ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, April 4, 1996                TAG: 9604040104
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 5    EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: ABINGDON

POETRY PRESS AT DEPOT

Abingdon's Arts Depot has leased office space under its roof to The Sow's Ear Press, which has published a quarterly poetry review for the seven years.

In 1994, the small nonprofit press began publishing books of poetry by regional writers as well as chapbooks by winners of an annual contest sponsored by the magazine.

Magazine graphics editor Mary Calhoun will use the leased space to work on design and layout. The Sow's Ear Press will also display and sell its publications in the Depot Gallery.

Larry Richman, one of the supporters of the enterprise, calls the display one of the smallest bookstores east of the Mississippi offering publications from the smallest press. But it offers diverse work by poets including Jeff Daniel Marion, Rita Sims Quillen, Suzanne U. Clark and Dana Wildsmith.

Its most recent book is "The Plow Reader," which is also its first non-poetry offering. The book includes writing from the Plow Magazine, published in Abingdon from 1975 to 1979. Forthcoming works include books by Nell Maiden, Sam Rasnake and Bill Brown.

LENGTH: Short :   29 lines