From: Jack Saunders
To: Sara Crowe
Subj: Query

Dear Sara Crowe:

I saw your listing at Publishers Marketplace.

This is an exclusive query. When you say no I'll ask someone else.

I am writing a series of three books called Underground Writer Makes Good.

The first book is called BLUE-COLLAR REDNECK: WHY WON'T NOBODY HIRE ME TO BE A WRITER? It ran 125,000 words and is in three parts, like a job application. "Employment History," "Education," "Honors and Awards." It's about my first 34 years as a writer. The high point was I was a headliner at the Underground Literary Alliance's Legends of the Underground reading off-off-Broadway and LitVision Press, a member of the ULA, published Bukowski Never Did This: A Year in the Life of an Underground Writer and His Family.

The second book is called READFEST 2006: BARNSTORMING FOR POETRY. It is in progress. I should finish writing it by the end of February. It's in two parts, "I Drive to Fairhope, Alabama," and "I Drive to Ojus." Ojus is the Everglades Bluegrass Festival. While there I visit my home town of Delray Beach. Next year is my high school class's 50th anniversary.

The third book is called UNTITLED. It is projected. In it, I will either (1) sell a book to New York, or (2) my LDA grant will run out and I'll go back to work, too old for the factories.

Last Ditch Attempt. I cashed in an annuity I rolled my retirement over into when Lucent Technologies laid me off.

These three books will be like Frank McCourt's three books, or Nuala O'Faolain's books. Or Mary Karr's.

I'll be the Cracker of the Moment.

A cracker with almost a PhD in anthropology. B. S., magna cum laude, FSU, 1968. Phi Beta Kappa, Outstanding Senior.

UNTITLED will be my 275th book.

May I show you BLUE-COLLAR REDNECK?

Jack Saunders