"It is always exciting for poetry lovers when a new publisher emerges on the scene, and when the name Penn Kemp, a poet best known for her evocative, experimental sound work, is associated with that press, it is safe to assume that work that is both innovative and challenging is in the mix. Certainly, more than a dozen new works offered up by Pendas in 2004 fulfill that assumption. Most of the books in Pendas' catalogue offer some visual treats and may be purchased as a book alone, as a compact disk or as a book/cd set.

Pendas Productions' Wizard of OZ, Gavin Stairs, who acts as designer, prepress technician, printer and binder, has long felt that poetry, unlike other genres, could benefit from the innovations of desktop printing. Pendas' aim is to use short print runs, both to meet demand and to keep initial costs to a minimum, while ensuring that titles stay in print for as long as possible. That kind of commitment is music to poetry lovers' ears."

RONNIE R. BROWN is an Ottawa freelance writer/broadcaster. Her review of Gathering Voice will appear in Canadian Bookseller: the Magazine of Book Retailing in Spring 2005.

Painting by Richard Payne for Twelfth Key