, get it written.
What would you say is one of your interesting writing
quirks?
I listen to jazz while I write.
Do you hear from your readers? What do they say?
I do. So many of them have children with heart issues, and
they say it’s really great to understand how dedicated the people in pediatric
heart surgery are.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
Unless it’s from somebody I respect, I pay no attention.
What has been the best accomplishment?
Telling such a unique story.
Do you Google yourself?
Doesn’t everybody?
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
None.
Do you have anything specific that you would like to say to
your readers?
Surgeon’s Story, available in paperback, hardback, and
Kindle format at Amazon.com.
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