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The Punch-Up: Unleashing Your Humor on the Page

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

You have a sense of humor, but find it hard to translate that humor into your writing? You know what you’re going for, but feel like it’s falling flat? Explore methods and get tips on finding the funny in this “writers’ room” session. Bring your essays, stories, monologues, and screenplays to share. Access Program We want our writing classes and Delves to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers writing class and Delve tuitions at a reduced rate. The access program for writing classes covers 60% of the class tuition. Most writing classes have at least one access spot available. Please apply here for access rate tuition. Contact Susan…

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$80

Michelle Tea in Conversation With Nicole J. Georges

Powell's City of Books 1005 W Burnside Street, Portland, OR, United States

From PEN/America Award winner, 2021 Guggenheim fellow, and beloved literary and tarot icon Michelle Tea comes a hilarious, powerfully written, taboo-breaking story of her journey to pregnancy and motherhood as a 40-year-old, queer, uninsured woman. Written in intimate, gleefully TMI prose, Knocking Myself Up (Dey Street) is the irreverent account of Tea’s route to parenthood — with a group of ride-or-die friends, a generous drag queen, and a whole lot of can-do pluck. Along the way she falls in love with a wholesome genderqueer a decade her junior, attempts biohacking herself a baby with black market fertility meds (and magicking herself an offspring with witch-enchanted honey), learns her eggs are busted, and enters the Fertility Industrial Complex in order to carry her younger lover’s baby.…

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Free

AUTHOR TALK: Stephen Altschuler on Beating Insomnia

Birdhouse Books 1001 Main Street, Vancouver, WA, United States

Seven-time author Stephen Altschuler will be reading from his brand new book “BEATING INSOMNIA: A No-Nonsense Way to Natural Sleep.” Find out more about Stephen in his new Columbian article: https://www.columbian.com/news/2022/aug/02/vancouver-author-best-way-to-get-good-nights-sleep-is-to-live-well-during-day/.

Free

Literary Arts at Pickathon 2022

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Literary Arts has partnered with Pickathon to feature author readings and a live recording of our radio show and podcast, The Archive Project. Authors featured on the Windmill Stage, Sunday, August 7 from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Omar El Akkad WHAT STRANGE PARADISE Santi Elijah Holley MURDER BALLADS Michelle Ruiz Keil SUMMER IN THE CITY Jules Ohman BODY GRAMMAR Jon Raymond DENIAL Justin Taylor RIDING WITH THE GHOST Cecily Wong KALEIDOSCOPE 12:00 p.m. in The Lucky Barn: Jon Raymond and Dao Strom in conversation with Anis Mojgani for The Archive Project. When artists explore different genres or mediums for themself, what does that process look like? Are the differing explorations in conflict with one another, or in conversation? Do they aid and abet each other? Hinder? Or perhaps…

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$45

Geo Eros: Metaphorizing Place in Nonfiction and Memoir — August 7th

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Geo Eros: Metaphorizing Place in Nonfiction and Memoir A Webinar with Lidia Yuknavitch In some ways, you are the places where you've been in your life. Since experience is difficult to carry around in our puny human bodies and often overwhelms us, metaphorizing—or creating core metaphors around place, objects, being and knowing—can open up new narrative strategies for storytelling. In this webinar we will identify and explore some of your core metaphors and test out some narrative strategies involving writing through place and environment, tracking your geographic origins and mapping out how place informs your life and narrative. Lidia Yuknavitch is the author of the short story collection Verge (Riverhead Books), the novels The Book of Joan (Harper Books), The Small Backs of Children (Harper…

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$125

Chantel Prat in Conversation With Andrea Stocco

Powell's City of Books 1005 W Burnside Street, Portland, OR, United States

From University of Washington professor Chantel Prat comes The Neuroscience of You (Dutton), a rollicking adventure into the human brain that reveals the surprising truth about neuroscience, shifting our focus from what's average to an understanding of how every brain is different, exactly why our quirks are important, and what this means for each of us. With style and wit, Prat takes us on a tour of the meaningful ways that our brains are dissimilar from one another. Using real-world examples, along with take-them-yourself tests and quizzes, she shows you how to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your own brain, while learning what might be going on in the brains of those who are unlike you. With sections like "Focus," "Navigate," and "Connect," The…

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Free

In-Store Reading: Bill Lascher: The Golden Fortress

Annie Bloom's Books 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR, United States

Annie Bloom's welcomes Portland author Bill Lascher for the in-store launch of his new book, The Golden Fortress: California's Border War on Dust Bowl Refugees. This in-store reading is first come, first served. Seating is limited. Please be mindful of any store health policies that might be in effect on the night of the reading. Signed and personalized copies are available for pre-order! Please, please, please include the name for personalization in the order notes; all orders without a name specified in the order notes will be signed only. About The Golden Fortress: In February 1936, Los Angeles police officers drove hundreds of miles to California’s state borders with one mission: turn back anyone deemed too poor to enter. Myths of the Golden State’s abundance…

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Free

Adam White & Justin Taylor: In-Conversation

Literary Arts 925 SW Washington Street, Portland, OR, United States

Join us for a conversation with Adam White and Justin Taylor, moderated by Steve Nelson of the Northwest Review. This event is in-person at Literary Arts. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for entry. Please see our guidelines here. Adam White Adam White grew up in Damariscotta, Maine, and now lives with his wife and son in Boston, where he teaches writing and coaches lacrosse. He holds an MFA from Columbia University. The Midcoast is his first novel. Justin Taylor Justin Taylor is the author of the memoir Riding with the Ghost, which was published by Random House in 2020. He is also the author of three books of fiction, all published by HarperColllins: Everything Here Is the Best Thing Ever (2010), The Gospel of Anarchy (2011), and Flings (2014). His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, Bomb, and Bookforum, among other…

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Free

WRITING & THE BODY w/ Lidia Yuknavitch and Jen Pastiloff: August 11-14, 2022

The Corporeal Writing Center 510 SW 3rd Ave #101, Portland, OR, United States

Jennifer Pastiloff and Lidia Yuknavitch were running their infamous workshop four times a year before the pandemic hit. Covid-19 led to the cancellation of three of these in 2021…Lucky for us, we’re back! Jen & Lidia are both renowned in their fields in their own right, and both of them are known for their inventive, non-traditional methods. Together they lead you to your most creative place by tapping into your body first, and then picking up the pen. But don't worry! You do not have to be a published or experienced writer or yogi—we are looking for people who have heart. You have a desire to write? You have a body? Then this weekend is for you. Check out all the details below, and please…

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$995

Reading: Noch Ein at the Stein: A Poetic Essay on Beer, Conversation, and Hippycrits

Rose City Book Pub 1329 NE Fremont, Portland, OR, United States

Eugene writer Tim Shaner will read from his new book Noch Ein at the Stein: A Poetic Essay on Beer, Conversation, and Hippycrits, accompanied by Hawaii transplant Jeff Ibach on guitar. “In Noch Ein at the Stein, Tim Shaner captures the essential elements of why the Stein is my favorite bar in America. The beer community, the stories, the very human social contact & interaction, and, above all, the celebration of beer. . . . Noch Ein is a must read for all those who love bar life and life itself. It is even more poignant during these Covid times when that sense of ‘Communitas’ has been taken away. — Hal Hermanson, KLCC Brewfest Operations/Brewer's Lounge, Underwriting Tim Shaner is the author Noch Ein at…

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Free
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