#population 485

Throwback Thursday: Montaigne in Barn Boots

Montaigne in Barn Boots is not my most popular book, sales-wise. I kinda knew that goin’ in. In fact, I told my editor, “Some of my audience isn’t gonna go for this one.” And, I like to joke, I was right. But that book also precipitated some of the most heartfelt letters, emails, and conversations since Population 485. The readers who did connect with it, connected deeply. The other night–man, I…

Copy-pasted this a while back and now can’t remember where I saw it written (in a review, maybe? or a social media comment?), but thanks to this reader, and thanks to whoever left the book there in the first place: Population 485 was found at a laundromat across from UW-STOUT & read it & then returned it to whomever left it behind & went to borders(BAM now)& bought signed copy. Moved me to dig up…

Second Language, Second Family

I was gifted this challenge coin after I spoke and shared an evening with a large group of EMTs, firefighters, and first responders last week. I got my EMT license 35 years ago. In that time I’ve gone from making hundreds of calls per year to a sparse handful. And yet firefighting and EMS have been, as I once wrote, “a consistent part of my life longer than anything else in my life besides…

Never won a Pulitzer, but my book was in a parade. And memories like this are why I’ll never catch up on thank-yous.

Mom says don’t brag but gotta share this one because you know you’ve hit a small town high point when you make the local “remember when” column and it didn’t involve running over a cow or something. Thank you to one of Snook’s daughters for the clipping. (Yep, some folks still send clippings!) (Well, jpegs of clippings…) And thank you Bloomer Advance. Life currently has me at a different zip code…

Indies, Self-Publishing and Gratitude

These days I take a hybrid approach to publishing. I have one book under contract with a “legacy” publisher that has been good to me over many decades and many titles (Population 485 in print with them for 20 years now) and one with an exciting new top-tier publisher (both books are way overdue…if my editors see this I swear I’m on it). In the past few years I’ve also published with a smaller…

Aren’t road trips, exploring the byways, small towns, and back roads of America wonderful? Exiting the big highways, taking a little time with the journey and exploring local features is endlessly fascinating. Do it with someone equally curious and the country opens up, sharing clues of history, hope, community and conflict. It leads to questions about the people and their towns and villages.…

Trucking exit strategies, ‘The Great Resignation’ and a ‘Face of the Road’ with author Michael Perry

Howdy folks: A while back when the air was not as it is now (everything humid was frozen), Michael sat down with Long Haul Paul from Overdrive magazine, who, along with his lovely bride, interviewed Mike while overlooking the frozen Chippewa river. Paul, as he has done thousands of times in his 18-wheeler, adeptly steered as Mike rambled, and a lovely chat ensued about life on the farm, making a…