Author Mike Triggs

Name:  Mike Triggs

Birth Place: Fort Dodge, Iowa

Occupation: Retail Sales Associate, Von Maur Department Store, West Des Moines, IA and now Author!

Von Maur is a great place!

So what made you pursue writing a book?   From the moment I set foot on Nordstrom’s retail sales floor almost thirty years ago it was obvious that I should be writing a book. Had it not been for the Covid pandemic, it may have never happened.  

During my three-month furlough from my job in 2020 I forced myself to write for three hours every day. 

What Kind of books do you write?   Humorous

Tell us about your recent work?  “You Can’t Make This $#!+ Up!” takes place at a fictious department store called Von Oostrom in Sheboygan, WI.  The name was actually a mash-up of my current and former employers, Von Maur and Nordstrom two high-end department stores.

The books starts when I am managing a governor’s re-election campaign and a right-wing opposing candidate unceremoniously outs me and my career quickly spirals from the top echelons of the GOP to selling underwear at the Von Oostrom department store in Sheboygan.

There are tales of hoity-toity shoppers, crafty shoplifters, religious fanatics, screaming kids, racists, entitled “Karens,” and drag queens shopping for over-sized pumps.

There is an evil store manager and her slimy sidekick, a co-worker who thinks she’s an African queen and vicious co-workers scrapping over a whopping 1% commission.

It’s retail hell at its finest and is based on true experiences.  Although I must admit there are some embellishments along the way.

It sounds like a scream! My kind of book

Words that best describe you?  Story teller, aging politico, eclectic and bowtie wearing snappy dresser. 

When did you become out to family and friends?  I didn’t come out by choice.  I was forced out of my comfortable closet by a political opponent when he went to the press with a list of 25 gays and lesbians who were close to the governor.  The press thought it was sleazy and chose not to run the story, but unfortunately the list was passed around political circles and within two weeks I was asked by the governor’s campaign chairman to fall on my sword and leave the campaign because I had become a distraction.   I had at that point never acted on my sexuality out of fear that something like this might happen. 

Who has been your biggest influence in your life?   My parents who lovingly supported and encouraged me follow my dreams, even when it meant taking the less traveled path.

I would give anything to meet?   I have been so blessed to have met so many interesting people in the world of politics but if I had to pick one it would be Abraham Lincoln.  I’d like to ask him what the hell happened to the Republican Party. 

Your idea of a perfect evening?   Dinner at home with my husband followed by reading on the couch with my schnauzer, Rhys snuggling on my chest.  

Do tell, how did you meet your husband?   We met online on an AOL chat room. We have been together as a couple since 1999. My husband Rick and I were married in 2015

The last book I read?    The Enemy Within by gay author Tal Bauer 

Favorite Movie – Ben Hur.   I’ve seen it at least 15 times.  There is nothing quite like that chariot race. I had a chance once to visit with Charlton Heston about the filming.

How was Charlton Heston? First Impression?

I was a Page at the 1972 Republican Convention and was working behind stage and met Mr. Heston where he was scheduled to speak. I found him to be the most approachable of all the celebrities I met at the convention. We had a long talk about his roles in Ben Hur and Planet of the Apes. The topic of his love of guns and membership in the NRA never came up.

Favorite place in the world?   Sedona, AZ

Why is that?

 When living in Arizona it was my go to place to get away from the heat in Phoenix.  The red rocks that surround the Sedona are a great place to hike.

The most spontaneous thing I have ever done?   Sailed up to a nude beach and got naked!

Odd talents?   I do needlepoint.  In fact, I have won blue ribbons for my work at both the Iowa and Minnesota State Fairs.

How did you learn needlepoint?

Ha! A former girlfriend did needlepoint, and I asked her to teach me, and she told me I was too “high strung” to learn. I showed her, I stopped in a needlepoint shop, and they taught me the basics.  That Christmas I needlepointed a University of Michigan seal and gave it to her to show her that i wasn’t too “high strung” to learn. The back of my canvas always looked as good as the front, and her’s were a mess.

The following Valentine’s Day she turned down my proposal to become Mrs. Mike Triggs.

Biggest setback or failure in life and how I overcame it?  Being fired from my job in politics and being unable to find another political job because of the salacious rumors spun by my political enemies.  But looking back it was the best thing that could have happened to me as it allowed me to be true to myself.

When did this firing happen? 

 Spring of 1994.

Are you involved in politics at all today?

After my experiences with the Republican Party, I became an LGBT and Democrat Party activist and was one of Pete Buttigieg’s early supporters in the Iowa Caucuses.

If I could meet my younger self, I would tell him….  “Don’t wait until you are in your forties to learn to love the man you see in the mirror each morning.”

How did you know” how “to get published?

For over a year I shopped my manuscript to over 50 agents and publishing houses before finding FriesenPress,  a Canadian publishing company. Like all the others, I sent my query letter and the first three chapters. The folks at Friesen were the first to ask to read the entire manuscript.  Six weeks later when I was on a vacation in Ecuador I signed a contract to go forward with my book.

How were you able to learn to write a book?

I have always been a good storyteller and truth be told I should have probably been a stand up comedian.  I just wrote my book as if I were retelling a story to a friend or co-worker.

Advice for the 40 tribe –   Step out of your comfort zone.  Strike up a conversation with someone you don’t know.  He could become the best friend you have ever had.  Maybe even the man of your dreams.

Where can readers learn more about you?    My website:  MikeTriggsAuthor.com

Where can they purchase your book?  There are links on my website for Amazon, Barnes&Noble and Kindle books.

In addition to the bio on the website:

I chaired the Arizona Human Rights Fund Annual Dinner, was a judge for the GLAAD Media Awards for Print Media and sang with the Phoenix and Des Moines Gay Men’s Choruses.