Olathe poet Dave Malone to visit KU for reading, book signing April 24

LAWRENCE -- Olathe native Dave Malone -- a poet, playwright, actor and screenwriter -- will appear from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at Oread Books in the Kansas Union at the University of Kansas. He will read from his two books of poetry, "Poems to Love & the Body," and "Under the Sycamore," followed by a book signing. The event is free and open to the public.

Malone received a bachelor's degree from Ottawa University in Ottawa and a master's degree from Indiana State University. He teaches composition and film and directs the writing tutoring program at Southwest Missouri State University-West Plains. His poetry also has appeared in numerous literary journals such as Spoken War, Red Booth Review, Potpourri and Snow Monkey, and in one chapbook titled "23 Sonnets."

Malone's 1999 collection, "Poems to Love & the Body," garnered praise for its blunt, accessible style.

Of his 2003 book, "Under the Sycamore," Missouri author Jo Van Arkel has said, "Dave Malone's poems are like elegant origami sculptures that are small enough to hold in the hand but speak to the intricate intelligence of the artist who designs them."