Guest Author: Mark Bierman @mbiermanauthor #spooky #halloweenpoem

Posted on October 29, 2020 by Mae Clair

red quill pen on a piece of old parchment paper, with an ink well with words Welcome Guest in script

Hello, friends! I hope you will welcome first time guest, Mark Bierman, to my blog. I’ve reviewed Mark’s book, Vanished on my blog, and he often pops in to comment on posts and guest posts, but he’s never actually been the guest before. We’re changing that today.

If you’re not familiar with Mark, please check out his blog, Adventures in Writing. He always has something interesting to share, and is a wonderful person to know. And now, here’s Mark!

It’s an honor to be here! I can’t thank Mae enough for inviting me to be a guest on her mazing blog. I’ve read a number of her books and declare myself a fan. In light of her penchant for penning the superntaural and a nod to upcoming Halloween. I took a shot at writing a short poem based on this photo. Thanks for taking the time to read it and please have a look around Mae’s site.

spooky deserted room with fireplace, rocker and chandelier, ghostly hands and shadows on walls

Sit down a spell, your hosts await,

Mere Shadows, they’ll possess you, ten deep

Your mind is naught more than their slate

The soul is the prize, and it’s snatched for keeps

Oh, don’t be shy, cozy up to the fireplace

A dark finger, carves your name in the ashes

The letters turn bloody, you feel a cut on your face

A mirror reveals a black mass from chin to lashes

It spreads quickly over, and you’re now a host

The other Shadows glide through each other, and you

All substance gone, you drift aimlessly, like a ghost

Trapped for eternity, no portal to pass through

That definitely induced the creep factor! I love that photo and Mark’s poem is a perfect goosebump match! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and will drop Mark a line with your thoughts.

Also, be sure to check out his book, Vanished. You can find my 5-Star Review HERE.

VANISHED
by Mark Bierman

Tragedy . . . heartache . . . how much more can Tyler Montgomery and John Webster take? This missions trip, the “healing” one, has only added fresh layers of pain. Construction of an orphanage in Haiti’s northwest . . . yes. But a doomed rescue operation, human traffickers, human anomalies, extreme personal danger . . . risk of death? They hadn’t signed up for those.

Turning their backs on the crisis, however, is unthinkable, it’s just not who they are.

PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | iBooks

About the Author:
Born and raised on a farm near Brockville, Ontario, Mark Bierman’s childhood consisted of chores, riding horses, snowmobile races across open fields, fishing trips, and many other outdoor adventures.

Transitioning into adulthood also meant moving into large urban areas that introduced this country boy to big city life.

Drawing upon his many experiences as a private investigator and later, a correctional officer, Mark combines his unique experiences and imagination to create stories and characters.

Connect with Mark at the following haunts:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Goodreads | Instagram

Murder They Wrote Takes to the Road

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Mae Clair

tote bag surrounded by iphone, mouse, wallet, pencil, with book, Murder They Wrote on top of tote

I’m off visiting today, sharing details about the anthology, Murder They Wrote, in which I have a short story. Should you be out and about, please hop over to visit me at Mark Bierman’s blog.

While you’re there, poke around Mark’s corner of the blogosphere if you’re not already familiar with it. Mark is a skilled author and a great guy with a fun sense of humor. His posts cover a variety of topics, and are always engaging. See you there!

Book Review Tuesday: Tear Me Apart by J. T. Ellison, Vanished by @mbiermanauthor

Posted on January 14, 2020 by Mae Clair

Warm and cozy window seat with cushions and a opened book, light through vintage shutters, rustic style home decor. Small cat on window seat, along with coffee cup by pillow, Words Book Review Tuesday superimposed over image

Happy Book Review Tuesday! Thanks for dropping by to check out what I’ve been reading. As always, I love sharing books, and I have two to chat about today. Check ’em out below…

Tear Me Apart

by J. T. Ellison

I had expectations going into this book. After reading the blurb, I thought I had a good notion regarding how the bulk of the plot would play out. Um…yeah, that only went so far.

Mindy Wright is a teenage champion downhill skier with a shot at the U.S. Olympic team. She’s got the perfect home life, perfect mom and dad, the world is her oyster. Then a bad crash lands her in the hospital with a broken leg, and in the process, doctors discover she has leukemia and is in need of a stem cell transplant. When her parents are tested for a match, it’s discovered, she’s not their daughter.

You can see where this is headed, right?—wrong. I went into this book with a lot of expectations. But I didn’t plan on Mindy’s aunt working for a government agency, or two characters in the past sharing time and space in a mental hospital. And what about several far too coincidental murders, all of these things spiraling back to Mindy, her perfect parents and her perfect life?

I loved the author’s use of letters to address the past. The story is doled out in bits and pieces, past and present, slowly joining together for an explosive conclusion. The characters are wholly human and horribly flawed, several with agendas that develop as the book progresses. Favorites for me were Juliet, Vivian and Zac, along with Zac’s faithful dog, Kat.

Given the plot, this was a hard book to deliver a satisfying ending, but Elison exceeded expectations. A grand slam home run! If you like stories with complex characters and dark buried secrets with several twists along the way, don’t miss this engrossing book that takes a stark look at human nature. 5 Stars

Amazon Link

Genre: Medical Thrillers > Kidnapping Crime Fiction

Vanished
by Mark Bierman

Although this is a work of fiction, it’s tragic to know the book is grounded in reality. Tyler and John take a mission trip to Haiti. Tyler is grieving the loss of his wife to cancer—who was John’s daughter. Son-in-law and father-in-law have a strong relationship, readily apparent from the start. No sooner do we meet them, however, than a child goes missing, abducted by slave traders. Many of the locals are ready to write the little girl off as lost, as child abductions are commonplace. Tyler takes a different stance, and John is soon in all the way.

What follows is a riveting search to save a life, and a grim look at the ugliness of human trafficking. There were parts of the book that made me squirm, others that brought inspiration and hope. Bierman makes atrocities clear without being graphic, yet the scenes are raw and powerful, the delivery intense. All of the characters are well developed, including secondary roles. The reader becomes enmeshed in the lives of many, the threads that tie various plot points together, expertly handled. Well written and polished, the story moves at a breathless clip and delivers a satisfying ending. Undertaking such a difficult subject is not an easy feat, but Bierman delivered social commentary and an engrossing story in a seamless package.

Amazon Link
Genre: Literature and Fiction

Until next week, I wish you happy reading, and would love to hear your thoughts about the novels above. Let’s chat! 🙂