March 9, 2005, Wednesday 

Jerry W. Bradford

California,,

USA 

Dear Mr. Bradford 

This is an email interview. Please answer the following questions for Manila Review: 

1. Were you interviewed in a literary magazine before? ______Yes ___X_ No

If Yes, can you name the literary magazine which interviewed you? ______________________________

____________________________________________________________________

If yes, when or what year?__________________________ 

2. Were you featured/interviewed in television shows? ______ Yes ___X___ No

If Yes, what TV program? ______________________________

If Yes, when or what year?______________________________ 

3. Were you featured/interviewed in a newspaper before? _____Yes ___X__No

If yes, what newspaper?________________________________

If yes, what date or what year?__________________________ 

4. Is "Voices of the Heart" your first poetry book? ___X__Yes ______ No

If No, what are the titles of your previous poetry books? ________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

5. How many pieces of the poetry book "Voices of the Heart" have you sold so far? If you don't mind answering the question. ( You may skip the question if you don't like to answer this question.) _________________________Around 50 copies that I am aware of ________________________________

6. At what age did you start writing poems ?__36 years old,almost 3 years ago___________

7. At what age did you start writing poems seriously?____37 I was in the middle of a serious depression and I wrote poetry to help ease the emotions__________________________ 

8. Who encouraged you to write poetry?__An ex girl-friend who is mother to my son Dylan,and my daughter Brandi who is featured in the book________________________________________

9. Why do you write most of your poems in rhymed verse?__I find it challenging,and also very artistic to write it in rhyming verse.________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

10. Who are your favorite dead poets ?___Edgar Allen Poe is most likely my all time favorite. “THE RAVEN” and of-course, Shakespear.________________________________________________

Why?___Edgar Allen Poe has an eerie style but it has always captured my imagination,even The Tell-Tale Heart” I guess I’m a bit EXCENTRIC which I know is common among writers,artists and poets. The RAVEN by Edgar Allen Poe is an awesome poem that I enjoy and have seen the movie based on his poem. __________________________________________________________________________ 

11 . Do you have a favorite living poet? ___X___ Yes _____ No

If yes, can you name the living poet?____J.W.Bradford_____________________________

Why do you like this particular living poet?__Because he is me…and a good poet. Creative,honest,and deep. __________________________________ 

12. Who among the poets (dead/living) influenced you?__Honestly,I never followed anyone in poetry.My heart influenced me.Life,pain and love influenced me. I never considered writing poetry.It just happened. I never studied it,or went to school to learn about it or how to write it.God gave me a talent I I opened up a heart full of emotions and wrote them on paper.That was an escape for me. I am lucky that others enjoy what I write,but it is pure coincidence that it all came about,because none of it was planned. ___________________________________ 

13. What awards have you received related to poetry?__2001 award for excellence in poetry by International Society of Poets. _______________________________-

____________________________________________________________________________ 

14 Some people consider "prose poetry" not a poem but more of a prose. What do you think of prose poetry? Should we classify "prose poetry" as poetry? Defend your answer.

_________________________________________________________________________________

____________It honestly depends on the value of what is written. I have seen people write “The dog barked,walking down-hill,my ice cream fell, termites eating my chair.The clown killed the lady,and I laughed.” And they called it poetry. Prose is an unstructured _expression of the soul. A rose without roots or limits. It can be as beautiful if not moreso than rhyme,as long as it is written with respect for the reader. Don’t insult the person reading it,by throwing garbage together and calling it art. Create with beauty or truth and it can be a work of art._________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

15. In your opinion, why is it big publishing firms do not accept poetrybook manuscripts from new poets?

_________________________They most likely have seen the damage done to the poetry aspect of writing by VANITY presses and fraudulent publishers who throw anything into print for a fee. There are so many talented poets but one false step and they get a black mark on their future by being recognized for producing a book with the wrong company,a company that didn’t edit their book properly,jacked up the prices so high that nobody can make any money by selling it.Produced a poor cover and generally have a bad reputation among the legitimate publishing houses. If is sounds like I have experience with that ..well,let’s just say I will seek another publisher if and when I write another book. _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

16 . Do you write other literary genre: short stories?______ short novels (novellettes?_________ novels? ________ essays?________ plays________ (Check if yes). 

17. Which of the above genre were published? _____________________________________________

What is the title of the published genre?__________________________________________ 

18. Have you made book reviews before? Yes ____ No __X____ 

19.. Have you published a book that is not a poetry book? Yes _______ No ___X______

If yes, Can you name the title of these non-poetry books?____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________ 

20. When do you plan to publish your second poetry book? ______Within the next 2 years ______________________ 

21. Did you contribute literary articles (poems, short stories, essays, etc.) to high school or college newspapers, community newspapers? _______I did write a short heart-felt story for a school review when I was 16 years old. It was called PORTRAIT OF A FAMILY and dealt with domestic violence and my stepfather and the relationship I had with him._ 

22. Aside from writing poetry, what are your favorite hobbies/recreation? __ Music (listening to it.Talking on-line with other writers and friends. X-box games(playing)_______________________________________ 

23. Are you single or married or divorced or widowed or remarried?__ Divorced/single I have 3 kids,my daughter lives with me and has since she was 5 years old_______________________

If married, what is the name of your wife? _______________

If married, how many children?________________________ 

24. Have you acted in Shakespeare plays or any theater plays? ______ Yes ___X___ No 

25. Where were you born? _________Los Angeles, California _______________________________________

Where did you grow up?____California,several cities ____________________________________________

What state are you living right now?__California____________________________________ 

26. Your school background: Name the following schools you attended:

Grade School:___Cora Hargitt ,Norwalk California_ _____________________________________________

High School:_John Glenn High,Norwalk ,California _________________________________________________

College:__San Bernardino Valley College____________________________________________________

College Course:____Electronics___________________________________________

Masters taken in:_____________________________________________________

Masteral Course:_______________________________________________ 

27. Date of Birth:___May 05 1966___________________________________________ 

28 . Your official website address:___www.publishedauthors.net/JerryBradford/index.html_____________________________________________ 

29. Can you name at least 6 of your favorite poems in your poetry book (Voices of the Heart) ?________

_Angel Lost, The Wounded, Safe Harbor, Butterfly, Requiem for a Heart, Lost Souls, Hunger. _______________________________________________________________________________ 

Part II 

1. Why do you write poetry?__I write poetry because it allows me to express every emotion or thought,no matter how positive or negative in an acceptable manner. It allows me the opportunity to reveal things to others that I could never do verbally,or face to face. It frees me ._____________________________________________________________________________

2. Are poetry books difficult to sell? If yes, why? Yes. I think the general public has lost it’s appreciate for poetry and art in any form over the years.When I was a young man it was commonplace to go to a museum to see art or visit historical displays.even attend a classical concert. I had the pleasure of hearing a very talented orchestra play BEETHOVEN’s 5^th symphony live when I was in high school but even my own 15 year old daughter laughs and remarks when I speak of classical music or art. ________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________ 

3. Have you been invited before to judge poetry contests?_No,but I have been asked by fellow poets to critique their work from time to time___________________________

_________________________________________________________________________ 

4. What poetry/literary organizations did you join? Are you an officer or a member of the board of directors of these poetry/ literary organizations?____________None_________________________

____________________________________________________________________________ 

5. Did you go to Iraq as a solder after the Sept 11 tragic event?__No,My brother went and is returning soon for another tour in Iraq._______________________

___________________________________________________________________________ 

6. What are your other talents aside from poetry?___Drawing,Singing I can’t dance but used to shake a leg when I was younger.________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________ 

7. Do you have a certain limit in lines when you write poems?_______Usually around 20 but if the poem ends up longer I’m ok with that.___________________

__________________________________________________________________________ 

8. What is your favorite poem in grade school ? high school? _______THE RAVEN Edgar Allen Poe _________________

____________________________________________________________________________ 

9. How did you learn to write poetry? Did you attend poetry workshops? _No schooling it just came natural to me._______________

____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________ 

10. What is your job right now and your previous jobs? _____Disabled Vet./Father and occasional poet. _________________________

____________________________________________________________________________ 

11. How many years did you serve in the US Army National Guard?_6 years active/2 inactive reserve __________________

_________________________________________________________________________ 

12. What is the title of the poem which won you an award from the International Poets Society? Is this award-winning poem in your book (Voices of the Heart)? _____LOST SOULS yes ______________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

13. What award did you receive for this poem- a medal? A certificate? A trophy? A cash prize?

________________________________A trophy_____________________________________________ 

14. Many poets mention a muse as a guide or inspiration in their poetry. Do you think a muse (like in Greek mythology) exits that gives inspiration to poets?__Being a believer in a Christian God,I cannot give faith to any actual deities such as muses. However I do believe that the greek mythology of muses is an awesome way to explain inspiratin. Sometimes it is unexplainable,as to how a work of art or a writing came into existence.An artist say goes 10 years without any art beyond the ordinary and then one day “Wham” like lightning something possesses his mind heart and hand and he brings forth something beyond what he ever believed he was capable of. There is something at work there,but I would personally choose to believe it was God’s intervention,or an unlocking of the artists soul that exploded upon the canvas. Just my thoughts though. ______________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

15. Do you think a poet must have a bachelor's degree in creative writing to be a successful poet? ___________No. They only need to have pride in their writing,honesty,and the drive to push forward when the world seems set against them. And faith in their dream as a writer.Patience is also a very big key because time drags when you want the world to see you right now. ________________________________________________________________ 
    
    ____________________________________________________________________________

16. Can a person make a living by being a poet? Can a poet get rich by writing poetry books?

______A rich poet can get richer but the poor poet has a poor chance at wealth or any kind of living.May’be one in a thousand will hit the right audience,find the right reviews,hit the market just right. There are so many variables,and the public is very choosy as to their tastes as compared to the past generations._______________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

Note: Not all of these questions will be published in the online Manila Review. Some of these questions will be removed or edited in the final posting .for purposes of brevity. But this interview will also be published in the print edition of Manila Review.  

Please submit this by p-mail (postmail) AND email on or before March 31, 2005. Make sure you have your own file copy. Submit also a 2x2 photo, black and white or colored if you want your photo posted on the website.(If you submitted a face photo already, you don't need to submit again.). 

Note: This will be published in the Spring 2005 edition of the Manila Review. www.manilareview.org 

Our p-mail address:  

Manila Review

2267 Woodranch Road

San Jose, CA 95131, USA 

Our email address: manilareview@yahoo.com 

 

Very truly yours,  

 

Andrew C. Angus

Editor, Manila Review