Michael Perry's Blog, page 4

“Bullwinkle” – Michael Perry live at The Stoughton Opera House February 22 2024

In this live performance Michael Perry describes how his first date was in a hearse with the girl next door and a guy named Bullwinkle. Filmed live at The Stoughton Opera House. For more info on booking Mike see https://sneezingcow.com/book-mike/. For all his books and merchandise, visit https://sneezingcow.com/store/.

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Free Episode of Michael Perry’s Voice Mail – Episode #265a: Not A Sermon

Howdy folks:

This episode is free to all subscribers, and random. Did a lil’ soliloquy up there in the garage and decided to share it. You can watch the episode here.

Thank you. All of you.

Mike

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Tour Flashback

Random oddities of the midlist touring author life: You look up from a taxi leaving La Guardia Airport in NYC, spot an odd-looking hotel and realize, “Hey, I slept there once! 2017-ish. Last night of the Montaigne in Barn Boots tour.” And a week ago it was some hotel in Beloit.

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May The Wind Always Be…

From a reader:

I just wanted to thank you for writing Forty Acres Deep. I have not experienced all of Harold’s struggles, but I do know how it feels to cry when the cows leave or to love farming but sometimes feel that it is a losing battle. For a small book it made me think and feel quite a bit. I saw on your website that you had some reservations in writing this book, so I thought I should give my sincere appreciation for whatever it is worth. I hope the wind is always at your back, unless you are spreading manure…

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Michael Perry Joins MPL Insider Series Finale: Beyond the Books One Last Time with Tim & Emily

Mike recently engaged in a fun and lighthearted discussion with Tim and Emily of the MPL Insider Series Finale: Beyond the Books One Last Time hosted by the Manitowoc Public Library. Topics included a fun and lively discussion about writing, circuitous career paths, French philosophers, this guy, and Mike’s upcoming performance on June 19th at 6PM at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus Theatre (705 Viebahn Street, Manitowoc, WI) for an evening of storytelling and laughter. The event is FREE and open to the public. No advance seating reservations are required! More event details here.

Mike joins the video chat at the 5:45 minute mark and the conversation ends at about the 30 minute mark.

You can stream the interview here.

 

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Free Episode of Michael Perry’s Voice Mail – #263: Exploding Pink Tape Measure

Howdy folks:

Welcome to Michael Perry’s Voice Mail, episode 263. This one’s available to free and paid subscribers alike. Click here to listen. If you enjoy the episode and would like a few free ones on us, please send an email to orders@sneezingcow.com.

In this episode I explore the evolution and nuances of the Menards rebate form and why some of us are so excited about the new version. Then I tell the story of the exploding pink tape measure. And then it all ends up back at Menards again.

If you happen to be in the Eau Claire area on May 15, I’m doing a live event with my friend Frank Bures to promote his new book. If you can’t make it, the book is available at Bookshop.org and Amazon.

All of my live events can be found here.

Thank you for subscribing and listening.

Mike

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Boots

For years I’ve performed in boots. Not because I need steel-toes in case I drop my poem or my guitar, but because in the moment it takes to lace up I’m reminded of folks like my brother the logger, who perform physical labor daily in all sorts of conditions and with no spotlight or applause. I work hard at what I do. And I’ve gotten to where I’ll push back at this whole oversimplified gosh-darn idea that “if you can’t stack it or stack with it, it doesn’t count.”* But I also know how fortunate I am to have found the lane I’ve found, and I try to approach it with blue-collar intent.**

Photos by Lee Butterworth.

*Quoting myself, from Montaigne In Barn Boots.
**Gray socks reflect my Unified Laundry Theory, as detailed in Chapter 8 of Truck: A Love Story.

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Michael Perry’s Voice Mail – Episode #262: Dandelion Fuzz

Howdy folks:

Welcome to Michael Perry’s Voice Mail, episode 262. This one’s available to free and paid subscribers alike. Click here to listen.

If you want to listen to a couple free episodes on us, please send an email to orders@sneezingcow.com.

In this episode I sit down to read about canoes with a cup of coffee at hand, wind up reading an essay about autodidacticism and have my day lightened by a line about dandelion fuzz I wish I woulda wrote.

If you happen to be in the Eau Claire area on May 15, I’m doing a live event with my friend Frank Bures to promote his new book, Pushing the River. If you can’t make it, the book is available at Bookshop.org and Amazon.

Thank you for listening. We don’t take it for granted.

Forward,
Mike

 

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Population: 485 “Summer Here” Poster Donations to the Feed My People Food Bank

If you’ve seen the [TK DATE] issue of Volume One, that beautiful cover is the work of Mike’s longtime family friend and Chippewa Valley artist Lori Chilefone. You also may recognize the artwork from the Population 485-based “Summer Here” poster. In honor of Lori and her work, from June 12th through July 4th, 2025, for any orders of or including the “Population: 485 “Summer Here” poster, we will make a donation to the Feed My Children Food Bank in Eau Claire, WI. You can purchase the poster here.

From Lori:

“The opening paragraph of Population: 485 inspired me in creating this collage. The figure in the collage is from a circa 1880’s gravure rendering by Smeeton & Tilly of a statue of Phoebe. A Titan goddess of the moon, worshipped by ancient Greeks, her name derives from the Greek for shining, bright, and radiant.”

It showcases butterflies that are native to the region of Wisconsin where the book Population: 485 is set.

Michael Perry’s Population 485 poster specifications:

Size: 11×17Medium: PrintFinish: MattePaper: 100lb Environmental Smooth Cover

 

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Inverse Customer Service Rule

Inverse Customer Service Rule

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