Books & Music

Free eBooks

The Happiness ofSimpleThe Happiness Of Simple: Making Connections Between Happiness, Simplicity, & Productivity – The book teaches you an awesome secret. When you simplify your life, you become more content and more productive. It’s that simple. The book covers why life can get so complicated, how we can get back on a simple path, and how simplifying your life can lead to becoming a more productive individual. It’s absolutely free. You don’t have to sign up for anything.

 

 

1Get Back To Where You Are: A Guide To Finding Yourself In The Present Moment – In Get Back To Where You Are, I teach you how to practice presence in everyday activities. You don’t have to be a zen master or an expert in meditation. Anybody can learn to find presence. You can find contentment in daily tasks. You can learn to be present in most any situation. This ebook is free when you sign up for the Hip Diggs‘ newsletter. If you want to discover the power of presence, this is a must-have ebook.

Fiction

51TpDyGZsuL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_A Train Called Forgiveness: Based on a true story. Andy Burden was the child victim of a religious-based cult. In his mid twenties, ten years after he was able to escape from the cult, Andy starts to suffer from an undiagnosed case of paranoid schizophrenia. He begins a journey both physical and psychological. Traveling across country by train, Andy recalls and comes to terms with his past. He learns to forgive and discovers truth through an unusual array of characters he meets along the way.

 

41Xd-ue5NdL._UY250_At The Crossing Of Justice And Mercy: Nearly three decades have passed since Andy Burden forgave his greatest enemy, the cult leader of his youth, Peter Smith. Andy has since married, divorced, and is now a single father. But an email from Andy’s brother, Simon, sets a mystery into motion. Peter Smith may have faked his own death. Andy wants to know if Peter Smith is still alive. If the former cult leader is still alive, is he harming others, as he harmed Andy? Join Andy and a cast of memorable characters on an adventure to find Peter Smith.

Poetry

51NLdWxUo5L._UY250_Incandescent Man Walking: While reading the work of poet/songwriter Dan Erickson, you feel like you are eavesdropping on an important conversation. Sometimes the topic, love, patience, music, the mysteries of youth and the inevitability of aging, is vital to us all as human beings. Sometimes the topic reflects anger at life’s ongoing injustices, perhaps those especially reflected in our adversarial legal system that emphasizes “winning” over the pursuit of truth. Sometimes Dan’s work is just full of wonder at Nature and God’s work in the world.

 

PermanenceandTransparencyPermanence and Transparency: Raw and Unedited –  Rather than paying an editor to edit my second book of poetry, I decided to publish it as an ebook and give it away. You can get your free PDF version of this 80-page book when you sign up for The Creative Side newsletter. The poems in this collection follow the same themes as the poems in Incandescent Man Walking. Love, mystery, nature, God, and music fill the pages of this book of poems. Get yours free when you subscribe to my mailing list.

 

Nonfiction

41xMZqTKViL._UY250_How The Mass Media Really Work: More than two decades ago Professor Pamela J. Shoemaker reviewed 15 introduction to mass communication/media textbooks and concluded that their self-described purpose is to provide a global view of mass communication to neophytes, and their approach is largely descriptive. The textbooks contained little information about how media content (1) helps people, government and business leaders achieve their personal and professional goals and (2) reinforces dominant values and institutions.

Music Demos

LeviticusThe Leviticus Project: The Leviticus Project is an experimental, 11-song demo of all-electronic music. The entire recording project was completed using Garage Band and an iPad. The songs are roughly based on themes from the biblical Book of Leviticus. The songs have a classic pop-rock groove with touches of blues and soul.

 

Numbers-3Numbers: This is my second full-length iPad project. The theme of this 12-song album is consumerism. As a moderate minimalist, I’m concerned with our growing emphasis on material stuff as a means to happiness. The music is a bit heavier than The Leviticus Project. I experimented with sub-bass. You need to listen through good speakers.

 

MMisfitsBefore, after, and between recording The Leviticus Project and Numbers, I recorded eight other songs. These songs didn’t fit into either of the first two albums, so I gave them their own record. Misfits is combination of pop/rock genres that offers a unique musical experience. It’s free to listen.

 

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