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The Mystery Box Show: September Livestream

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

feat. Rain DeGrey, Tatiyanna Shirley, Earthnova, and Das Loomis From vanilla to kinky, queer to straight, and everything in between, a night at The Mystery Box Show brings you tales of one-night stands, explorations into fetish, awkward first times, dark fantasies come true, and much much more. Storytellers have included bestselling authors, nationally touring comedians, adult film industry veterans, theatre professionals, sex toy experts, members from the kink community, students and people from all walks of life. Nothing here is too raw, too sweet, too strange, or too deep; it's all about the sex, and all about the story.

Free

DREAMs Deferred Live

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Stories have power. We believe the most important stories often come from the immigrant community. Despite the historic Supreme Court ruling in June protecting DACA recipients, some groups continue to challenge the rights of undocumented immigrants. Now is the time to listen to the stories of individuals who have grown up undocumented in the United States. In partnership with the City of Beaverton, The Immigrant Story presents “DREAMs Deferred Live,” a two day event featuring one night of soulful music and another night of moving storytelling by immigrants in our community. To kick off this week long celebration, we invite you to hear five compelling stories told — and lived — by members of our community who grew up with American values without feeling valued…

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Free

Mike Birbiglia & J. Hope Stein Ticketed Event

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

In The New One: Painfully True Stories From a Reluctant Dad (Grand Central), comedian Mike Birbiglia devotes his unflinching and brilliant storytelling acumen to parenthood — to fatherhood — as well as how he, a man deeply determined never to have children, found himself with one. Nuanced, honest, hilarious, but also poignant, it’s a story that reveals not only his own but also our collective human nature — reassuring us that we’re actually all in this thing together. The New One is sprinkled with poetry by Birbiglia’s wife, J. Hope Stein, written as she navigated the same rocky shores of new parenthood. With laugh-out-loud observations on the roller coaster of being a parent, The New One is perfect for anyone who has ever raised a…

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$28

Jessica Garrison & Sarah Weinman

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

On the surface, 58-year-old Jose Martinez didn't seem evil or even that remarkable — just a regular neighbor, good with cars and devoted to his family. But in between taking his children to Disneyland and visiting his mom, Martinez was also one of the most skilled professional killers police had ever seen. A page-turning, suspenseful story of a drug cartel hit man who got away with murder after murder in California's Central Valley for three decades, award-winning reporter Jessica Garrison’s The Devil’s Harvest (Hachette) reveals how the criminal justice system fails our most vulnerable immigrant communities. The appeal of true-crime stories has never been higher. With podcasts like My Favorite Murder and In the Dark, bestsellers like I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and Furious…

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Free

Fall 2020 online: Nature Writing Now

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

What does it mean to write about nature now? We are living at a time of great ecological peril and promise, when some thinkers are questioning whether “nature” still even exists. How to write about this complexity in authentic and evocative ways? How to convey both the beauty and the corruption of beauty? Together, we will consider some historical and contemporary nature writing. Noticing how the genre has changed over time will help us understand how our cultural conceptions of self and nature have both changed and remained the same. Contemporary nature writing often reflects complex social and political realities, while also reminding us of the abiding depth of feeling created by, for instance, placing one’s hand on a tree trunk and pausing to simply…

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$285

Attic Institute: FALL Online: Intro to Flash Nonfiction w Brian Benson

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Flash nonfiction, simply put, is true-to-life writing defined by extreme compression: it's saying what you've got to say using as few words, and as much beauty, as possible. An endlessly accessible, playful, potent form, flash nonfiction is evermore popular; from Brevity to Barren, The Forge to The Sun, legions of journals are eager to publish great flash. In this prompt-driven workshop, we'll read short nonfiction by master writers, including Ross Gay, Natalie Lima, Ira Sukrungruang, Roxane Gay, Jerald Walker, Ruth Ozeki, and many more; we'll talk about what stories are suited for flash, how to tell them well, and where to publish them; and most of all, we'll write, and write, and write, via in-class exercises and take-home prompts. Students will leave the class with reams of new writing and ideas for where to publish. Register for…

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$215 – $242

FALL Online: Tell It True, Tell It Slant: Creative Nonfiction Workshop w Zahir Janmohamed

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Think of a label on a fine wine. If it is well written, it should describe the wine and invoke mood, emotion, and place. Great nonfiction, I believe, aspires to do this. It speaks about a narrow thing and also a much bigger thing. In this five-week course, we will study the various forms of nonfiction writing, with an emphasis on personal essay writing. Students will learn craft tips and get a chance to workshop their writing. My goal is to encourage students to try something new, be it satire or reportage or memoir. At the end of class, we will discuss the ins and outs of publishing and how to pitch stories to editors. Register for this workshop NOTE: To protect everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic, we're…

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$215 – $242

Fall 2020 Online: Writing the Non-Fiction Book Proposal

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Writing a book proposal is the best first step to writing a nonfiction book for both adults and young readers. An excellent proposal helps you organize your ideas, understand the competition, and can help you land a publishing contract even before you write the book. This six-week class will take you step-by-step through the major parts of the nonfiction book proposal: the query letter, overview, competitive analysis, marketing and promotion, author background, outline and sample chapter. Bring an idea, and be ready to write. The class includes extensive handouts and questionnaires to guide your work. Class outcomes: By the end of this six week workshop, students will leave with a rough draft of a nonfiction book proposal. More information: Download 10 Reasons to Write a…

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$285

The Moth: Virtual StorySLAM: Silenced

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

SILENCED: Prepare a five-minute story about suppression. Interrupted, talked over, censored, shushed. Pleading the Fifth about your sister’s boyfriend, your friend’s new haircut, your mother-in-law’s famous jello salad. Being told to hold your tongue, hush your mouth, or button your lip. OR the time you pushed back, shouted out, and brandished your words as weapons. Regale us with tales of words eaten…or spoken. Media Sponsors: OPB and Literary Arts Additional Information About the Venue A link to the official Zoom room will be sent on the day of the event to anyone who purchases a ticket. Make sure you check your spam folder. If you have any issues accessing the event please contact info@themoth.org

$10

True Crime Book Club (Remote)

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

The True Crime Book Club is led by the true crime aficionado Rachel Newton Cumley. We would like to extend an invitation to all of our true crime enthusiasts. Our book discussions aim to bring people together to talk about books in a safe and inviting atmosphere. Our meetings are lovely and inclusive; we invite you to attend. Come and enjoy a lively discussion about the chosen book with other readers. Join us on Wednesday September 16th 6pm for True Crime Book Club. This month's pick is The Killer Across the Table by John Douglas. The legendary FBI criminal profiler, number-one New York Times bestselling author, and inspiration for the hit Netflix show Mindhunter delves deep into the lives and crimes of four of the…

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Free
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