Let's Make “Dirtbag” a Compliment

Dirtbag Rich arrives March 28th, and you can help it travel

My next book, Dirtbag Rich: High Freedom, Low Income, Deep Purpose, launches March 28th! 🎉

And I need your help.

Not just as an independently published writer who wants to expand beyond his circle, but as someone attempting to spread important ideas that have the power to shape people’s lives—maybe even the lives of your loved ones.

As a reminder, here’s what Dirtbag Rich is all about, and why you (or anyone) should care about it.

• In one way, Dirtbag Rich is my story: why I fled from “normal life” and ended up pursuing wilderness, travel, dance, and intense communal experiences.

• It’s also about others who can’t fit in: those with a severe allergy to traditional work and school, a powerful connection to nature, an undying lust for “freedom,” and the belief that we must live wildly and joyfully, right now, or risk the early death of the soul.

• It’s both practical and idealistic: explaining how to think about work, money, housing, and big costs (like healthcare, childcare, and retirement) while also living a purposeful, playful, and socially connected life.

• Finally, it’s a call to arms: against workaholism, burnout culture, entitlement, sedentary existences, and the assumption that we are but “brains on sticks.”

Dirtbag Rich is for young people of all ages. It balances my unique weirdness with universal philosophies. It’s compact and accessible, filled with short, digestible chapters and six original illustrations by Brendan Leonard (of Semi-Rad fame).

The book is intentionally self-published, allowing me to discount it, give away copies, release material into the public domain, and focus fully on spreading ideas that matter rather than earning money for a publisher.

If these ideas resonate with you, help them travel farther.

Below are the most useful and efficient ways to help spread Dirtbag Rich to those who might otherwise not encounter it.

What you can do right now

1. Pre-order the Kindle version at 50% off. It’s just $4.99 through one week after launch. There’s also a beautiful $16 paperback and an Audible audiobook that I personally narrated (coming soon). If you’re willing to purchase multiple versions—thank you!

2. Email, message, or verbally encourage others to pre-order. Pre-orders make a big difference for the book’s visibility and discoverability.

What you can do beginning March 28th

1. Review the book on Amazon or Goodreads. These platforms are where most readers will discover Dirtbag Rich. Five stars are great, but words matter more: share a few specific ideas or stories that spoke to you. Brief reviews are fine! And if you might forget—perhaps add a calendar reminder?

2. Share nice words about Dirtbag Rich in an online community, private message group, or social media. If you wrote a review, it’s easy to share that along with a brief personal note. Include the cover image to help with visibility.

3. Gift a copy to a free-spirited 20- or 30-something. While Dirtbag Rich can be profitably enjoyed by everyone from teenagers to retired folks, I believe that soul-searching 20- and 30-somethings have the most to gain.

What you can do anytime

1. Ask your library or local bookstore to carry Dirtbag Rich. I deeply believe in these institutions, and it’s also difficult for self-published books to break into their worlds. Your advocacy makes all the difference! (ISBN: 978-0-9860119-9-3)¹

2. Connect me to a podcast, online show, or radio station where I might appear as a guest speaker. There are so many angles to discuss (here are a few).

3. Connect me to a public speaking opportunity along my bicycle book tour in New England, Western Colorado, Utah, California, Oregon, Washington, and BC. (Think: bookstores, conferences, climbing gyms, outdoor clubs, alternative schools, homeschool groups, or even living rooms.) I can offer bulk purchases at a discounted rate.

4. Directly subsidize me, so I can give away more paperbacks, go farther on my bicycle book tour, and say “yes” to more non-lucrative speaking opportunities. There are many ways to do this: Coffee, Venmo (@blakeboles), Zelle (yourstruly@blakeboles.com), or sponsoring a part of my new touring bicycle (write me: blakeboles@gmail.com). Every cent counts, and I promise to tell you how your money was spent!

Yours truly in 2004, reading one of the books that changed my life

In a nutshell

This is your chance to amplify ideas that matter to both of us.

Thank you for your support.

❤️ Blake

[Big thanks to Tim, Angel, and Six2 for commenting on a draft of this.]

1. Dirtbag Rich will be available via special order through any bookstore. I wholeheartedly support this option!

Unfortunately, because I cannot accept returned copies (like a large publisher with a warehouse can), bookstores will not stock Dirtbag Rich unless customers advocate for it.

The best way to financially support me as an author is to purchase directly through Amazon (paperback, Kindle, or Audible).