By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

Tucked away on the lower level of Aberdeen Center is a compact configuration of offices which houses one of the world's leading publishing houses.

Gallopade International, headquartered in Peachtree City, cranks out an incredible number of books, both fiction and non-fiction, plus software, games, maps and charts for school-age children and adults.

At last count, founder and primary author Carole Marsh, had 6,000 products available. Her best customers are public libraries, schools, school supply houses and major book chains such as Barnes and Noble and Waldenbooks. Just this year, Marsh added 50,000 teachers to her catalog mailing list.

Despite the scope of her operation, which includes all facets of publishing from writing to production and distribution, Marsh keeps her business family-friendly and personal.

"My daughter, Michele Yother, is the president and CEO of our publishing company. Michael, my son, is the genius behind all our exciting new CD-ROM and multimedia products. My husband, Bob, and I alternately travel to your part of the world to do research, then hole-up to write up all those fascinating new facts," Marsh said.

Children are also part of the family operation. A room equipped with a play pen and toys allows Yother to bring her child with her to work.

Marsh keeps in close contact with her clientele and chooses not to have a phone answering machine. She prefers to take the calls personally. "I like to talk to the customers. I've always wanted it to be this way," she said.

For 25 years, Marsh has been writing and publishing books. She started with a mystery series for readers age 7 to 14.

"This was the Dark Ages, before Macintosh, so I was only able to add one book each year," Marsh explained.

Eventually, there were 12 books in the mystery series and librarians were suggesting Marsh write some books on math, science and sex education.

"Teachers said they needed books on their states and I wrote them; history, geography, legend, lore and more. Soon there were 200 books," recalls Marsh.

"Then computers and a guy named Bob (Longmayer) came along and made our lives much easier. We switched to the Macintosh (computer) overnight... it would be two years before Bob and I would marry," said Marsh.

"One day, Waldenbooks called and said, 'We hear you have a very popular trivia book on North Carolina. We want to order it. By the way, what other states do you have this book for?'" Marsh said.

She reeled off the names of about a dozen states, and six weeks later, Waldenbooks placed an order for 25,000 copies.

Marsh had only one book, the one on North Carolina, but jumped in, researched and wrote the other books and filled the order with the help of her family and "half the town," she remembers.

Gallopade was located in Rocky Mount, N.C. at the time. The name "Gallopade" comes from the name of the world's largest tobacco festival held in Rocky Mount.

Eventually, Marsh and her company relocated to metro Atlanta, and about a year ago to Peachtree City.

This month, Gallopade introduced its newest product addition, the Bingomania series.

The Georgia edition bingo game features questions about state products, the capital, state nicknames, motto, bird and dozens of other historically based facts. The games are available for all 50 states, according to Marsh.

"We played the bingo game to make sure it works," she said.

To request a catalog, book and game lovers can call 1-800-536-2 GET or contact Gallopade online at www.gallopade.com.