Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun by Mark L Berry is now available!
When Oso gets yanked off his motorcycle and killed by a closed parking lot chain, Billy feels guilty for having taught him to hop curbs and shortcut traffic lights. Billy’s survivor’s guilt drags him down a spiral of excessive alcohol, one-night stands, body painting, and reckless driving. He’s now all too aware that life is short—play hard.
Meanwhile, Oso’s former girlfriend Lindy pours her grief into her new folk-rock album as she struggles with whether she can ever let herself love again. Can she turn this personal tragedy into something meaningful through her music?
Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun explores survivor’s guilt and grief through reckless adventure, a dozen original songs, and fiction. When you’ve lost someone you love, there are no easy answers. Know that you’re not alone in your struggle. Billy and Lindy are here.
This novel is intended for adults. It includes some graphic language, sexual situations, and questionable behavior. Recovery from intense loss is a rough road — 100 miles-per-hour on two wheels with no regard for oncoming traffic, as an example.
July 15th, 2012 at 6:17 am
Something about this book perked my curiosity and I ended up listening to the audio podcast, which turned out to be an interesting experience. I like the vivid imagery and the way which the writer crafted current language and thought to the slice of life vignettes of regular people. The descriptions and associations are believable and I am impressed.
July 16th, 2012 at 5:21 am
Mark Berry deserves big congratulations for his audio book. The new release of his novel shows an interesting perspective and deep meanings – sides that allowed me to purvey and seek more thought on my own. I suggest that everyone have a listen/look at his work. It was fascinating in many ways to me. I truly believe that it should quickly move up the ratings. Enjoy!
July 16th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
This is no ordinary audiobook. The original music adds to the reader’s understanding and enjoyment as the story unfolds. All three readers are excellent and believable, but I especially liked the woman who read Lindy’s part. She has a thoughtful, educated voice. Give it a listen!
July 24th, 2012 at 5:53 pm
I was actually somewhat reluctant to utilize my precious time listening to an audio book just for entertainment but once I started with “pushing leaves” I couldn’t stop. I found it to be not only interesting but a very unique way of getting all from a book by hearing the author speaking almost as if he were telling a truly interesting story (instead of reading). Without a doubt it is a story that is captivating and an awesome “listen”. Give it a try as I am certain you will be swept away with all it has to offer!
August 31st, 2012 at 11:03 am
A fantastic concept and audio book. Strong story line with well developed characters, the music brings it to life. Professionally produced, it keeps you engaged and is hard to turn off. Give it a listen; the music alone is worth it.
September 1st, 2012 at 8:13 am
Everyone who suffers a loss of a loved one, spouse or best friend, grieves in different ways for different lengths of time.
This story is about the accidental death of a member of a group of close friends. It deeply examines how two handle and recover from his death.
It is said that we do not “get over” grief, we learn how to live with it. This story is a journey on that path.
It does not have rough and tumble fights, or gun battles, or spaceships however, if you are interested in a discovery of real-life growth, then this is the recorded book for you.
Three main characters are voiced by different readers, accompanied by music written for or picked for each chapter. A few chapters, especially in the beginning, have recording problems that are easily overcome with the storyline. Stick with it.
September 10th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
As a songwriter and musician I was more interested in hearing how the author incorporated original music into the story rather than the story itself. To be brutally honest, the story was not something I would be interested in reading – there’s no gun fights, swords or sorcery, no time travel or spaceships, no zombies, vampires or things that go bump in the night. You could say that just about everything that draws me to a book this novel does not have, but damn if it didn’t draw me in just the same! I couldn’t stop listening to it.
The characters are well written and believable. They reminded me of people I know and the author did an excellent job narrating the novel. The dialog is well written and it sounds like the author poured a lot of his personal life, interests and experiences into the story.
“Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun” is a down-to-earth story about survivor’s guilt and how some people cope with the loss of a loved one. I started the novel out of musical curiosity, I finished the novel a few days later a fan of Mark L Berry!
October 1st, 2012 at 1:48 pm
I spent last evening replaying various chapters of the audio version of
“Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun”, and by visiting the author’s website
(marklberry.com) to study the lyrics and listen to many of what have
become my favorite songs.
Earlier this week I listened to the audio book in its entirety. Every chapter
kept me craving for “Just Another” before putting my headphones down.
With one of my favorite songs in the book providing a backdrop for chapter
19, the suspenseful “Man-Made Roadblocks” helped to make me wonder
if there were enough chapters left to adequately answer several questions.
By chapter 29, time was running out. Featuring perhaps my favorite song,
“From a Long Way Away”, the end was not a long way away.
This fleeting flight of fancy with these endearing characters put me through
a series of emotional aerobatics. I laughed, I cried, I cringed, and I cheered.
My only dissappointment was that the book ended. 5 stars!
April 21st, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Like Alot of other listners said, this isn’t my usual faire but I decided to give it a try and I’m really glad I did! I ended up really loving the characters and the phenominal music. I’m looking forward to Street Justice!