Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poets Reading at St. Andrews Forum

Laurinburg, N.C. - Distinguished poet Anthony Abbott has spent the past few months serving as a poetry mentor to Kalyn Sisco of Asheboro, Leigh Price of Randleman, Liz Monish of Laurinburg and Jo Barbara Taylor of Raleigh. Thursday evening he will have the opportunity to read with them at the Fortner Writers' Forum at St. Andrews Presbyterian College.

The event is the culmination of the 2008-2009 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series for the Central Region. Started five years ago by the North Carolina Poetry Society to allow young poets to be formally mentored by an established member of the poetry community in North Carolina, it is named after the late Marie Gilbert and Fred Chappell.

Professor Emeritus of English at Davidson, Abbott continues to teach in his fields of interest, including modern drama, creative writing with an emphasis of poetry and religion and literature. He has two books of modern drama to his credit, Shaw and Christianity and The Vital Lie: Reality and Illusion in Modern Drama. His poetry books include The Girl in the Yellow Raincoat, A Small Thing Like Breath and The Search for Wonder in the Cradle of the World. His first novel, Leaving Maggie Hope, was published in 2003 and won the Novello Prize at the Novello Festival of Charlotte.

The Fortner Writers' Forum is free and open to the public. For more information, call 910-277-5258.

About St. Andrews Presbyterian College

An innovative and bold academic venture to an interdisciplinary curriculum, a highly acclaimed college press, an award-winning pipe band, national champion equestrian teams, and first-rate scholarship have marked the distinctive character of St. Andrews. In addition to classes on the main campus, adult learners also choose the Center for Adult and Professional Studies opportunities through St. Andrews @ Sandhills and St. Andrews ONLINE.

On Aug. 29, 1958, the merger between Presbyterian Junior College and Flora Macdonald College became official with the formation St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, N.C. Further information may be obtained by visiting the College's website www.sapc.edu, calling 800-763-0198 or sending an e-mail to info@sapc.edu.