Joy Williams is one of America's greatest fiction writers. Full stop. "Her greatest gift is her ability to simultaneously horrify and amuse, to fully embrace such opposing forces," writes Joshua James Amberson in his review of The Visiting Privilege, the latest collection from Williams. She'll be at Powell's on Monday, in conversation with Joy Williams super-fan/Vampires in the Lemon Grove author Karen Russell. Bring all the fiction freaks you know!

J Names Improv's conceit sounds like a trick to get kindergarteners to line up for recess: It's an improv group only comprised of people whose names start with the letter J. But somehow it works! "Jed Arkley, John Breen, Jay Flewelling, Justin Himes, Jenn Hunter, Jess Lee, Jake Michels, and Janet Scanlon are indeed some of the best improvisers in Portland," writes Temple Lentz in her preview of tonight's show at the Brody Theater. "They understand the core improv values of listening, collaborating, and creating a scene."

And in keeping with this week's Newcomer's Guide to Portland, we've compiled a list of some of this town's less obvious art galleries. Among them: one run by a collective of anonymous artists, one that earlier this year showed one of the most fucked-up exhibitions I've ever seen, and one that shows outsider art.