To us, the lucky ones living in west-central Wisconsin, Michael Perry is a “local” author. But to encompass the sweep of his popularity, you’d have to take your old math-class compass and crank it to spread-eagle position. Then, with the anchor somewhere between New Auburn and Fall Creek, draw a circle that covers the nation.

Wisconsinites or otherwise, people have commended Michael Perry’s first three Harper-Collins books, including Population: 485 (2002), Off Main Street (2005), and Truck: A Love Story (2006). That’s because Michael Perry’s radiantly written nonfiction is relatable for rural folk, farmers, writers, dads, husbands, and humans. He pretty much covers all his bases. Perry’s fourth book, Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting, is poised to enjoy the same success when it appears in stores April 21.

    In Coop, Perry recalls a year in which his and his wife’s simple desire to own chickens has catapulted them into a countrified lifestyle they are not quite prepared for. The chronological events of the story take place in 2007, but they are layered with details of Perry’s own farmstead childhood.

For instance, when a dog terrorizes a few of their chickens, Perry supplies a very similar childhood story to mirror it. In this way, we see how his upbringing is sometimes tangible in the present – from the discipline he received as a child to the rules he imparts on his own daughter. The reader is delightfully privy to Perry’s thoughts as he figures out farming and parenting, all while fulfilling his role as a husband and remaining a writer.

“There are a lot of good books out there on living off the land, and how to do it,” Perry says, smiling. “Mine is more incompetent … as in, here’s what you might not want to do.”

This trial-and-error lifestyle is the source of good-natured self deprecation throughout the book. “If life was a state fair, I’d have a giant shoe box full of green ribbons embossed with the word PARTICIPANT,” he writes. All joking aside, however, Coop is a constant source of wisdom, and that wisdom is earned. Also, he can build a thing or two. (Note that the chicken coop immortalized on the front cover is the handiwork of Perry himself, with the help of his best friend).

Dedicated readers will notice Perry’s physical transition since the last book, from his beloved New Auburn to rural Fall Creek – a move of about 40 miles. Though he had no intention to relocate, Perry says it’s not about him anymore. “I can’t just say to my family: ‘the best place for me is the best place for you,’” he says. Having meditated on a sense of home, he has found it to be “an evolving thing.”

    I asked him if he could ever call another part of the country – or a different country altogether – home. “Yes,” he answers easily. “There are places of Wyoming and Mexico where I’ve felt absolutely at peace.”

For now, though, he and his wife and two daughters, ages 9 and 2, will call Fall Creek home. Also roaming the premises are 70 chickens, four pigs, three sheep, one goat, and one guinea pig. The book contains plenty of their antics.

What hasn’t changed since his first book is Perry’s dedication to volunteer firefighting and EMT work. “Carrying a pager for the local rescue service is a privilege. And it’s reality-based,” he says, contrasting the hands-on aspect of the job with the more abstract act of writing.

Perry continues to be happily involved in the realm of music as well, playing 10 to 15 shows a year. “It’s just blue jeans singer-songwriter stuff,” he says. Occasionally he enjoys combining his readings with short concerts. “It’s good to take a step away from the traditional bookstore model,” he says.

Yet writing – pure, insightful, from-the-gut writing – remains Perry’s passion. “I try to write something every day, even if it’s just on post-it notes or gum wrappers stuffed in my pockets,” he says. He also contributes regularly to magazines such as Men’s Health, often juggling three deadlines at once.

Due to the success of his words, Perry is on tour about 100 days out of any given year. His current Coop tour includes a nonstop stretch of 40 cities in 25 days, but he plans to return home for a week or so to plant. “It’s tiring being away from home, but I’m so lucky,” he says, reminding himself of the demanding lifestyles of truckers and soldiers.

Though I was starting to grasp how busy this man really was, I had to ask: had he signed another book deal? Yes, he had. This time, the stories will be based on his “old-timer” neighbors, people who are “encyclopedias of fundamentally useful and important information.” He will continue to visit them – broken machinery invariably in tow – but this time, he says, “I’ll be taking notes.”

    Coop: A Year of Poulty, Pigs, and Parenting, will be available at Crossroad Books and Borders in Eau Claire starting April 21. Perry will appear at Borders on April 25 for a reading and book signing.