UPCOMING:
readings & booksignings
NEW YORK, NY
Oct. 7, 2018
Why There Are Words Reading Series
The Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery (between Houston & Bleecker)
NYC 20012p
PORTLAND, OR
Nov. 4, 2018
Why There Are Words Reading Series
Leach Botanical Gardens
teaching (ongoing)
Atelier26 Creative Writing Workshops, Portland, OR
other recent teaching:
Writing Fiction with Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton"
Literary Arts, Portland
Mondays, April 2 - 23rd, 2018 / 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Broadway smash and cultural sensation, Hamilton: An American Musical is a masterpiece of fictional form. With its ingenious handling of time, characterization, plot, perspective, voice, theme, and all the other essential elements of storytelling, Hamilton offers writers every ingredient for a master class in creating fiction. This 4-week class will explore the inner fictional workings of the sensational genre-bending musical. Through inspiring listening exercises, writing prompts, analysis, discussion, and related readings, participants will use Hamilton to unlock their understanding of how fiction functions and what makes a good story great.
Guest Lecture on Creating Characters in Fiction
Portland State University, Ooligan Press Write to Publish Conference
Saturday, April 21st, 2018 / 11:00 a.m. - noon
Beginning the Novel
Literary Arts, Portland
Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
This one-day class will demystify the ways one begins writing a book-length work of fiction, with in-class writing exercises, readings, discussion, and helpful techniques to get you started on your way. Among other things, we'll consider character, setting, theme, and tone, and how these will serve you as you generate and pursue your vision for your novel.
Plotting the Novel
Literary Arts, Portland
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017
9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
This four-hour class will look at ways of conceiving plot and structure in your novel. Through in-class writing exercises, readings, and discussion, we'll explore traditional and non-traditional plots, and consider how characterizations, the use of time, world context, and more contribute to a plot's design. Participants will come away with a better understanding of the many permutations of plot available to the novelist.
Writing Beyond Genre
Pan-European MFA Program
Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017
Characters in Novels
Literary Arts, Portland
Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017
9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
This four-hour class will explore compelling character design from the ground up. Through in-class writing exercises, readings, and discussion, we'll study perspective, perception, voice, memory, the question of sympathy, and more as we move toward letting our fictional characters become their authentic selves.
Starting the Novel (A Wordstock Writing Workshop)
Portland, OR
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
This class will demystify the ways one begins writing a book-length work of fiction, with in-class writing exercises, readings, discussion, and helpful techniques to get you started on your way. Among other things, we'll consider character, setting, theme, and tone, and how these will serve you as you generate and pursue your vision for your novel.
November 5, 2016, Portland OR:
"Editing for Writers," a Wordstock Workshop
4-6 p.m.
Course Description:
Learn the fundamentals of good editing as they apply to the writing and revision process, from the level of the line to broader structural concerns. Using numerous examples of early and late writing drafts, participants will gain experience focusing on editorial points both common and more complicated, with an eye toward tightening and sharpening our work before it arrives on an editor’s desk.
More info HERE.
January -March 2017, Portland OR:
"Shaping Your Fiction or Memoir," a 6-week workshop at Literary Arts
Tuesday evenings, January 10 - February 14
Course Description:
A compelling narrative involves so much more than a beginning, middle, and end, and the imaginative forms available to writers of fiction or memoir are myriad. In this workshop-based class, we’ll look at a variety of uniquely structured literary works for inspiration and instruction. Through reading, conversation, and writing exercises, we’ll explore the flexibility of voice, linearity, perspective, text shape, and more, as we move together toward finding the right form for our own stories. Participants will share their work-in-progress 1 – 2 times, receive student and instructor feedback, and benefit from group discussion and prompts. All will leave the class equipped with examples from literature and a new appreciation of their own story’s special potential.
More info HERE.
NEW YORK, NY
Oct. 7, 2018
Why There Are Words Reading Series
The Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery (between Houston & Bleecker)
NYC 20012p
PORTLAND, OR
Nov. 4, 2018
Why There Are Words Reading Series
Leach Botanical Gardens
teaching (ongoing)
Atelier26 Creative Writing Workshops, Portland, OR
other recent teaching:
Writing Fiction with Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton"
Literary Arts, Portland
Mondays, April 2 - 23rd, 2018 / 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Broadway smash and cultural sensation, Hamilton: An American Musical is a masterpiece of fictional form. With its ingenious handling of time, characterization, plot, perspective, voice, theme, and all the other essential elements of storytelling, Hamilton offers writers every ingredient for a master class in creating fiction. This 4-week class will explore the inner fictional workings of the sensational genre-bending musical. Through inspiring listening exercises, writing prompts, analysis, discussion, and related readings, participants will use Hamilton to unlock their understanding of how fiction functions and what makes a good story great.
Guest Lecture on Creating Characters in Fiction
Portland State University, Ooligan Press Write to Publish Conference
Saturday, April 21st, 2018 / 11:00 a.m. - noon
Beginning the Novel
Literary Arts, Portland
Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
This one-day class will demystify the ways one begins writing a book-length work of fiction, with in-class writing exercises, readings, discussion, and helpful techniques to get you started on your way. Among other things, we'll consider character, setting, theme, and tone, and how these will serve you as you generate and pursue your vision for your novel.
Plotting the Novel
Literary Arts, Portland
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017
9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
This four-hour class will look at ways of conceiving plot and structure in your novel. Through in-class writing exercises, readings, and discussion, we'll explore traditional and non-traditional plots, and consider how characterizations, the use of time, world context, and more contribute to a plot's design. Participants will come away with a better understanding of the many permutations of plot available to the novelist.
Writing Beyond Genre
Pan-European MFA Program
Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017
Characters in Novels
Literary Arts, Portland
Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017
9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
This four-hour class will explore compelling character design from the ground up. Through in-class writing exercises, readings, and discussion, we'll study perspective, perception, voice, memory, the question of sympathy, and more as we move toward letting our fictional characters become their authentic selves.
Starting the Novel (A Wordstock Writing Workshop)
Portland, OR
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
This class will demystify the ways one begins writing a book-length work of fiction, with in-class writing exercises, readings, discussion, and helpful techniques to get you started on your way. Among other things, we'll consider character, setting, theme, and tone, and how these will serve you as you generate and pursue your vision for your novel.
November 5, 2016, Portland OR:
"Editing for Writers," a Wordstock Workshop
4-6 p.m.
Course Description:
Learn the fundamentals of good editing as they apply to the writing and revision process, from the level of the line to broader structural concerns. Using numerous examples of early and late writing drafts, participants will gain experience focusing on editorial points both common and more complicated, with an eye toward tightening and sharpening our work before it arrives on an editor’s desk.
More info HERE.
January -March 2017, Portland OR:
"Shaping Your Fiction or Memoir," a 6-week workshop at Literary Arts
Tuesday evenings, January 10 - February 14
Course Description:
A compelling narrative involves so much more than a beginning, middle, and end, and the imaginative forms available to writers of fiction or memoir are myriad. In this workshop-based class, we’ll look at a variety of uniquely structured literary works for inspiration and instruction. Through reading, conversation, and writing exercises, we’ll explore the flexibility of voice, linearity, perspective, text shape, and more, as we move together toward finding the right form for our own stories. Participants will share their work-in-progress 1 – 2 times, receive student and instructor feedback, and benefit from group discussion and prompts. All will leave the class equipped with examples from literature and a new appreciation of their own story’s special potential.
More info HERE.
past appearances:
Cunningham has done more than 120 readings, panels, booksignings, on-air interviews, and other author appearances since 2004, including at the following places:
Book Passage (SF Bay Area)
Rakestraw Books (SF Bay Area)
Tosca Cafe, San Francisco (w/Green Apple Books)
Barnes & Noble: Emeryville, CA; Walnut Creek, CA; Pittsburg, CA
Milpitas Public Library (CA)
San Francisco Public Library
Contra Costa County Public Library (CA)
Pleasanton Public Library (CA)
Elliott Bay Book Company (Seattle)
Third Place Books (Seattle)
Powell's Books, Portland OR (2004, 2007, 2015)
Annie Bloom's Booksellers, Portland OR
Broadway Books, Portland OR (2010, 2016)
Book Soup (Los Angeles)
Northern California Independent Booksellers Association Author Dinner, 2004
Southern California Independent Bookseller Association Author Dinner, 2004
Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association tradeshow, Portland OR (2007)
Micawber's Books (St, Paul, MN)
Burke's Books (Memphis, TN)
Square Books (Oxford, MS)
Lemuria Books (Jackson, MS)
That Bookstore in Blytheville (Blytheville, AR)
Book Group Expo, San Jose CA (2006, 2007)
Capitola Book Cafe (CA)
Cal State East Bay (SF Bay Area)
Oregon State University Academy of Lifelong Learning
Oregon Public Broadcasting
KBOO Radio "Between the Covers," Portland, OR (2004, 2014)
KPFA Radio "Cover to Cover," Berkeley, CA (2005)
Mississippi Public Radio (2004)
"Book Talk," WYPL Memphis (2004)
Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
L'Ateneu, Barcelona, Spain
Here are a few recent appearances:
Book Passage (SF Bay Area)
Rakestraw Books (SF Bay Area)
Tosca Cafe, San Francisco (w/Green Apple Books)
Barnes & Noble: Emeryville, CA; Walnut Creek, CA; Pittsburg, CA
Milpitas Public Library (CA)
San Francisco Public Library
Contra Costa County Public Library (CA)
Pleasanton Public Library (CA)
Elliott Bay Book Company (Seattle)
Third Place Books (Seattle)
Powell's Books, Portland OR (2004, 2007, 2015)
Annie Bloom's Booksellers, Portland OR
Broadway Books, Portland OR (2010, 2016)
Book Soup (Los Angeles)
Northern California Independent Booksellers Association Author Dinner, 2004
Southern California Independent Bookseller Association Author Dinner, 2004
Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association tradeshow, Portland OR (2007)
Micawber's Books (St, Paul, MN)
Burke's Books (Memphis, TN)
Square Books (Oxford, MS)
Lemuria Books (Jackson, MS)
That Bookstore in Blytheville (Blytheville, AR)
Book Group Expo, San Jose CA (2006, 2007)
Capitola Book Cafe (CA)
Cal State East Bay (SF Bay Area)
Oregon State University Academy of Lifelong Learning
Oregon Public Broadcasting
KBOO Radio "Between the Covers," Portland, OR (2004, 2014)
KPFA Radio "Cover to Cover," Berkeley, CA (2005)
Mississippi Public Radio (2004)
"Book Talk," WYPL Memphis (2004)
Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
L'Ateneu, Barcelona, Spain
Here are a few recent appearances:
Tuesday, April 11, 2017 / 6:00 p.m. > LONGVIEW, WA
WordFest
Cassava Coffee Shop
1333 Broadway
Longview, WA
Wednesday May 3, 2017 / 7:00 p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
Plonk Reading Series
Corkscrew Wine Bar
1665 SE Bybee Blvd.
>M. Allen Cunningham staffed the Atelier26 Books table at Wordstock 2016.
November 5, 2016, 9AM - 6PM
Portland Art Museum
>Thursday, August 4, 2016 / 7:00 p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
M. Allen Cunningham reads from The Timberline Review with fellow contributors Brittney Corrigan, Andrea Hollander, Annie Lightheart, David Melville, Paulann Peterson, and Christy Stevens.
Broadway Books
1714 NE Broadway
Portland, OR
>Wed. October 5, 2016 / 7:00 p.m.
Annie Bloom's Booksellers
7834 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, OR
>Sunday, March 20, 2016 / 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. > SEATTLE, WA
APRIL Festival of Independent Literature Book Expo.
Hugo House
1634 11th Ave
Seattle, WA
>Thursday March 31 - Saturday April 2, 2016 / 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily > LOS ANGELES, CA
Exhibitor, Atelier26 Books, AWP Conference, North America's largest literary gathering.
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
>Friday, April 1, 2016 / 6:00-7:30 p.m. > LOS ANGELES, CA
M. Allen Cunningham reads in a stellar lineup in this AWP offsite event sponsored by Catamaran Literary Reader. Reception 6:00-6:30, then readings.
Hennessey & Ingalls Bookstore
300 S. Santa Fe Ave. (L.A. Arts District)
>Saturday, Nov 28, 2015 / 3:00 - 5:00p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
M. Allen Cunningham will be at Portland's Broadway Books in celebration of Indies First Day, and will happily sign copies of Partisans and The Honorable Obscurity Handbook, and/or will help you find other good titles.
Broadway Books
1714 NE Broadway
Portland, OR 97232
503-284-1726
www.broadwaybooks.net
>Sunday, December 6, 2015 / noon - 4:00 p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
Cunningham will sign books at the Oregon Historical Society's Annual Holiday Cheer Author Event.
Oregon Historical Society
1200 SE Park Ave
Portland, OR 97205
>Monday, April 6, 2015 / 7:30 p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
M. Allen Cunningham presents Partisans at Powell's Books.
Powell's Books on Hawthorne
3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, OR 97214
>April 8-11, 2015 > MINNEAPOLIS, MN
M. Allen Cunningham attends the 2015 AWP Conference.
Minneapolis Convention Center
>Saturday, May 9, 2015 / 1:30 p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
M. Allen Cunningham reads from Date of Disappearance in a lineup of fellow short fiction writers in celebration of National Short Story Month.
Another Read Through
3932 N Mississippi Ave
Portland, Oregon 97227
http://www.anotherreadthrough.com/
>Thursday, June 4, 2015 / 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. > CORVALLIS, OR
M. Allen Cunningham speaks at the Academy for Lifelong Learning,
joining Jack Wolcott, co-owner of Grass Roots Books & Music, in discussing
"Bookstores, Printed Books, E-books, and the Future of Reading"
First Congregational Church
4515 SW West Hills Rd.
Corvallis, OR
More info: http://www.all-osuaa.org/all_classes/2015_spring_classes
/2015_spring_soc.pdf
This event will be followed by a meet-and-greet
and book-signing with Cunningham at
Grass Roots Books & Music, 12:00 -12:30 p.m.
>Thursday, August 13, 2015 / 7:00 p.m. > SAUSALITO, CA
M. Allen Cunningham reads from Partisans in the Why There Are Words Reading Series.
Studio 33 on Caledonia Street
333 Caledonia St.
Sausalito, CA 94965
http://whytherearewords.com/
>Saturday, August 15, 2015 / 7:30 p.m. > PEBBLE BEACH, CA
M. Allen Cunningham delivers a guest lecture on publishing, 2015 Catamaran Writing Conference.
Stevenson Chapel, at Stevenson School Pebble Beach Campus
3152 Forest Lake Road
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
WordFest
Cassava Coffee Shop
1333 Broadway
Longview, WA
Wednesday May 3, 2017 / 7:00 p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
Plonk Reading Series
Corkscrew Wine Bar
1665 SE Bybee Blvd.
>M. Allen Cunningham staffed the Atelier26 Books table at Wordstock 2016.
November 5, 2016, 9AM - 6PM
Portland Art Museum
>Thursday, August 4, 2016 / 7:00 p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
M. Allen Cunningham reads from The Timberline Review with fellow contributors Brittney Corrigan, Andrea Hollander, Annie Lightheart, David Melville, Paulann Peterson, and Christy Stevens.
Broadway Books
1714 NE Broadway
Portland, OR
>Wed. October 5, 2016 / 7:00 p.m.
Annie Bloom's Booksellers
7834 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, OR
>Sunday, March 20, 2016 / 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. > SEATTLE, WA
APRIL Festival of Independent Literature Book Expo.
Hugo House
1634 11th Ave
Seattle, WA
>Thursday March 31 - Saturday April 2, 2016 / 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily > LOS ANGELES, CA
Exhibitor, Atelier26 Books, AWP Conference, North America's largest literary gathering.
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
>Friday, April 1, 2016 / 6:00-7:30 p.m. > LOS ANGELES, CA
M. Allen Cunningham reads in a stellar lineup in this AWP offsite event sponsored by Catamaran Literary Reader. Reception 6:00-6:30, then readings.
Hennessey & Ingalls Bookstore
300 S. Santa Fe Ave. (L.A. Arts District)
>Saturday, Nov 28, 2015 / 3:00 - 5:00p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
M. Allen Cunningham will be at Portland's Broadway Books in celebration of Indies First Day, and will happily sign copies of Partisans and The Honorable Obscurity Handbook, and/or will help you find other good titles.
Broadway Books
1714 NE Broadway
Portland, OR 97232
503-284-1726
www.broadwaybooks.net
>Sunday, December 6, 2015 / noon - 4:00 p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
Cunningham will sign books at the Oregon Historical Society's Annual Holiday Cheer Author Event.
Oregon Historical Society
1200 SE Park Ave
Portland, OR 97205
>Monday, April 6, 2015 / 7:30 p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
M. Allen Cunningham presents Partisans at Powell's Books.
Powell's Books on Hawthorne
3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, OR 97214
>April 8-11, 2015 > MINNEAPOLIS, MN
M. Allen Cunningham attends the 2015 AWP Conference.
Minneapolis Convention Center
>Saturday, May 9, 2015 / 1:30 p.m. > PORTLAND, OR
M. Allen Cunningham reads from Date of Disappearance in a lineup of fellow short fiction writers in celebration of National Short Story Month.
Another Read Through
3932 N Mississippi Ave
Portland, Oregon 97227
http://www.anotherreadthrough.com/
>Thursday, June 4, 2015 / 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. > CORVALLIS, OR
M. Allen Cunningham speaks at the Academy for Lifelong Learning,
joining Jack Wolcott, co-owner of Grass Roots Books & Music, in discussing
"Bookstores, Printed Books, E-books, and the Future of Reading"
First Congregational Church
4515 SW West Hills Rd.
Corvallis, OR
More info: http://www.all-osuaa.org/all_classes/2015_spring_classes
/2015_spring_soc.pdf
This event will be followed by a meet-and-greet
and book-signing with Cunningham at
Grass Roots Books & Music, 12:00 -12:30 p.m.
>Thursday, August 13, 2015 / 7:00 p.m. > SAUSALITO, CA
M. Allen Cunningham reads from Partisans in the Why There Are Words Reading Series.
Studio 33 on Caledonia Street
333 Caledonia St.
Sausalito, CA 94965
http://whytherearewords.com/
>Saturday, August 15, 2015 / 7:30 p.m. > PEBBLE BEACH, CA
M. Allen Cunningham delivers a guest lecture on publishing, 2015 Catamaran Writing Conference.
Stevenson Chapel, at Stevenson School Pebble Beach Campus
3152 Forest Lake Road
Pebble Beach, CA 93953