Tuesday, June 05, 2012

THE FEEDSTORE CHRONICLES by Travis Erwin

Congrats to Ally of Little Squirts
You have won The Feedstore Chronicles!
Please email me your full name, address and name of book you won to stephanieelliot@gmail.com



Travis Erwin is a unique individual who loves meat, but don't hold that against him! I first met him through cyber-land via a Yahoo Chick Lit group of all places I think, years and years ago, because yes, he does write women’s fiction, but today I’m sharing his memoir called The Feedstore Chronicles. We’ve been pals for a long time, and his book is hilariously funny about him coming-of-age while working with a crazed boss in a feedstore. Don’t know what a feedstore is? I didn’t either, until I heard about Travis’ book and then the next day I was driving down a street here in AZ that I drive down practically every day and lo and behold, there’s a FREAKING FEEDSTORE a mile from our house! (It’s a place you can get food for animals like cattle and horses!)
So, here’s the back-of-the-book blurb on The Feedstore Chronicles, seriously some laugh-out-loud stories of when Travis was 16 and trying to figure out those things that 16-year-old boys are trying to well, figure out! … 

Welcome to Pearl's Feed and Seed Most coming-of-age stories are fraught with symbolism, hidden metaphors, and a heaping mound of other literary devices. Not this one. Not mine. You see, I came of age while working at a dusty Texas feedstore. A place where To Kill a Mockingbird involved a twelve-year-old and a BB gun. Of Mice and Men was a problem easily solved with rat poison. And David Copperfield was nothing more than a dude that made shit disappear. In the spring of 1989, I went to work at Pearl's Feed and Seed for a man named Doyle Suggs. On the surface Doyle and I had little in common: I was a rosy-cheeked boy of sixteen; he was a twice-divorced, thirty-year-old high school dropout. I had yet to go on my first date; he was trading sex for horse feed in the back room. Sure, Doyle was a lout, a liar, and a lecherous derelict. To this day, he remains the most morally bankrupt man I've ever met, yet my life wouldn't be half as blessed, had I missed out on his misguided education. The Feedstore Chronicles is a mostly true account of those days and when murderous ex-wives, well-hung bulldogs, and feed room fornication were all part of a normal day at Pearl's.

I’m guessing most of you have never heard of a ‘feedstore.’ So instead, tell me which STORE is your favorite store?

And you all know that you’re taking part in the June Bash-O-Books promo, and you should check in daily for a new book, right? Every entry is an extra entry toward the end-of-the-month grand prize of tons of books – each day I’m gathering more and more books from authors and publicists and will share them all with you soon! One or two grand prize winners will win ALL the books at the end of the month! For more details check info here.

As with all of the books I post on Booking with MaNiC, thanks to the authors and publicists for providing me with the books. Giveaways open to US/Canada residents only. To enter, leave an identifying unique user name or ID (NO anonymous will be accepted – leave an email address if you don’t know how to post to an account!

Winners will be chosen at random by random.org, within THREE DAYS from the date the book is posted on the blog, and one entry ALLOWED per book please. If you scroll through previous posts and if there is NOT a highlighted note at the top, then feel free to enter to win that book too! If there is a highlighted announcement at the top of a post, then that book is closed to comments and a winner has already been chosen. For comments, questions, suggestions, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Thanks for your participation! Good luck!

83 comments:

Ally said...

I actually love the Gap! I worked there in college and they treated their employees so well. I have kids now and LOVE their baby clothes.

Mary Jo Burke said...

I love junk store with tons of stuff in bins.

Anonymous said...

I just discovered a clothing store called Gordmans. It is huge and has great prices. It is quickly becoming my favorite.

-Donna W

Krystal said...

I love Kohl's! I can always get some really cute baby clothes at a great price!
kndyer

jdstec said...

Belk

ncsuloges said...

Quail Ridge Books

absolutahnie said...

target because i can get nearly everything i need there!

Megan said...

Target!
Eloisepeaches

BRN2SHOP9 said...

Marshall's! You get the same great brand names for less than half the price.

brn2shop9 at gmail dot com

Lindsay said...

Target!

Emma S. said...

I have heard of a feedstore before! The town I grew up is in rural PA, and feedstores are all around us. We used to by my dog beef knuckles there. I must say, going to a feedstore is quite the experience for outsiders!

And my favorite store might have to be Ikea or Hobby Lobby.

Travis Erwin said...

Thanks for the kind words about my memoir and as far as favorite stores that is a toss up. I'm not one to just shop for the sake of shopping so if I'm thirsty ... the liquor store is my fave, if I'm hungry ... the butcher shop. And of course what writer doesn't love a good book store. There is one on the square in Taos, New Mexico called Moby Dickens that I absolutely love. So I'll call it my favorite.

daisy d said...

sephora love to play there

Melissa said...

Target! Mel Rem

Melissa said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carly said...

Target!
But I'm familiar with feed stores. We have them in San Diego. :)

Carly H

Alice said...

I too frequented feedstores in my youth...growing up with horses and 4-H projects. But I would say my favorite store these days is Anthropolgie, even though I can't afford to shop there.

CAnative said...

Kohl's hands down!

Nicole

The Book Chick said...

Haha! I actually know what a feed store is- my dad is a hobby farmer AND I live in a rural area in Southern Ontario! Love the cover of this one :)

My fave store is a bookstore- cliche, I know, but it's the truth! All those books to look at and touch! Used book stores are even better because they always contain some kind of surprise!

Jonita

Tanya Quilts in CO said...

Target...When we got one in my small town, it saved me!

Mumma23qts said...

"Stor"age, so I don't have to go shopping...hate it!

Melissa said...

Nordstrom!
-tmd636

Sherry said...

Feed store--of course I know what a feed store is--I think we went there more than the grocery store when I was young.--Ahh the cute boys in stetsons and wranglers-and the adorable bunnies and chicks --so yeah I guess this is one of the main Stores of my childhood, teenage years--heck I still buy my dog and cat food from the same feed store I grew up going to (no sheep or horses any more). I love that I get to show my son a bit of country where I grew up since most of it is overridden with want to be rich and famous people.

Lizett34 said...

Target, I absolutely love it!

lizett34@yahoo.com

Jeffie T said...

I love the quirky, random stores. There's one here called the Mustache Store that is so much fun to browse through. And book stores, I can spend hours and hours in a book store.

Leah B said...

Target!

Luvschocolate said...

Actually it's a feed store and old fashioned General Store called in Litchfield Ohio, we would spend every summer at my grandparents farm and this would be a special trip to get old fashioned candy , and who knows what else you could find buried in that place. Gramps would stock up on supplies and the kids would wander, and pet the resident cat.

Crystal said...

I love Target!

But with all the wedding planning I've got going on, I am LOVING Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, and Michael's!

crystal717

Carie Casey said...

Bed Bath and Beyond. That place has everything I could want and need and some things I never knew I needed.

Carie

slm8803 said...

I love Old Navy...for myself and my children!!

lucy872 said...

My favorite store is Target. I must go there 2 - 3 times a week! I could just wander it for hours and it's even better when there is no one with me. I never get outof there without spending at least $50 though...so it's not my husband's favorite! :-)

Bridget said...

Coldwater Creek. Love all the colors in there. Like the clothes, too, but they are a little pricey, so wait for a sale or clearance.

I alreay have this book on Kindle, so just enter me in the grand prize.

iambtinrb

Betsy said...

Target!

Tami said...

Loves me some Target!!!

Kimmi said...

For the record, I know what a feedstore is. And I too am a Target devotee.

Bridget O'Neill said...

Just like most of the other posts, Target of course! And I live in Minneapolis, which is where they are headquartered, so I am in heaven! Targets are everywhere!!!

bjoneill@hotmail.com

Katie said...

I love a good bookstore where i could spend hours. But my favorite store is Ikea because I could spend HOURS there!

Kristen said...

The Limited!

Kristen27

Denise said...

A good bookstore (i.e. Brookline Booksmith), and a good shoe store. I can't choose between the 2, I love them both too much!

-Denise F.

Leslie said...

Target (the upscale WalMart)! We do have a feed / get everything in the world there in my town. Love that place too:) LeslieGC

your invisible pixie said...

Target! Or Forever 21. But I can always find something in Target...even if I only go in for one thing.

Jessica said...

I have to pick one store as my favorite? Haha, that is so hard! I'd say Starbucks. It's not technically a store but it's my favorite place ever!!

I'm not interested in winning this book but I still want this entry to count towards winning all the books if possible!

Thanks so much!!

-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

BrendaL71 said...

Target is my fav which is why I actually have been shopping more elsewhere because I spend way to much money there.

Bev V said...

Adams Fairacre Farms. A local store with fresh produce and meat!!

Bev V said...

Adams Fairacre Farms. A local grocery store with the freshest produce around!!

Carol5814 said...

Target now but Here in Chicago we miss Marshall Fields

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

It's gotta be Target. The nearest one is 50 miles away so whenever I am close, I have to stop by.

TaraUB said...

I'm in the feedstore knowing group. Small town Indiana. Target is my favorite big box store, but I love a lot of the little local shops around Indianapolis.

betsy_blixt said...

H&M. Love this store! Always lives 6 hours from it until I moved to Boston. Now it's only a ten minute walk. Cheap awesome clothes!

ludy2288 said...

Ann Taylor & Target tie for my current faves

Jen said...

Powell's Bookstore in Portland, OR. I'm not allowed there very often though! :)

-Jen
jenknee1976@hotmail.com

Marla W. said...

Target - what can't you get at Target??? I can even get a Starbucks while I'm there :o)

Shellybelly43066 said...

Online store...Endless.com
I search everyday

Kristi said...

Any bookstore around. I can spend hours just wandering around. One of my favorite places to relax.

Dani In Chicago said...

There's a boutique by me called Sage. It's got a lot of cute things for reasonable prices.

Melissa said...

aside from bookstores, i love my local thrift store!

melissa a from clc

Anonymous said...

My favorite store is Target. I go in for a $1.19 spray bottle and leave spending $80 on impulse buys. A close second for me is Cox's Plant Farm. It is a cousin to the feedstore. :-). I can find anything and everything lawn and garden related.

Colbey J

Kelleyc said...

Costco and Target are tied!!! Love both!

Books & Reviews said...

I hate shopping....but I would pick Target. I also know what a feed store is!

Nanette said...

OMG....Hallmark!!!! Call me a sap but I LOVE THAT STORE!!!!!!!

Nan :)

Kayo said...

Any book store is my favorite, however I WORK at a feed store/elevator. I had no idea that existed before I started working here.

A.C. Morris said...

Hahaha, I grew up out in the country where there was a feed store about a mile from my house. For a while, it actually held the community tanning bed as well. When I was in high school I would ride my bike up there to tan :) As unpopular as this will be, my favorite store is probably Wal-mart. Living overseas has really made me miss it for its convenience and being open 24 hours a day!

Margie said...

My favorite stores are Kohls and The Wild Bird Store.
Margie T

Mom'sLove said...

my favorites would be Target, Nordstroms, and Barnes & Noble.
;)
Amanda at
Byacourt at gamil dot com

equinn726 said...

We have a feedstore in my town so I did know what one was. My favorite store (at the moment) to run around in is Jax.

Erin G said...

Borders used to be my favorite store, but then they closed :(

Now I suppose I'd say Target!

Emily said...

Hi, my name is Emily, and I'm addicted to Target.

Emily116

Ready To Be A Momma said...

Victorias secret!!
Qweska8402

robynn78/robin.krzyzak@yahoo.com said...

Best Buy, it has been my lifeline for 15+ years now as my husband is the GM there. :o)

Kristin said...

Target because it has just about everything I need for my daily life.

Becki**** said...

Barnes and Noble.

susieqlaw said...

I heart Sephora!

susieqlaw

Dizzy Ms. Lizzy said...

Actually, I grew up in a small town, and walked past a feedstore on my way home from school every day during my gradeschool years. I loved the sounds and smells of the place - it was fascinating to a small "town girl" like me.

But now that I am all grown up, I like going to other places such as Target, Kohl's, and of course all kinds of outlet malls!

TinaB said...

I live in South Carolina and there are tons of feed stores here....out in the country! My fave stores are Target and J. Crew!!
Brannanflooring@aol.com

Tiffany Drew said...

Barnes and Noble, of course! I can spend hours upon hours in there :)

buttah said...

I could shop at Ross everyday! I can find some great stuff there.

Kim W. said...

My favorite store is Starbucks. It's where I spend my most time when I'm not at home :)

Anonymous said...

As much as I hate to admit it, my favorite store is Walmart - jennyb75

Terri said...

Gotta go with Target. You can get anything there and I can always find fun things for my girls in the dollar bins.

Terri M.

EBrowning said...

I have to pick just one? What a difficult thing since I'm a bit of a shopaholic! :) I think my favorite of the moment is Bath and Body works. I'm loving their new candles and summer scents.

Christina said...

Target!!

ChristinaL

Sslinsky said...

I really like Bath and Bodyworks andYankee Candle, but I'm also a lover of Target!

Sarah

Unknown said...

Hi...Your post really got me thinking man..... an intelligent piece, I must say. Green Valley Feed Store