Photo by Andi Stempniak

Author Michael Perry lives in rural northwestern Wisconsin when he’s not on the road promoting his books. The popular memoir writer will appear Wednesday, April 17, at a free event at Matheson Memorial Library in Elkhorn.

Author of "Visiting Tom: A Man, a Highway, and The Road to Roughneck Grace," to share rural life ruminations at April 17 Elkhorn appearance

ELKHORN — If a writer is lucky enough to hit the literary lottery that is the New York Times Best Sellers list, they probably don’t expect to be notified in the middle of the night, out in the middle of nowhere. But last August, that’s exactly what happened to Wisconsin author Michael Perry.

 "I was in Minnesota, it was 1:30 in the morning and I pulled over at an off-ramp alongside the interstate," recalled Perry. "I was clumsily checking messages on my phone and there it was."

"It" in this case was word from his editor at HarperCollins, informing Perry his newest memoir, "Visiting Tom: A Man, a Highway, and The Road to Roughneck Grace," had zoomed to No. 21 on the coveted tracker.

On the road more than 100 days a year, promoting his books on stages big and small, it’s only fitting Perry would get the big news while stretching his legs on yet another self-driven book tour.

The author of five nonfiction books that fall into the memoir genre, Perry’s loyal and expanding following of readers is due, in part, to his willingness to take his show on the road. On Wednesday, April 17, Perry will make a stop in Elkhorn at Matheson Memorial Library, 101 N. Wisconsin St., at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Photo submitted

Dozens of patients get dental care during Mission of Mercy, a project of the Wisconsin Dental Association and its foundation. This year’s free care event will take place in late June at Badger High School in Lake Geneva.

LAKE GENEVA — Not many visits to the dental chair elicit smiles. However, Brian Mitchell has displayed a contagious grin ever since summer 2010.

The Janesville resident and Madison native was a patient at the second Mission of Mercy, which was held in Sheboygan and is a project of the Wisconsin Dental Association and its foundation.

"We didn’t have insurance, so I didn’t have access to care at the time," Mitchell said. "I went up there and got between $1,500 and $2,000 worth of work done, which would have taken us two or three years to take care of and pay for."

However, Mitchell and his wife, Michelle, didn’t take that care and the positive experience for granted. They’ve volunteered at the Wausau and Madison events the last two years and will help again this time as dental professionals and hundreds of volunteers converge on Badger High School’s sports complex in Lake Geneva from Thursday through Sunday, June 27 through June 30.