Bookseller extraordinaire Angela Garbes--who coordinates an in-store book group that reads authors like Dawn Powell and Paula Fox, and whose favorite book to hand-sell is Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion--leaves Elliott Bay Book Company this Friday to take a marketing-assistant position at the poetry publisher Copper Canyon Press. Before Elliott Bay, Garbes worked for two years at Bailey/Coy Books. "Angela sold me so many books," said Joseph Bednarik, Copper Canyon's marketing director, "I finally had to hire her."

What are you going to miss about Elliott Bay?

Some of the people I've worked with here are the most intelligent, dedicated, and ridiculous people I've ever met. And I'm going to be leaving my heart in the used-book room.

Who are your favorite poets?

Elizabeth Bishop, Hart Crane, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Marianne Moore. And Kay Boyle, who's a Copper Canyon Press poet.

What do you like about Copper Canyon Press?

They're committed to what they do and they put out beautiful books. They're very dedicated to the art of the book.

But you have to move to Port Townsend. Is there anything to do in Port Townsend?

I'm not sure yet. I'm going to cook. I'm going to get a bike. And I'm going to do all the reading I should have done while working at a bookstore.

Interview by Christopher Frizzelle