Woodstock 54th Anniversary Price Cut!

Posted on August 15, 2023 by eternalpioneer

Good News!

First, the good news. There is a price cut for the Woodstock 54th Anniversary! The 45th Anniversary Edition of “From Woodstock to Eternity” is now available on Amazon in paperback for only $9.96! That’s almost half off the list price of $16.95. This is a good time to get this book at this price, and also the sequel, “The Steel Wall,” which extends the journey, the adventure, and the adrenaline. Also, if you buy both books, you get free shipping from Amazon and save a few more bucks.

(To read more about The Steel Wall, click here.)

54th Anniversary of Woodstock!

Today, August 15, 2023, is the 54th anniversary of the Woodstock Music Festival. Fox News has an article describing this event which inspired the title of my book, “From Woodstock to Eternity.” For us Baby Boomers, it’s hard to believe how the time has passed so quickly. In relative terms, Woodstock was a mere 24 years after the end of World War II. Now, we are 54 years after Woodstock? Yikes!

More Than Woodstock

While the title was inspired by Woodstock, the book is much more than Woodstock. It captures the air and the essence of the culture that spawned the Woodstock festival. It delves into the psyche that evolved at that time of a desire to bring peace and love to the world. Included in the aura of the age were an unquenchable desire for freedom, the urge to form a brotherhood of like minded people, and the spirit of adventure. Some adventures were physical, like hitchhiking out West. Others were in the realm of the mind… to explore unknown entities with psychedelic drugs. All of this is acted out in this book through the journeys of Dustin Morgan.

Freedom From Freedom

The freedom so desperately sought through the wayward lifestyle inevitably led to bondage, requiring freedom from that freedom. The drug usage got worse, the base natures began to reveal themselves, and the dream of Woodstock morphed and twisted and eventually vanished. Now it gets an article on a news app 54 years later. However, Dustin Morgan found the way out. It took a while, and a big whoopin’ stick, but God finally got his attention. The transformation that resulted is in the essence of the title FROM Woodstock TO Eternity. I hope you enjoy it.

The Steel Wall Prologue – What’s it all about?

Posted on April 14, 2022 by eternalpioneer

What’s It All About?

While an image of a steel wall is powerful and formidable, that one picture, as the saying goes, is worth a thousand words. In this case, it evokes concepts of force, barriers, standards and distinction. It not only implies a clear division between one way or another, but suggests consequences for which one we choose. To give the reader an idea of the principles in The Steel Wall, I composed a “From the Author” page and a “Prologue” as teasers for the rest of the book. The Steel Wall addresses two issues:

1) “What happened to Dustin Morgan?”

This requires a flashback to to the first book, “From Woodstock To Eternity”, to give a glimpse of the early days of hippiedom. For this reason, “From the Author” details the drug culture that accompanied Woodstock Nation and Dustin’s deliverance to freedom. (See: Set the Background: The Mystique of an Era). After Dustin’s conversion, he embarked on the straight and narrow, but was abruptly arrested off the plane he was flying. The book ends.

2) Why Isn’t God Answering My Prayers?

The Prologue brings out the deep spiritual issues facing Dustin Morgan as a dark reality from his past hits him in the face. Even though he had believed in Jesus, repented, and been delivered, God was not answering his prayers. Since everyone can benefit from the hard lessons acted out in this book, I have included excerpts from the Prologue that answer the question.

“What’s it all about?”

Job once said, “Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” As Christians, we often wonder about God’s seemingly indifferent attitude towards our prayers. The apostle James gives the most obvious reason…

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss.”

What does it mean to ask amiss? It means to ask for the wrong things. Asking correctly boils down to one thing… God works through obedience. The rub comes when God tells us to do things that go against our previously held ideas. What if He commands us to forsake family, friends, or deeply held convictions? What if obeying these directives would bring scorn down on our heads, humiliation, and personal loss?

What If God Tells Me To Do Something That Costs Me Dearly?

Consider God telling Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. God certainly wouldn’t tell us to kill the son He gave us… or would He? Most of us would stop right there, but Abraham travelled into a deeper realm of faith. If Isaac died, he projected beyond his lifeless body and believed God would raise him back to life. How about Jesus saying that if we leave family and friends for His sake, we will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life? These are hard sayings and require the right responses.

Do I Have To Do What God Says?

When Dustin Morgan was arrested, as a Christian, for crimes he committed in his old life, he found himself facing all these conundrums. His obedience to God would indeed bring down scorn and require him to forsake old bonds. He tried to avoid this with a misdirected faith, but to no avail. Through a chain of harrowing episodes, Dustin discovered a simple truth that explains the mystery of God’s power:

I AM A STEEL WALL FOR YOU WHEN YOU ARE FOR ME AND AGAINST YOU WHEN YOU ARE AGAINST ME

From Woodstock To Eternity: Writer’s Digest Review

Posted on April 13, 2022 by eternalpioneer

I recently submitted “From Woodstock To Eternity” in a Writer’s Digest E-Book contest and received a great Writer’s Digest Review. For people who have not heard about this book, the first in a two book series, this review from a very reputable source delves into many elements that make up a good book. Here are some of the highlights of this review.

Structure, Organization, Pacing: Compelling Organization

This book is exemplary in its structure, organization, and pacing. The structure of the chapters/parts aid in a compelling organization of the story or information. The pacing is even throughout and matches the tone/genre of the book.

Plot, Story, or Topic Appeal: It is Unique

This book is exemplary in its choice of topic or theme of the story. It is unique but still has strong appeal for most readers in its intended genre. If the book is fiction or narrative nonfiction, the book is well plotted.

Character Appeal and Development: Fully fleshed out

This book is exemplary in character appeal (or interest) and development. All main characters (including antagonists) are unique and fully fleshed out with compelling, layered motivations and traits. Secondary characters are unique and have a meaningful purpose.

Voice and Writing Style: Exemplary

This book is exemplary in its voice and writing style. It has a unique voice, and the writing style is consistent throughout. The style and tone are also consistent with or will appeal to readers of the intended genre.

In a few explanatory sentences, please share with the entrant 1-3 things that you enjoyed or that readers will find compelling about this book and why.

This was a well told story which draws the attention of the reader. The suspense was intense. The story flowed well, and you could understand the voice of the storyteller. With all the drama, it was still possible to suspend disbelief.

Judge, 9th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards.

Set the Background: The Mystique of an Era

Posted on February 5, 2022 by eternalpioneer

Most people who have read “From Woodstock To Eternity” want to know the answer to the last line in the book… “Are you Dustin Morgan?” This has compelled me to set the background to round out the context. Some have even become irate that I left the story on such a cliff hanger. After all, they went through the rise of the hippie movement, Woodstock, and pot runs, all to be left hanging. Well, not that I’m sadistic, but that was the point. I wanted to create a great anticipation for the next book, “The Steel Wall,” which is now published and on Amazon. I did this in the From the Author introduction, and I will include some excerpts from it here.

The Mystique of an Era

My previous book, From Woodstock To Eternity, chronicled the adventures of Dustin Morgan through the counter culture days of the 1960’s and ‘70’s. It captured the mystique of an era and why it had such a profound impact on those who lived it. Through the eyes of Dustin Morgan, the reader was able to go to Woodstock, feel the effects of the Vietnam War, and fly over the Atlantic in drug laden planes through real life encounters.

The Spirit of Woodstock

However, the spirit of Woodstock was not all peace and love. It encompassed psychedelic drug use, with all its ups and downs, and the inevitable spawning of a new breed of capitalist… the drug dealer. Dustin embraced this opportunity with open arms, relishing the respect, the adventure, and the money. However, it soon took its toll in jail time and disillusionment with the same old drug fogged routine.

Deliverance

The mystique of an era wore off in time, however. Eventually, Dustin settled down, had a family and accepted Jesus Christ. Through a dramatic deliverance, he made a commitment to raise his family in the Lord. He and his wife, Lisa, went on mission trips, and he was able to regain his career in aviation. Over the next four years, they went to church, started a family, and made honest money.

Then one day, a police officer boarded Dustin’s airplane and asked him, “Are you Dustin Morgan?” The book ended.

The Answer

The implications were not good, and indeed, it was the beginning of Dustin’s worst nightmare. The Steel Wall tells the story of what happened to Dustin Morgan, and it has become a full blooded Christian adventure drama full of heart pounding elements: Intense action, intrigue, inner conflict, and life changing decisions.

It is my sincerest desire that you are blessed with the excitement and revelations contained in The Steel Wall. I want to hear from all who would like to give feedback on either book, so please feel free to comment, and please leave a review on the Amazon book page.

Coming Up: The Real Story of The Steel Wall

The Steel Wall Book Launch

Posted on September 25, 2021 by eternalpioneer

The Steel Wall is Here!

“The Steel Wall” is the long awaited sequel to my previous book, From Woodstock to Eternity. In that book, after a long walk on the wild side, Dustin Morgan is enjoying a comfortable life as a Christian family man, flying for a commuter airline. But one day, taxiing in from an early morning flight, two police cars greet him, waiting for him on the ramp. The passengers disembark, the captain leaves the airplane, and an airport police officer comes up the stairs and into the cabin. He looks at Morgan and says, “Are you Dustin Morgan?” And then the book ends! No fair, right?

The Steel Wall Book Launch

Well, I have good news. After three years of writing this book, “The Steel Wall” book launch is finally here and it will be published soon. After one more proof read (there’s always one more), I will release it on Kindle Direct in both paperback and Kindle editions. I am looking at a target date of October 7, 2021.

What Happened to Dustin Morgan?

I received a lot of flack from friends and readers who felt I had cheated them on the cliff hanger ending in “From Woodstock to Eternity”. They wanted to know what happened to Dustin Morgan! In this sequel, “The Steel Wall” picks up where that book left off. It shows through gripping adventure and drama the events that led up to Dustin Morgan’s arrest. During the trial, the drama is no less intense, only now it is in the spiritual realm which ultimately affects the physical realm. The long arm of the law has reached out of the past, and Dustin must make a choice. The key lies in finding out God’s direction for him.

Old Ways Against New Ways

For a sample of what From Woodstock to Eternity was all about, check out my blog, “You Get Tired of Steak.” This post shows we are hard wired to hang onto our opinions and impressions of how things should be. This is counter productive, because it obstructs our ability to change. “The Steel Wall” expands on this concept, pitting old ways against new ways and old loyalties against new loyalties.

Why Should You Read The Steel Wall?

The action is extremely entertaining, taking you through real life action that leads to a critical trial. It is based on a true story.
You get a “behind the scenes” look at the drug smuggling world in the 1980’s and the challenges that realm presented to law enforcement.
The story gives you both sides, detailing the points of view of the smuggling culture and the agents charged with catching them.
It reveals why people don’t always get the results they prayed for. We miss out on God’s blessings because we don’t know God’s eternal perspective or how God works.
The struggle between right and wrong goes deeper – to the point of life and death.
“The Steel Wall” shows God in action through Dustin’s obedience, and the blessings that followed.

I hope you will all enjoy my new book. I will post again when it is available on Amazon.

Blessings to all!

Happy New Year to All Woodstock to Eternity Friends!

Posted on December 31, 2019 by eternalpioneer

2020 Will Be a
Great Year!

All Expectations start with a Dream. People who say it’s not good to have big expectations, because they could be dashed, will just remain where they are. Like Dolly Parton said, “I wish all those people who try to tell me I’ll never make it would just get out of my way while I’m doing it.” If we don’t have a dream for our new year, then we’ll obviously never make it. So, gird up your loins, put on your dream cap, and make 2020 the greatest year ever!

Thanks and Grats for your continued support for From Woodstock to Eternity

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Even though I have not written a blog in a while, I continue to get notifications that people are visiting this site and buying the book. As a matter of fact, the increase in interest has coincidentally lined up with my new job. In 2018, I decided to re-invent myself as an Aviation Ground Instructor after being out of aviation for over 30 years. As anyone who has read “From Woodstock to Eternity” knows, there is a lot of flying in that book. God blessed me with a position as CFI Academy ground instructor for a major flight school, and I now have class after class of aspiring pilots on their way to becoming flight instructors. Somehow, word got out that I wrote a book, and a lot of my students are now very intrigued about Dustin Morgan. I tell them it’s just fiction.

Major Ups and Downs in 2019

2019 was an incredible year, so 2020 has it’s work cut out to beat it. Two major events happened to our family, one catapulting, and the other, catastrophic. First the good news, which I already mentioned was my career makeover into a Ground Instructor who now has great influence and responsibility for hundreds of young pilots, which results in great rewards. The accomplishment is theirs when they pass their checkride for Certified Flight Instructor. The reward is mine when they hunt me down and thank me for helping them get through it. The joy in seeing the ones you serve succeed is priceless.

The bad news is my daughter crashed into a mountain in Alaska in an airplane with three other people on board. She was the sole survivor. With 13 broken bones and a broken back, she has had a miraculous recovery so far as the doctors have put her back together like Humpty Dumpty. She will be going back to work at United sometime next year, so 2020 will be much better for her!

The Future for From Woodstock to Eternity

I have been reprimanded for leaving my readers hanging at the end, but I felt the cliff hanger was needed, because that was the end of that segment of the story. The obvious question remains… will you tell us what happened? When are we going to get “The Rest of the Story?” I will tell you that I have in mind three books in the Eternal Pioneer series. “From Woodstock to Eternity” takes you through Woodstock. The next book, “The Steel Wall” will take you through the intense metamorphosis to Eternity and out of this world. The third book, “Eternal Pioneers” is intended to take you into the heavenly country of living in eternity while going through the many facets that make up this earthly life.

While I have been hesitant to dive into “The Steel Wall,” I have written many chapters as a rough draft, and as soon as I get the OK from the Lord, I will finish the book. It is painful for me to relive this period, because it was a time that God had me pull the plug on many attachments to the world and its ways and devote complete allegiance to His Word and His ways. The value of the book is to show real life execution of coming to Him and being separate. Something all Christians are called to do.

Dream It Do It!

Get a dream, dig up an old, dead Dream, or Do the Dream you already have! See you in 2020!!!

From Woodstock to Eternity 50th Anniversary Kindle

Posted on November 13, 2018 by eternalpioneer

Kindle version of From Woodstock to Eternity 50th Anniversary is coming soon!

Yes, I am working on the Kindle for my new 50th edition of From Woodstock to Eternity. I know it may be confusing, but I left the original, unabridged version of FWTE on the Amazon site in order to keep the reviews from the old version. The new version is the same story, but it has undergone a complete editing and polishing process that makes it a much better read with some added stuff.

Why a 50th Anniversary Edition?

For those who weren’t there, never thought they would live this long, or are too young to know about it, the 50th Anniversary of the Woodstock Festival in 1969 is coming up next year in August 2019. There will be a lot of attention given to this landmark event, because it played such a big part in defining an ideology that created a counter culture that still has an impact on us today.

What is From Woodstock to Eternity about?

This book gives an eye witness, “you are there” journey through the wild, fuzzy, good vibe days of the hippie era. It also shows the effects of too much of that wild living, and the path Dustin Morgan took to escape. Most of all, it is an adventure packed, light hearted tale of Woodstock, Haight Ashbury, draft dodging, pot smuggling, romance, and victory.

Kindle for Christmas!

When the Kindle version is ready, it will be available at a highly reduced price for the Holidays, so please check out the new

From Woodstock to Eternity 50th Anniversary Edition

Woodstock 50th Anniversary Edition

Posted on March 14, 2018 by eternalpioneer

News Flash! From Woodstock To Eternity 50th Anniversary Final Push!!

Calling all From Woodstock To Eternity readers… the 50th Anniversary of the Woodstock Festival will occur in August 2019. I know that seems a long way away, but I

need your help for this final push. As the anniversary date approaches, there will be a swarm of media attention surrounding it. The best source for information about the anniversary is The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

There will be books, articles, TV documentaries, and From Woodstock To Eternity should be a part of that swarm.

With all the hype glorifying the hippie days, From Woodstock To Eternity needs to be there to show the love and deliverance of Jesus Christ. So…

Here is how you can help… If you have been blessed by From Woodstock To Eternity

PLEASE GO TO THE AMAZON PAGE AND LEAVE A REVIEW!!

Click on this picture

Scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Customer Review”

I already have a great list of 4 and 5 star reviews, and agents take these into account when considering whether to take me on.

For this final push, I am putting an exhaustive edit on the entire book, making it more readable, more exciting, and more heart felt. A literary agent will get it published through a major book distributor.

I appreciate all your likes, reviews and overall support for the message of this book.

Please help to make From Woodstock To Eternity part of the message of the 50th Anniversay… WRITE A CUSTOMER REVIEW!!

God Bless – And may angels bear you up today!

Memories from Blacksburg

Posted on November 18, 2017 by eternalpioneer

Interview with Virginia Tech student Ally Larrick

I got an interesting call the other day from a Virginia Tech student who was writing a story on the life of Psychology Professor Joe Germana. Dr. Germana was a professor of mine from 1970-1972, and was an integral part of our little band of hippies. The amazing thing is, he is still teaching in the same department, and is soon to celebrate his 52nd year!

The interview with Ally was a real trip down memory lane for me, and an eye opener for her. Since many young adults her age do not even know what a Woodstock is, I had to ask her if she had heard about it. Of course, she said she had, but she really wanted stories that related to Professor Germana. Well, you just can’t get the essence of Joe Germana without understanding the aura of the time, so I did my best to re-create the vibes of 1960’s – 70’s Blacksburg. Of course, it is ethereal and intangible… you had to be there.

I told her about the early hippies in Blacksburg and how they were considered a strange minority. I told her about the fights we had with the rednecks and how the Blacksburg mountain hippie culture was born. Peace and love with leather and knives. I told her about our own hippie Fonzie with his long black hair flowing over his shoulders, his bare feet and studded jacket… and how he beat up rednecks at the drop of a hat.

I told her about eating LSD like it was candy, and how our growing need for more weed sparked an innovative capitalistic pot distribution empire with fingers stretching all along the East Coast. I told her about Andromeda and the hard rock heartbeat of the hip community. I did forget to tell her about the outdoor concert in the country where the whole band was tripping, and the lead singer (yours truly) was slamming the ground with a big club like the apes in 2001 A Space Odyssey. I think that’s the one where I threatened to beat Germana over the head with my club for no apparent reason.

I told her about our semi-conservative values, that even though we believed in free love, homosexuality was not a part of the equation. We still considered it strange… and traditional marriage was a given.

There were some problems, however. Even though our success at pot capitalism generated a wealthy class of dealers, our propensity for pleasure, and cocaine in particular, provided a drain for all that money to go through. Like Robin Williams said, “Cocaine is God’s way of saying, ‘you’re making too much money.'”

How does all this relate to Professor Joe Germana? Well, to be fair, he had nothing to do with the pot dealing network, the acid or the cocaine. But, since the movement began in the college community, and many of the students took his classes, he was a beloved part of something that blossomed into what would later be called the Woodstock Nation.

I don’t know how this interview affected Ally, but she did say that it opened up a whole new part of history that she knew nothing about. Sadly, as I wrote in From Woodstock To Eternity, the magic of peace and love and flower power was over in a few short years, replaced by booze and downers and acquiescence to the lower, baser elements. Such is the progression of man without the redeeming power of Jesus Christ.

Ally, thank you for the opportunity to relive a special time in the lives of all of us who were there. I hope your bio of the good Doctor Germana is successful. And to all my friends in Blacksburg and elsewhere from that magical era, I say this,

“for a little while, for a sweet moment in history, we were stardust, and we were golden.”

Woodstock Chapter – From Woodstock To Eternity

The Power of Woodstock Fever

Posted on October 23, 2017 by eternalpioneer

Why Did Dustin Morgan Cry at Woodstock?

Excerpt from “From Woodstock To Eternity”

The images of the last three days roll through his mind like a video. The overwhelming onslaught of people from everywhere. The gathering of the tribes. The exhilarating swells of peace and brotherhood. The generosity of the hog farm, the open market of psychedelic drugs. The acid reports. The smiles on everybody’s faces, the “hello, brother”, “hello, sister”, “peace, man”, “this is far out, really far out”. Jimi says it all in his brief chatter between songs,

“You proved to the world what can happen,” he says, “A little bit of love, and understanding, and sound.”

Hendrix goes straight from “Voodoo Child” into the opening notes of “The Star Spangled Banner”. He raises his arm high in a salute to the crowd, his fingers formed into the peace sign. The adoring audience flashes the sign back in unison. The twisted, exploding version of the National Anthem paints the picture of everything the revolution stands for, and Morgan knows he is part of it. Woodstock has sealed the deal; he has sold his soul. A great swelling of emotion rises up in his heart, and he cannot contain it. He raises both hands into the air, with his fingers forming the “V”, and cries like a baby.

Why did he cry? He just had an overflowing sense that all the Woodstock movement stood for was the real thing. And because it was the real thing, he was obligated to devote himself entirely to it. It was going to transform the world, it was based on brotherly love, and it just felt so good to be a part of it. But some people were not going for it…

“If they think I’m going to grow my hair out and wallow in the mud, they got another thing comin’!”

In time, the innocent Peace and Love movement began to mutate into forms that were not very pretty…

Just as this generation of free spirits was certain that the Great Establishment wanted to enslave them and force their ways down their throats, they adopted the same role of tyranny, forcing their ideas of how things should be down everybody else’s throats.

Now, the radical fanatics living in the glass dome in Eastern Wyoming really do want to make the whole world like Woodstock. They want everybody to share everything. And if you don’t want to share what you have, then into the concentration camp you go! If you don’t agree with their ideas of social behavior and political correctness, then too bad, they are going to force their view of what is right and proper on you.

— From the “Woodstock” chapter

Unfortunately or fortunately, however you see it, the Woodstock fever faded away after a few short years. Oh, it’s still around in aging hippies, hip centers and liberal ideology, but the massive wave of hip culture has been pushed into obscurity. On the other hand, consider a fever that has not faded away, but has only grown over the last 2,000 years. Consider the woman at Bethany, anointing Jesus with costly oil and wiping His feet with her hair and her tears.

Mark 14:8-9 “She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Why was this woman crying? In many ways, for the same reason Dustin Morgan cried at Woodstock. A truth bigger than herself had revealed itself to her. A truth bigger that the earth, or the universe, had suddenly taken root in her heart. This Man before her had come down from heaven to save her and deliver her from her sin. He was God in human flesh. And He came here to show the world there is a God, and His Son is Jesus, and He is going to transform the world with His love. Not only that, He had just transformed her. Knowing that this Son Who was sitting right in front of her had taken away her sin and made her a new person demanded that she give him her full devotion.