Small Presses with Local Flavor
By Jess D'Amico in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 10, 2008 6:53PM
We're 10 days into Small Press Month, and we absolutely suggest you take a look at their recomended titles. But if you're looking for something a little more home grown, we've whipped up a sampling of our very own local indie presses and their offerings:
Switchback Books: Switchback is a feminist small press, publishing two poetry books a year. They've published three books so far, and you can sample poems online from their published poets.
Featherproof: Featherproof is the baby of Zach Dodson and Time Out's Jonathan Messinger. We're in love with their free printable Mini-books , but please do buy after you try. If you prefer live entertainment to bookbinding, they're having a short fiction reading at Innertown tomorrow.
Dancing Girl Press: Dancing Girl is another feminist poetry press, run out of the Wicked Alice zine and founded and edited by Kristy Bowen, who you might remember as MiC Wickedpen. We recommend their latest, Kitchen Witch by seven-time Pushcart nominee Theresa Boyar.
Puddin'head Press: Puddin'head Press has been around since 1985 and is run by David Gecic. Their website catalog is a little hard to poke around on, but they have plenty of readings and events going on to help you discover their writers.
Fractal Edge: Fractal Edge Press is a mostly poetry publisher. Their events page is sorely outdated, but we do suggest checking out this sample of Francesco Levato's Marginal State.
March Abrazo: March Abrazo is a press focusing on Midwest Latinos and Native Americans. We especially liked the sample poem from Bitter Coffee by Frank Varela.
Cracked Slab: Cracked Slab publishes two books a year focused on experimental and international poetry. The City Visible is their ode to Chicago.
Answer Tag: Answer Tag Home Press is dedicated to Midwest poets and authors. We recommend Four Fables by John Tipton, head of Chicago Poetry Project.
All of the above presses will also be taking part in the Small Press Showcase hosted by The Poetry Center of Chicago at the SAIC ballroom on March 28th at 7 p.m. The event is free.
Do you have any other events or small presses we missed? Post 'em in the comments.