From: Jack Saunders
To: Bobby Bradford
Subj: I was in a band with you in 1957.

Bobby:

I was stationed with you in Waco, Texas, in 1957.

I became a writer.

The highlight of my writing career to date was when the Underground Literary Alliance (ULA) made me a headliner at their Legends of the Underground readings off-off-Broadway.

We read at the Amato Opera Theater, in the Bowery. They were set up to do Faust. I don't know if it was Gounod or Belioz. Or Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse in The Band Wagon.

The ant's a centaur in his dragon world. Underground legend is an oxymoron, like military music. Still, I do have nearly 35 years experience writing and self-publishing in the small press, zine, ezine, and, now, online novel scene.

Series of related online novels. I have published over 100 books on the worldwide web at The Daily Bugle, roman-feuilleton.com, and, now, The Daily Bulletin.

I go back to my formative years and work my way forward. Each time through I see something I didn't see the last trip.

I was influenced more by jazz musicians than by writers, I think, in my attitude towards writing, and publishing. Dealing with publishers, book reviewers, literary critics, and grants specialists. Being an outsider made me more of an outsider. I thought I'd reach critical mass and break out, cross over from the underground to the mainstream, but that doesn't seem to be pending.

Also, I got a racist jacket hung on me, like Horace Tapscott, for writing honestly about being a Florida cracker.

As Tapscott says, I don't hate them, I just like us more.

My sons are both musicians.

Owen went on the road with a bluegrass band at 16. He plays fiddle. Currently with David Davis and the Warrior River Boys.

Balder was a trumpet player in a Marine band. He now plays mandolin in the reggae-bluegrass fusion band Dread Clampitt. They write most of their own songs.

If you send me a snail mail address I'll mail you a CD Owen and Balder made called The Saunders Brothers: The Doghouse Sessions.

Also a copy of my latest book, Bukowski Never Did This: A Year in the Life of an Underground Writer and His Family.

Jack Saunders