The Writer's Edge Innovative Fiction Summer Workshops

The legendary Fiction Collective 2 teams up with PSU to bring you Writers on the Edge, three days of writing workshops dedicated to innovation. The seminar starts on July 28th and goes through the weekend with workshops, readings, and other events. FC2 stands out as one of the few alternative presses which focuses on publishing work deemed too kooky or challenging by commercial publishers. The faculty includes R.M. Berry, Michael Martone, Susan Steinberg, Lance Olsen, and Lidia Yuknavitch, who all promise to offer workshops with a non-traditional approach to working prose. The faculty reading night is Saturday at 6 and is free and open to the public, plus there is an after-hours late-night open mic night Fri-Sun so you can go up and bust some of yo' shit. See fc2.org/edge/edge.htm for all the details. KB PSU, South Park Blocks @ Park Ave , 725-3472, Fri-Sun

The Alphabet of Manliness
Internet humorist Maddox, the man behind the Best Page in the Universe (featuring ranting gems like "If you're too much of an impressionable idiot to watch Sideways, then don't" and "How to kill yourself like a man"), just wrapped up his first novel. There's no reason to doubt that this is going to be a very funny reading. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free

FRIDAY 7/28

Phase Two
As part of the Writer's Edge Innovative Fiction workshops, here's a reading by subversive authors Michael Martone and Susan Steinberg, coupled with music by Metal. Plus: an open mic from workshop participants. Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny, 503-248-1600, 9 pm

SATURDAY 7/29

Phase Two
As part of the Writer's Edge Innovative Fiction workshops, here's a reading by the highly respected R. M. Berry (Leonardo's Horse), and music from Mike Daily/O'Grady. Plus: an open mic from workshop participants. Ash St. Saloon, 225 SW Ash St., 226-0430, 10 pm

SUNDAY 7/30

Phase Two
It's the last night of the Writer's Edge Innovative Fiction workshops, so big kahunas Lidia Yuknavitch (Real to Reel) and Lance Olsen (Nietzsche's Kisses) bring the house down with insane musical jams by Mercury Music Editor Adam Gnade. All Sundays should be so cool. Towne Lounge, 714 SW 20th Place, 9 pm

MONDAY 7/31

Tough Love
So this is written by Abby Denson, who wrote Powerpuff Girls and Simpsons comic books, and is a teen romance and coming-out book, inspired by gay Japanese Comics, and will be read at the same time that Hell's Kitchen is on TV? Eh... Powell's Books on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne, 238-1668, 7:30 pm, free

WEDNESDAY 8/2

The Most Famous Man in America
I'm not sure where this ridiculous title came from (since I haven't read the book), but when your biggest claim to fame is that your sister wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin, I think you can safely cite an overzealous biographer for this hyperbolic tale about the life of Henry Ward Beecher. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 228-4651, 7:30 pm, free