* Chapbook Launch Party and Challenge Slam
Your favorite local slammers will be serving up performance poetry in the categories of Erotica and Haiku, which should produce hilarious results. Portland Poetry Slam at the Jasmine Tree, 415 SW Harrison, 725-7067, 8 pm, $5
Laura Moriarty & Carolyn Parkhurst
Here's an interesting combination. Moriarty's Center of Everything chronicles a troubled mother-daughter relationship, while Parkhurst's Dogs of Babel tells the story of a heartbroken widower who tries to teach his dog to communicate so he can figure out who killed his wife. Who paired these two? Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free
* R.L. Stine
The master of mind-numbingly dumb young-adult suspense novels presents a mind-numbingly dumb suspense novel for adults, The Sitter. Lots of nostalgic fun to be had at this one. Powell's-Beaverton, 8725 SW Cascade Ave, 643-3131, 7 pm, free
* Lorrie Moore
Tin House's amazing lineup of summer readings continues with Moore, one of the funniest, most insightful short story writers alive. This reading is followed at 9:30 by a reading of a new play from the incomparable Denis Johnson. Tin House at the Cerf Amphitheater, Reed College, 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd, 224-TIXX, 8 pm, $12-$15
Darklady's Parlour of Passionate Prose
The local queen of erotica presents an evening of stimulating readings by others of her dark, dark kind. Note: reservations must be made via email. Dark Lady Productions, 602 NE Prescott, darklady@darklady.com, 8 pm, $10-$20
* Denis Johnson
The Tin House series culminates with a true legend. What jaded twenty-something isn't familiar with Johnson's already-classic collection of twisted short stories Jesus' Son? Please say you've at least seen the movie version starring Billy Crudup. You haven't!!? That's it--you're dead. Tin House at the Cerf Amphitheater, Reed College, 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd, 224-TIXX, 8 pm, $12-$15
* Born Magazine Reading
Born is a cool online publication combining poetry and prose with feats of interactive, multimedia technology. Tonight some of its contributors read. Check it out at bornmagazine.org. Mountain Writers Center, 3624 SE Milwaukie, 236-4854, 7 pm, free
Noah Levine
Son of the famous spiritual advisor Stephen, Noah Levine presents his own delving into the world of nonfiction: Dharma Punx, a memoir of his journey from drug-addled youth to follower of his dad's meditation practices. Powell's Books on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 238-1668, 7:30 pm, free
* Joanna Macy
Eco-philosopher and activist Macy's concept of "The Great Turning," in which the world turns from an industrial growth society to a sustainable civilization, is hopeful, inspiring, and yet utterly realistic. First Unitarian Church, 1011 SW 12th Ave, 227-2807, 7 pm, $5-$20
Rupert Holmes
The Tony-award winning playwright Holmes shares from his first novel, Where the Truth Lies, a funny, sexy mystery about a journalist assigned to cover a celebrated comedy team from the '60s. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free
J.A. Jance
If you crave some summer reading, it doesn't get much summer-ier than crime thriller master J.A. Jance. She'll share from her 5,000th book Exit Wounds. Powell's-Beaverton, 8725 SW Cascade Ave, 643-3131, 7 pm, free
Sandy Johnson
Johnson's new book The Brazilian with the Kitchen Knife is an intriguing-sounding expose of the world of Shamanic healers and various other "miracle workers." Twenty-Third Avenue Books, 1015 NW 23rd Ave, 224-5097, 7:30 pm
