Events
2010
Sept. 10, 2010
Reading, University of Miami, 6:00 p.m.
Coral Gables, FL
Sept. 11
Community workshop, free and open to the public
Books & Books, 12:00 – 1:30
Coral Gables, FL
Sept. 20, 2010
Southern Connecticut State University
Sept. 24-26
Carmel Authors and Ideas Festival Carmel, CA
Sept. 28
Scout, Atticus and Boo: San Francisco Public Library celebrates the 50th anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird. Join Andrew Sean Greer, Jewelle Gomez, and Michelle Richmond on a panel moderated by Oscar Villalon. Main Library. Visit the event website.
Oct. 5
Virtual Reality: The Effect of Fiction on Your Mind. Join me for a Litquake event at the Mechanics Institute Library, with Book Passage president Elaine Petrocelli; memoirist Mark Vonnegut; Robert Burton, former Chief of Neurology at Mt. Zion-UCSF Hospital; moderated by Ransom Stephens (The God Patent). Admission: $12 general public, free to members of Mechanics Institute; reservations at (415) 393-0100 or rsvp@milibrary.org
Oct. 30, 2010
Brentwood CityRead, Brentwood City Library
2:00-3:00 pm.
During the month of October, copies of The Year of Fog will be available, free of charge, in coffee shops and local establishments throughout the city of Brentwood. Pick up a copy, pass it on when you’re finished, and join me on October 30 for a discussion and signing!
April 8, 2010
UC Berkeley Story Hour
Doe Library, Details here
April 10,2010
AWP Conference, Denver
10:30 Colorado Convention Center Room 301, 302
Panel with four terrific writers: Elizabeth Brundage, Richard Bausch, Meg Waite Clayton, and Jennifer Haigh
3:00 Mid-American Review reading
April 29-30
Alabama Writers Symposium, Monroeville, AL
“Literature on Location: The Muse of Place”
May 11, 2010
In conversation with Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Olive Kittredge, at the San Francisco JCC. This event will also be broadcast on KQED. Reception, 7:00 p.m. Conversation begins at 8:00 p.m. Tickets here.
June 13, 2010
Writing Mamas, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA
5:00-8:00 pm
Feb 6, 2010
Festival of Women Authors
YWCA, Oakland, CA
Feb. 6, 2010
Berkeley Public Library Authors Dinner
Feb. 12, San Francisco Writers Conference
2:00 Panel: “Creating Literary Fiction That Keeps Readers Turning the Pages,” with Herbert Gold, Michelle Richmond, Monte Schulz. Moderator: agent Elise Capron
March 12-13, 2010
Tuscon Festival of Books
March 13, 2:30 p.m.
Panel with Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters
Fall 2009
August/September
NO ONE YOU KNOW is the selection of the Times Book Group, hosted by Lynn Carey. Book club events at Book Passage and Clayton Books. Interviews, reader responses, and book group discussion summaries appear in the San Jose Mercury, the Marin Independent Journal, Contra Costa County Times, and Diablo Valley Magazine.
September 30
In conversation with Julia Glass at the San Francisco JCC
This event will also be broadcast on KQED. Tickets $18
October 9
An Evening at the Booksmith: Literary Fiction book swap, with Andrew Sean Greer & Michelle Richmond. Wine, appetizers, and stories. Tickets $25. Details and tickets here.
October 14
Peninsula Jewish Community Center. The Year of Fog is the October book club selection of Foster City Library, hosted by Cynthia Rider. I’ll be on hand to discuss the book, writing life, and life after fog. 7:30 p.m. Details here.
October 17
Reading at the Rumpus Litquake litcrawl event, with performance by John Wesley Harding and readings by Vendela Vida, Michelle Richmond, and Bucky Sinister, hosted by Rumpus editor Stephen Elliott. At the Makeout Room, San Francisco.
November 22
Reading group event at the brand new Books Inc. in Berkeley, hosted by Margie Scott Tucker.
Previous Events
College of Saint Mary’s Scholarship Fundraiser
featuring Al Young, Michael Ondaatje, Brenda Hillman, Michelle Richmond, and Alev Croutier
March 07, 2009 5:00pm, Chadwick’s Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Tickets: $100
University of Miami, Reading & Talk
March 11, 2009 12:15pm
Miami, FL
Towne Center Books, Pleasanton–Featured Speaker
March 28, 1:00-3:00
Scholarship fundraiser
Conference on Southern Literature
Reading featuring the recipients of the 2009 Fellowship of Southern Writers awards
April 03, 2009 9:00am
Chattanooga, TN
April 13
Notre Dame de Namur University–Featured Speaker
Wiegland Gallery, Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont , CA
Orinda Books
April 16, 7:00 p.m.
With Frances Dinkelspiel, Brenda Webster, Jessica Barksdale Inclan, and Susan Freinkel
Literary Women: The Bay Area Festival of Authors
April 18, Pleasant Hill, CA
Pleasant Hill Community Center, 9:00 – 2:00
Tickets are $42, and include tea and a boxed lunch
Northern California Book Awards
April 19, Koret Auditorium of the San Francisco Public Library
Feb. 3, Jewish Community Center, San Francisco
7:30 pm, Bad Girls: 26 Writers Misbehave
Panel discussion with editor Ellen Sussman and contributors Kim Addonizio, Michelle Richmond and Kate Moses.
Sept. 16, City Arts and Lectures with Paul Auster
Join me at Herbst Theater in San Francisco for a conversation with one my favorite authors, Paul Auster. If you can’t make the live event, you can hear City Arts & Lectures on the radio.
Sept. 21, Booksmith booth at the Cole Valley Street Fair, San Francisco, noon
Sept. 27, Towne Center Books, Pleasanton, CA
Read it and eat author luncheon: lunch, wine, and book discussion, NO ONE YOU KNOW
October 9, Litquake, Nightclub at Hemlock Tavern at 1131 Polk St
Featuring: Bob Calhoun, Alan Black, Jack Boulware, Michael Disend, Beth Lisick, Michelle Richmond, Sylvie Simmons, David Henry Sterry.
October 13, WKRG TV, Mobile, Alabama
9:00 a.m., talking about No One You Know and The Year of Fog
October 26, Book Group Expo, San Jose, CA
Panel, “The Liar’s Club,” with Rabbih Alameddine (The Hakawati), Selden Edwards (The Little Book), and Julie Robinson
Previous Events
Spring & Summer 2009
Get Michelle Richmond’s events on twitter.
The Reporter City-Wide Book Club
May 6, 7:00 p.m.
Vacaville Public Library, Vacaville, CA
Q&A, discussing THE YEAR OF FOG
South Bay Writers–Featured Speaker
May 12, 7:00 p.m.
Sunnyvale, CA
Wednesday, May 20, 6:00 PM
Book Passage
1 Ferry Building #42, San Francisco, CA, 94111
BOOK PARTY FOR PAPERBACK RELEASE OF No One You Know
May 21
Books Inc., Burlingame, 7:00 p.
1375 Burlingame Ave
Reading with the wonderful Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters
Thursday, May 28, 7:30 PM
Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts
With Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters
2904 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA
June 2
Clayton Books, Clayton, CA
Reading with Meg Waite Clayton
June 04, 2009 7:30pm
Sweet Thursday at the Lafayette Library
Lafayette, CA
June 12
Literary Death Match, Elbo Room, San Francisco
July 10 & 11
Foothill College Writers Conference
I’ll be doing a reading, conducting a workshop with Alan Cheuse, and holding a couple of seminars. Details here.
July 1, No One You Know book launch party
Books Inc, Opera Plaza
July 9, Kepler’s, reading and signing
1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA
July 13, Backstage with Ben Fong-Torres
Tune in to 106.9 KFRC, where I talk with Ben Fong-Torres about No One You Know: the music, the inspiration, and how he came to be a character in the book. And listen while Ben spins some songs about fog, memory, math, and coffee. You can listen live from 8-9 a.m. or 8-9 p.m. today, or listen to the podcast anytime.
July 15, The Booksmith, reading & signing
1644 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA, 7:30 p.m.
Discussion and general throw-down. Drinks afterward across the street.
July 16, The Depot, discussion & signing
87 Throckmornton Ave, Mill Valley, CA, 7:00 p.m.
There’s ice cream just down the lane, you know.
July 17, Rakestraw Books, reading & signing
409 Railroad Ave, Danville, CA
July 19, Conversations on the Coast
Tune in to listen to my conversation with Jim Foster about No One You Know. Show airs at 3:00 and will be available here as a podcast.
July 29, M Is For Mystery
Reading & signing. 7:00 p.m.
86 East Third Ave, San Mateo, CA
August 13, Dirty Words, Litquake’s Tribute to Smut
Starring Daniel Handler, Ellen Sussman, Michelle Richmond, Kim Addonizio, Helena Echlin, Stephen Elliot, emcee Kirk Read, a fashion show by SOMA purveyor of corsets and fine leather Stormy Leather, along with cabaret and burlesque from Twilight Vixen Review.
CELLspace2050 Bryant Street, San Francisco, CA 7:00 – 11:00 pm
Purchase tickets ($25) here. Proceeds go to Litquake.
March 25, Sex for America, The Booksmith on Haight
With editor Stephen Elliott, and fellow contributors Nick Flynn and Anthony Swofford
April 19, Progressive Reading Series
Jane Smiley, Michelle Richmond, Tom Bissell, and Charlie Anders. Make-Out Room, San Francisco.
May 10, All-Star Literary Death Match, Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco
I’ll be judging as winners of past throw-downs go head-to-head. Hosted by Todd Zuniga and Opium Magazine.
March 9 – Writers on Writing, XM Satellite Radio
Program airs at 3:00 p.m. About the show: “A behind-the-scenes look at what goes on between the covers of today’s top sellers and tomorrow’s classics with authors like Anne Rice, Richard Ford, Ann Patchett, and Amy Tan.”
March 12
A Great Good Place for Books, Oakland
March 19, Evening Tea, hosted by Clayton Books, Clayton, CA
Englund’s Tea Cottage. Reservation required. Free admittance with purchase of The Year of Fog.
March 4
Books Inc., Palo Alto. 7:00 p.m. 855 El Camino Real #74. 10% of the days sales will benefit the C-A-R (Community Association for Rehabilitation)!
March 6
Mrs. Dalloway’s, Berkeley. 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 11, Minna Gallery, San Francisco
New Voices panel sponsored by National Book Critics Circle, moderated by Jane Ciabattari. 5:30 p.m. Panelists: Sandy Dijkstra, literary agent; David Kipen, NEA director of literature; Eli Horowitz, Publisher, McSweeney’s Books; Suzanne Kleid, City Lights Books and KQED blogger; Michael Ray, editor ZOETROPE: ALL STORY; Michelle Richmond, author.
Jan. 31 – 826 Valencia, San Francisco
Novel writing seminar featuring Andrew Sean Greer, Michelle Richmond, and Ann Packer. The cost is $100, and proceeds benefit the programs of 826 Valencia.
Jan. 31, Center for Sex and Culture, San Francisco
After the novel-writing seminar at 826 Valencia, I’ll be heading over to the Center for Sex & Culture, where no mayhem and madness will be spared in celebrating the publication of Stephen Elliott’s new anthology, Sex for America. Readers include Michelle Tea, Mistress Morgana, Charlie Anders, Liz Henry, Daphne Gottlieb, and yours truly.
February 23, Cantina, San Francisco. Babylon Salon.
Eat, drink, and hear stories. Readings by Eileen Reynolds, Herb Sandhu, Julie Bifano, The Editor’s Choice reader from Opium Magazine. Featured artist: Michelle Richmond. Complimentary eats. Cash bar-exotica! The location host is one Duggan McDonnell, famed mixologist.
2007
November 6, Harlot
Join me at Opium Magazine’s Literary Death Match. The actors of comedy troupe Killing My Lobster–Jon Wolanske, Todd Brotze, Joel Dovev and Eric Schniewind–will be reading the funniest stories from past issues of Opium. I’ll be judging the event, along with Canteen Editor Sean Finney and Talk Show Live host Kurt Bodden.
August 20, 7:00 p.m.
Reading and book talk at Sunset Branch of San Francisco Public Library.
Sept. 23
Cole Valley Street Fair. I’ll be signing books and chatting with street-goers (is that a word?) at the Booksmith booth.
Oct 3
My essay “Blackout in Ushuaia” will be read on Australian public radio. The podcast will be available here.
Oct 11
Litquake: Original short story evening. I’ll join a few other Bay Area authors in reading short stories we’ve written specifically for this event, on the theme of “The Lesser Evil.”
Oct. 16
Fort Mason, San Francisco. Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, party for Bad Girls. With Joyce Maynard, Pam Houston, Ellen Sussman, and Liz Rosner.
Oct. 17
Reading and book discussion at The Depot, Mill Valley, California. 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 26
Annual Author Luncheon at San Francisco Day School, proceeds to benefit the school
previous events, 2007
July 16
Book Passage, Corte Madera. Reading with Joyce Maynard, Liz Rosner, Lolly Winston, Kate Moses, Kaui Hart Hemmings, & Susan Casey for Ellen Sussman’s new anthology Bad Girls
July 17
Opium Magazine’s Literary Death Match, Harlot (San Francisco), 8:30
I’ll be competing against Stephen Elliott, Joyce Maynard, and Sam Hurwitt in a fight to the finish of the (sort of) literary variety. Judges Howard Junker (ZYZZYVA), Beth Lisick (Everyone into the Pool), and Jon Wolanske (Killing My Lobster) will judge us on “literary merit, performance, and intangibles” before the two lucky finalists move on to a heart-palpitating game of Stab a Hole in Nebraska. Details here.
July 21
West Coast Live at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley with the Bad Girls posse
July 24
The Booksmith, San Francisco. Reading with Joyce Maynard, Liz Rosner, Kate Moses, Kim Addonizio, & Kaui Hart Hemmings, for Ellen Sussman’s new anthology Bad Girls.
July 26
Reading and book talk for THE YEAR OF FOG at Mrs. Dalloway’s, Berkeley. (This will be my only East Bay event for The Year of Fog.)
August 9, View from the Bay
On ABC 7 with Ellen Sussman, editor of Bad Girls, and fellow contributer Elizabeth Rosner.
April 4, 2007
Reading and launch party for THE YEAR OF FOG
Books Inc. Opera Plaza, San Francisco
6:00 wine and cheese reception, 7:00 reading
join us afterward for drinks at Hotel Rex
April 9
“A night of literary fiction” at the fabulous Kepler’s in Menlo Park, CA
Reading with Ann Cummins, author of Yellowcake
7:30 p.m.
April 13, The California Report
The Year of Fog reviewed by Jordan Rosenfeld. Click here for the podcast.
April 14, West Coast Live
Join me, Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Peter Plate, the all-girl band Misty River, Celtic gem Melanie O’Reilly, and others at Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, where we’ll be taping the radio program West Coast Live. Reservations: 415-664-9500. You can show up early for the 10 a.m. show, featuring Jonathan Lethem and music by Tango #9.
April 17
Reading at Book Passage in the Ferry Building, San Francisco 7:00 p.m.
April 20
Friends of the San Francisco Public Library Laureates Dinner
6:30 p.m.
April 21-22
Arkansas Literary Festival, Little Rock
April 28
Reading at Bookshop West Portal with Sheri Joseph, author of Stray
May 5
A pre-recorded West Coast Live will air today, with Fogtown author Peter Plate, musical guests Misty River, and yours truly
May 8
Reading and signing at San Francisco Public Library, Main Branch
May 16
Radar Salon Series, hosted by Michelle Tea, at the Harvey Milk Branch of San Francisco Public Library
May 19
Inside Storytime
Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco
June 8 – 10
Book Group Expo, San Jose Convention Center
June 14
Reading at Book Passage in Corte Madera, 7:00 p.m. Read my posts on the Book Passage blog here.
March 12, 2007
Kepler’s Book Club Mixer
Reception with local authors begins at 6:45, followed by a presentation of staff picks. With Lalita Tademy, Firoozeh Dumas, Lolly Winston, Barry Eisler, yours truly, & others.
March 28-31, 2007
University of North Dakota Writers Conference
featuring Miller Williams, Li-Young Lee, Timothy Liu, Michelle Richmond, Leslie Adrienne Miller, Stuart Dybek, and Mary Gaitskill
2006
Sept. 25
Join Stephen Elliott, Carol Queen, Justin Chin, & yours truly for a reading & book release party for Stephen’s new book, My Girlfriend Comes to the City and Beats Me Up, Good Vibrations on Valencia, San Francisco, Sept. 25, 2006. One night when it’s all well and good to have your mind in the gutter.
Litquake. Local MacAdam/Cage authors Stephen Elliott, Michelle Tea, Craig Clevenger, & Michelle Richmond. Oct. 14. 8:00 p.m., The Make-Out Room, 22nd & Valencia.
Monday, November 6, 2006 at 7:00 PM, Madrone Lounge
Joint reading with The May Queen contributors and editor Christina Amini and contributors from Before The Mortgage.
500 Divisadero Street (at the corner of Fell)
Radar Love: a reading to benefit Carole & Mitzi, aka Beth Lisick (Everybody into the Pool) and Tara Jepsen, who are shooting a follow-up to their smash short film, Diving for Pearls. Thursday, August 24th Varnish Fine Art Gallery, San Francisco. Natoma between 1st & 2nd. 8:00pm $6.00. Hosted by Michelle Tea, with Joan Jett Blakk, Fear of the Outdoors, Kaui Hart Hemmings, Zoey Kroll, Luna Maia, yours truly, & more.
July 26, 2006, Cody’s Books, San Francisco
Reading with Dao Strom, Nicki Richesin, and Kim Askew, for The May Queen antholgoy
June 18, 2006, San Jose, CA
Book Group Expo, 2:30-3:30, Salon A.
Panel with Sylvia Brownrigg, Elizabeth Dewberry, and Adrienne Sharp, talking about writing “complex relationships.” The Book Group Expo will feature many authors, including Amy Tan, Dorothy Allison, Molly Giles, Ayelet Waldman, ZZ Packer, Mary Roach, Rabih Alameddine, and others.
March 10, 2006, Austin, TX
Hot prose with hot pros! Reading at Book People, “the largest booktore in Texas,” with Steve Almond, Sheri Joseph, & Michelle Tea, yours truly. 7:00 p.m. Get all the dirty details here.
March 11, 2006, noon, Austin Convention Center
Sexing the Story: Adventures in the Literary Boudoir (panel). Where: AWP Conference in Austin. Panelists: Steve Almond, Sheri Joseph, Michelle Tea. Moderated by yours truly.
April 3, A Clean Well-Lighted Place, 7 p.m.
Nicki Richesin, editor of the anthology The May Queen, and contributors
Nov. 28, 2006 Talk of the Nation, NPR
Don George, Simon Winchester(A Crack in the Edge of the World, The Map That Changed the World), and yours truly join Neil Conan to talk about George’s latest Lonely Planet anthology, By the Seat of My Pants. You can listen to the podcast here.
Dec. 7, San Francisco Public Library
Reading with fellow MacAdam/Cage authors Katherine Towler and Pamela Holm, plus Tupelo Press editor Jeffrey Levine and poets Ilya Kaminsky and Pireeni Sundaralingam with musician Colm O Riain
Dec. 8, Pegasus Books, Berkeley
Reading with Katherine Towler & Jeffrey Levine
Dec. 12, Edinburgh Castle, San Francisco
Katia Noyes, Daphne Gottlieb, Charlie Anders, & Michelle Richmond. A sort of literary free-for-all at San Francisco’s favorite literary underground pub, moderated by Kate Braverman.
Dec. 14, Book Passage, Corte Madera
Join Lonely Planet editor Don George, yours truly, and other contributors to the LP humor anthology By the Seat of My Pants for a lively reading and discussion, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Feb. 2 2006
Radar Reading Series with Michelle Richmond, Heather Rogers, & others at the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library. Hosted by Michelle Tea, writer of books and baker of cookies.
October 15–fun reading…in bar! with drinks!
LitQuake is the biggest literary event in San Francisco–don’t miss it! The 9-day brouhaha ends with the ever-popular lit crawl in the Mission, featuring dozens of authors feeling the fruits of their martinis. From 8:00 – 9:15, I’ll be reading with fellow MacAdam/Cage authors Stephen Elliott, Michelle Tea, & Will Christopher Baer at the Make-Out Room (22nd St between Valencia & Mission).
October 16
826 Valencia, San Francisco. Writing the Novel seminar with Andrew Sean Greer, Bharati Mukherjee, & Michelle Richmond, moderated by Stephen Elliott.
October 23
Litblogger panel at Black Oak Books in Berkeley, with Kevin Smokler, Michelle Richmond, Laila Lalami, & Frances Dinkelspiel
Nov. 20, Book Passage, Corte Madera
Kevin Smokler, editor of Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times, and yours truly–reading and discussion
Sept. 19
The Progressive Reading Series Presents: A Special Benefit For The Victims Of Hurricane Katrina Monday, September 19, 7pm The Makeout Room, San Francisco. $10 – $20 sliding scale.
Proceeds to benefit the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Fund
Featuring readings from: Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket), Firoozeh Dumas, Julie Orringer, Peter Orner, Daphne Gottlieb, Kaui Hart Hemmings, Truong Tran, Michelle Richmond, Anne Marino, Micheline Aharonian Marcom, Tom Barbash, and Michelle Tea
Sept. 14
St. Mary’s College of Moraga Reading Series. 7:30 p.m
Joint reading with Spring 2006 Distinguished Writers in Residence, Julie Orringer (How to Breathe Underwater) & Michelle Richmond
Sonoma County Book Fair. Litblog panel with Michelle Richmond, Jordan Rosenfeld and Martha O’Connor.
August 2
Reading at Zebulons Lounge in Petaluma with Michelle Richmond, Bruce Bauman, Jordan Rosenfeld, & Night Train‘s Susan Henderson. Read all about it here.
June 1
Join Kevin Smokler, Michelle Richmond, Adam Johnson, Paul Flores, and Nico Cary for the Bookmark Now launch party at A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books in San Francisco.
June 16
Bookmark Now reading at The Booksmith on Haight Street
Wed., June 22
Join Michelle and Rachel Pastan, author of This Side of Married, for a reading at Diesel Books in Oakland. 7:30 p.m.
July 13
Join Michelle and Pamela Holm, author of The Night Garden, for a reading at Potrero Library
July 23
Join me, Kevin Smokler, K.M. Soehnlein, & Adam Johnson for a panel at Books by the Bay in Yerba Buena Gardens (San Francisco)
Books in an Unreaderly World (10:30-11:15 Outdoor Panel Tent)
in the blogosphere
Mark Pritchard interviewed me for San Francisco Metblogs. Discussed: Ocean Beach as noir nirvana, impending doom, and heightened vigilance.
Nicki Richesin interviewed me about The Year of Fog for The Happy Booker. And catch my guest dj spot on the same blog, wherein I discuss my Badly Drawn Boy all-girl tribute band aspirations, a melancholy cover by Beautiful South, and the best oral sex/church song ever.
Gayle Brandeis (The Book of Dead Birds), interviews me for her blog, fruitful. Discussed: favorite writing exercises, the difference between writing a novel and writing short stories, and the glory of the pomegranate.
Joshilyn Jackson (author of Gods in Alabama and Between, Georgia) interviewed me about what it means to be a Southern writer, and the inspiration for Dream of the Blue Room.