Moore Heartbreak

As I write this, it is raining outside. Thundering and lightening too. The weatherman says we will have hail within the hour. And high winds.

We need the rain desperately, but I've having trouble mustering much enthusiasm for mother nature this morning. My heart goes out to the citizens of Oklahoma today. In all the areas that have been hit the last few days.

I have very close ties to the city of Moore, Oklahoma. I have always had family there. I have spent much time there and in neighboring Norman.

Most of my family has moved to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, but my deceased cousins wife and son still call Moore home. I have heard they are okay, but their house is not. A look at the tornadoes path tells me it tracked just a bit south of their house, and they had a basement but given the time I imagine he was in school and she at work.

He did not attend the elementary that was directly hit. I am thankful for that, but at the same time completely heartbroken for the families who did have kids in that school. Tragic. Devastating. Too close to home.

Moore has been hit hard many times. I live on the western fringe of what is called Tornado alley but my town is not much different than Moore. The same sort of working class people. The same set of ideals. So this rain outside that we so desperately have needed for months. It doesn't feel so much like a God send today but tears for friends, family and neighbors.

Stay strong Oklahoma.

Another Bend In The Road

Here it is May 15th.

The day I told y'all the print edition of TWISTED ROADS would be released.

I lied.

Not intentionally of course but you and I both know what they say about good intentions. I wonder if that paved road to hell is straight and narrow or windy and twisted.

Anyway, my publisher believes the print will be ready by June 1st. I thank those of you awaiting the hard copy for your patience.

In good news I really love the look of the book. The back cover is nearly as cool as the front.

Also I have begin hearing back from readers who have finished reading the novel. I appreciate all of those who spend their money to buy my work and then their time reading it, but the folks who take extra time to drop me a note with their comments, or to leave a review somewhere ... those are the souls that feed a writer's soul. So if you are one of those people let me shout. YOU ARE AWESOME!

Here are some snippets from my two favorite reviews thus far ....

From Marcus ...

Twisted Roads accurately shows the cause and affect of the lies we tell and roads we take, and how easily our perception of reality/people/gossip can be the sole spark to the truth that results in a pile of burnt ashes.
This world can be an ugly place and most of the time it's because of the sins of its people. But somehow, no matter the lies and different roads, honest love seems to come out winning.

The problem with this book is I want more. The characters have stuck with my thoughts and won't leave me alone, even several days after finishing. I want to know more!

Bravely written, wonderfully told. Make sure you read 'Twisted Roads.' 

 
And from HuddleKay ...

Twisted Roads shows a different side of Travis' writing. Where his blog posts, and even The Feedstore Chronicles give me the sense of oral tradition, Twisted Roads is more sophisticated, more grown up. More mature. More written.


I kick off a blog tour tomorrow and have several events planned for Amarillo, Colorado, and New Mexico but nothing is completely finalized yet. I'm also hoping to do some talks or Skype with Book Clubs as well as podcasts and things to coincide with the blog tour. So check back here, or on Facebook for more info.   

Purple Panties and Cleavage

I'm not a country club guy.

I have no problem admitting that.

A suit and tie? Not if I can help it. My idea of dressing up is a pair of starched jeans and a button up shirt. Which I can get away with for most functions here in Texas. Dress shoes. I'll stick to my favorite pair of double-stitched, Anderson Bean Boots thank you very much.

And golf? I have but frankly trying to whack that little white ball in a straight line just ticks me off. I'd rather smuggle in a fishing pole and cast for bass in the water hazards while my buddies debate distance and club selection. I will ride in your golf cart and drink your beer however.

Tennis? I'll leave that to Phats.

But tonight I will be at the Amarillo Country Club for a church event.

It's not my only visit to the place. I've been there before. In the very room I will be in tonight.

Only the last time I was there I was the keynote speaker for a luncheon. I stood there and told the Amarillo Rotary Club about my path to publication not long after THE FEEDSTORE CHRONICLES came out. I had a great time that day and met some very nice people. Yeah, I think I scared a few but when I read them a sample I stopped short of the bulldog masturbation scene.

Now tonight I will be back. Perhaps its an odd coincidence I once again have a new book out. Maybe that is the only time they will let a guy like me inside the gates.

I would be game, but I doubt the Arch Bishop wants me to read the opening of TWISTED ROADS. I got a feeling I'd be sent straight to confession when I went to describing purple panties and cleavage.

Oh well, there is always the rotary club.

 I wanted to share the back cover blurb from Twisted Roads from you ... well it will be the back cover blurb when the print book is released in a few weeks. Until then you can pick the novel up on Kindle for 6.99 if you so desire.

A tarnished name and a bitter heart.

That's all Angela Ross took when she fled Texas fifteen years ago as a teenager. Now, she's back to take care of her grandmother’s estate. But in a town like Grand, where reputation means much more than the truth, some sins are never forgotten much less forgiven.

Shelly Sampson has worked hard to cultivate her image as reigning queen of Grand, but long kept secrets mean her crown is precarious at best. And nothing could knock her tiara off faster than a chill wind from the past ... Like the return of Angela Ross.

Left with nothing but an old house and painful memories, Angela soon takes a job at the local tavern owned by Lucas Cahill hoping to earn enough to leave this town behind for good. Lucas still holds the same flame for Shelly Sampson that he had in high school and though she welcomes his attention, he can’t understand why she won’t leave her rocky marriage behind to finally give them a chance at happiness.

Once Angela, Shelly’s old arch rival, enters the picture as Lucas’ new employee Shelly’s desperation to keep her life and secrets intact starts a chain reaction whose outcome no one in Grand could have ever predicted.

 

Fire up That Kindle

 The Kindle edition is out ...

Women's Fiction? Yes, Please.

Let's talk Women's Fiction.

What is it?

The Romance Writers of America organization defines women's fiction as, "a commercial novel about a woman on the brink of life change and personal growth. Her journey details emotional reflection and action that transforms her and her relationships with others, and includes a hopeful/upbeat ending with regard to her romantic relationship."

Okay I can live with that definition.

So how exactly did I become a Women's Fiction author?

That's a little harder to pinpoint, but I can tell you it wasn't easy. I never opened my eyes one morning and said, "Hey I think I want to become the next Nicholas Sparks."

And no offense to Mr. Sparks but I don't want to be the next him. I want to be me. Sure I want to write books his audience wants to read, but I want to be me. I want somewhere someday there to be a literary agent or editor that tells an author, "You are the next Travis Erwin." Start growing your goateess now you would be male Women's Fiction writers."

I began writing seriously after taking a college class with Jodi Thomas. I'd always been a lifelong reader and thought I could write a compelling story but meeting her and talking to her I for the first time believe a country boy from Amarillo, Texas could make a go at being an author. 

For those unfamiliar with her work, Jodi Thomas is a  Hall of Fame member of the Romance Writers of America. She is the person that I can credit for launching my passion to be an author. Here is a picture of the two of us taken a  few years back.

I learned a lot about the business and writing from Jodi. Including the fact I'm a Women's Fiction writer. She challenged us to write the first 50 pages of a novel in that class. I did. She read them, liked them and told me "I never guessed a big scrapping guy like you would write women's fiction." 

Guess what Jodi. Neither did I. I simply began telling the story in my head. Funny thing is that story I began oh so long ago has a new title ... a shiny new cover ...and most importantly a release date. yes that book I began 13 long years ago has become TWISTED ROADS.

I doubt any one paragraph is the same. Heck some of the characters are not the same. The book that comes out oh so soon is far better than the stuff I handed Ms Thomas to read but the same emotions the same quest for personal growth and emotional reflection are there. They are there in nearly everything I write. Yes even the Feedstore Chronicles. The growth in that book was my own and I'm obviously not a woman so while that book was not women's fiction I am most proud of the reviews I recieved like this one ...

5.0 out of 5 stars Resilience and true Grit-a coming of age book deeper than the cover, November 10, 2011

By 

J.Smith (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: The Feedstore Chronicles (Paperback)

This book is hilarious. It is also deeply moving, proving one can not judge by a comedic and clever cover. Erwin shows immense depth as a writer, and the story would be funny and worth reading even if he didn't manage to convey the true challenges of being raised by a single mother in a dusty Texas town without whining. Mr. Erwin writes a captivating story, and I was unexpectedly moved and inspired by the prose. A great read, and one I highly recommend. 


That's who I want to be as a writer. I want to delve below the surface so while I might not have intentionally became a Women's Fiction writer I embrace the term. Am proud to wear the title. No I'm not the typical women's fiction author and that has made it tougher to get to this point. But I feel my work can stand on its own. So now that I'm actually going to have a novel out there in the genre I think the fact I'm a 6'5 nearly 300 hundred pound Texan with a twang in his voice and boots on his feet is a good thing. it gives me the ability to stand out in a crowded field of talented writers.

I am the same writer I have always been. I hope to make you laugh, cry, and cheer along with the characters. I hope to make you feel as if you learned something about not only my characters but humanity as a whole. About what makes all of us tick. About what it is like to fight and struggle and get back up again. To fall in love all over again.

That is why I write. That is why we live.
 

How I Write

How do you write?

I get this question fairly often.

I'm always tempted to reply with crappy grammar and woeful comma use, but generally I resist.

I am at my best when I write the original draft  longhand with pen in a notebook. Then I edit as I type sometimes later the same day and sometimes a week or so later. Sometimes I type beyond what I hand wrote and I keep going but in truth that blinking cursor always taunts me and seems to constrict free thought. 

As far as how I build a story and characters I begin with a what if. Usually a what if for a single character. For TWISTED ROADS it was ... What if you realized you'd spent your whole life loving the wrong person?

I knew a guy that had done that very thing and frankly it destroyed him though I don't know that he sees it that way to this day. I wanted my character to find some redemption beyond his misguided love but of course it's never easy to admit you've spent a lifetime lying to yourself.

So I start with that what if, but to make a story and the character come alive I have to know all the characters inside and out. To do that I write back story for every character. One or two pages for minor characters. maybe as much as a dozen for point of view or major characters.

These are not complete stories but vignettes of emotionally charged events from their early childhood on up to when the story starts. Once I know how they will react to being mad, sad, happy, horny ... they are pretty easy to write in most situations.

Building secondary plots and having all them them relate in some small way is a challenge for me. I tend to be a character driven writer and my plots can get lost because of that. Editors often want me to be less subtle and more flamboyant and direct. I have to work to add the necessary layers and emphasis.

Sometimes they mean not how do I write, but how do I find the time to write with a family and job? I steal it here and ther and in bits. This adds to why I hand write. I can't always sneak off to the computer though I try to get some time in at the computer every night when the kids have gone to bed.

There it is. How I write.

Music as it Should Be

I am a big supporter of live music from local bands to touring acts that stop in at small venues. I'm done with with huge arena shows and hundred dollar tickets for pyrotechnics and auto tune performances.

My favorite venue here in Amarillo is a place called The Golden Light Cantina.

The Cantina is to the right of the Cafe, which by the way is the longest continually open cafe along old Route 66. They make a might fine greasy cheeseburger and great fries. They also serve cold Shiner.

The Cantina has room for something in the neighborhood of a 100-120 people and just recently became smoke free.

Thursday night I had the pleasure of catching Hayes Carll perform. Hayes is  one of my favorite songwriters. He has a wit and truism to his writing that speaks to me on several levels

Warren Hood and his band opened and backed up Hayes and their set was great in its own right. They have almost a cajun, bluegrass feel. Folky but contemporary. I didn't record this clip but found it on YouTube.



I picked up the bands new CD which isn't officially out and it's just as good as their show.

I knew Hayes Carll would be good. he was after all nominated as the 2011 Americana Music Artist fo the year. But frankly I didn't expect him to be as good as he was. good isn't the world. Hayes put on a damn fantastic show. Pardon the audio of my phone as I recorded these clips myself.

Visit Hayes Carll's Amazon store to pick up his music. Or visit his website.

Or catch him live and in person if you can.

	04/21/13	Albuquerque, NM	The Dirty Bourbon	United States	Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $17. Age restrictions: No Minors. Box office: 505-296-2726. Address: 9800 Montgomery Blvd. Venue phone: 505-296-2726.
	04/24/13	Tucson, AZ	Hotel Congress	United States	Hayes and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 8:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 311 East Congress Street. Venue phone: 520-622-8848.
	04/25/13	Phoenix, AZ	Musical Instrument Museum	United States	Hayes and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 7:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard. Venue phone: 480.478.6000.
	04/26/13	Indio, CA	Stagecoach	United States	Hayes and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 5:00am. Admission: $239. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: (888) 512-SHOW. Address: Empire Polo Field. Venue phone: (888) 512-SHOW.
	05/02/13	Alexandria, VA	Birchmere	United States	Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 7:30pm. Admission: $27.50. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 3701 Mt Vernon Ave. Venue phone: 703-549-7500.
	05/04/13	Livingston, TN	Livingston Americana Festival	United States	Other artists TBA	Buy tickets
	Time: 12:00pm. Admission: $25. Age restrictions: All Ages.
	05/07/13	Sellersville, PA	Sellersville Theater	United States	Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $21.50, $29.50. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: 215-257-5808. Address: 24 W Temple Ave. Venue phone: 215-257-5808.
	05/08/13	York, PA	Strand -Capitol Performing Arts	United States	Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $18. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: 717-846-1111. Address: 50 N George St. Venue phone: 717-846-1111.
	05/09/13	Annapolis, MD	Rams Head On Stage	United States	Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $22.50. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: 410-244-1131. Address: 33 West Street. Venue phone: 410-244-1131.
	05/10/13	New York, NY	City Winery	United States	Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $28/$25/$22/$20. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: (212) 608-0555. Address: 155 Varick ST. Venue phone: (212) 608-0555.
	05/11/13	Somerville‎, MA	Johnny D’s	United States	Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods. SOLD OUT!	Buy tickets
	Time: 7:00am. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 17 Holland St. Venue phone: 617.628.1028.
	05/11/13	Somerville‎, MA	Johnny D’s	United States	Second Show just added. Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 10:00pm. Admission: $17. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 17 Holland St. Venue phone: 617.628.1028.
	05/14/13	Ashville, NC	The Grey Eagle	United States	Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods
	Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $15. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: (828)232-5800. Address: 185 Clingman Avenue. Venue phone: (828)232-5800.
	05/15/13	Atlanta, GA	Terminal West	United States	Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods	Buy tickets
	Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $20 / $17. Box office: 404.876.5566. Address: 887 West Marietta St NW. Venue phone: 404.876.5566.
	05/17/13	New Orleans, LA	One Eyed Jacks	United States	Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods
	Time: 10:00pm. Admission: $15. Box office: 504.569.8361. Address: 615 Toulouse St. Venue phone: 504.569.8361.
	05/18/13	Houston, TX	San Houston Park	United States	Festival with Dwight Yoakam, Robert Earll Keen and more…	Buy tickets
	Time: 10:00pm. Admission: $40/$25/$150. Address: 1100 Bagby St.
	05/25/13	Helotes, TX	Floores Country Store	United States	with Turnpike Troubadours.
	Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $20, $15. Box office: 210/695-8827. Address: 14492 Old Bandera Rd. Venue phone: 210/695-8827.
	05/26/13	Kerrville, TX	Kerrville Folk Festival	United States	With Warren Hood and The Goods and Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis	Buy tickets
	Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $25, $180. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: 830.257.3600. Address: 3876 Medina Hwy. Venue phone: 830.257.3600.
	06/01/13	Dallas, TX	GEXA Energy Pavillion	United States	Also on the bill – The Avett Brothers, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Matt & Kim, Dawes, Milo Greene	Buy tickets
	Time: 4:45pm. Admission: $55. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 1818 1st Ave.
	07/19/13	Telluride, CO	Sheridan Opera House	United States	Lincoln Durham supports	Buy tickets
	Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $135. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: (970)728-6363. Address: PO Box 2680. Venue phone: (970)728-6363.
	08/02/13	Hailey, ID	Northern Rockies Music Festival	United States