Over the summer I will be updating author’s details in the Cafe and Bookstore and also sharing their bios, books and recent reviews with you in this series…
Meet Mark Bierman
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 to a local lake, and many other outdoor adventures. He was also an avid reader of both fiction and non.
Transitioning towards adulthood also meant moving from the farm and into large urban areas that introduced this “country boy” to life in the big cities.
After a short stint as a private investigator, he moved into the role of Correctional Officer, working at both Millhaven Institution and Kingston Penitentiary, until it closed.
Mark’s debut novel – Vanished
One of the recent 5* reviews for the book
Everyone has heard of the horrors of modern-day human trafficking. We have perhaps even conjured images in our mind when we see a child who seems to be too far ahead of his mom or dad at the park! But who knows the parent of child who has been kidnaped?
Bierman changes all this in “Vanished!”
Characters Tyler and John have both suffered recent loss, and are willing to risk life and limb to spare a Haitian woman the same pain. But why are they willing to look for a little girl who has vanished into thin air?
Well—you’ll learn why when you read this action-packed adventure novel. I’ll give you a hint, these guys believe that any child’s life is worth fighting for! No more spoilers! Except to say that the setting is the exotic Caribbean island of Haiti after the 2010 earthquake has devastated most of the island.
The island’s problems with human trafficking started long before the coming of the earthquake. An attitude of tolerance toward the problem shocks the protagonist, his friends – and the reader.
So, when Tyler and John face the evils of human trafficking head on, I was right there with them. This is a heart-stopping read that brings to life the horror of modern-day slavery, and the sad truths about any nation willing to look the other way. Is this a problem that is unsurmountable? Will Tyler and John give up? And to what lengths will these men and their unlikely “friend” go to save one little girl?
Witness the dark secrets that are kept about human traffickers in this debut novel!
Rich in detail! Riveting! I recommend it to lovers of action adventure fiction that sheds light on real-life criminals, especially those who traffic children.
50% of the proceeds from Vanished go to an organization that helps victims of human trafficking.
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And : Amazon UK – Follow Mark: Goodreads – Blog: Mark Bierman WordPress – Twitter: @mbiermanauthor
Meet Cathy Cade
Following a career in libraries Cathy began writing in retirement. Her writing has been published in ‘Scribble’, ‘Best of British’, ‘Flash Fiction Magazine’, ‘Tales From the Forest’, and ‘To Hull and Back Short Story Anthology 2018′. Her stories and rhymes also appear in the Whittlesey Wordsmiths’ anthologies ‘Where the Wild Winds Blow’ and ‘A Following Wind’ (also available from Amazon).
A novella, ‘The Pond People’, has been serialised on her blog at cathy-cade.com, where you will also find occasional short stories, flash fiction and verse.
Cathy lives with her husband and dogs, mostly in the Cambridgeshire Fens and sometimes in the shadow of London’s Epping Forest.
Books by Cathy Cade
A recent review for The Godmother
A modern Cinderella story with a cute adorable dog.
You may know Cinderella but do read The Godmother, it is way better!
Very entertaining!
Read the reviews and buy the books : Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Follow Cathy: Goodreads Website: Cathy Cade – Facebook: Cathy Cade Wordsmith.
Meet Alex Craigie
Alex Craigie is the pen name of Trish Power.
Trish was ten when her first play was performed at school. It was in rhyming couplets and written in pencil in a book with imperial weights and measures printed on the back.
When her children were young, she wrote short stories for magazines before returning to the teaching job that she loved.
Trish has had two books published under the pen name of Alex Craigie. Both books cross genre boundaries and feature elements of romance, thriller and suspense against a backdrop of social issues. Someone Close to Home highlights the problems affecting care homes while Acts of Convenience has issues concerning the NHS at its heart.
Someone Close to Home has won a Chill with a Book award and a Chill with the Book of the Month award. In 2019 it was one of the top ten bestsellers in its category on Amazon.
Books by Alex Craigie
A recent review for Someone Close to Home
Someone Close to Home is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. The story is told through Megan, who alternates between the young classical pianist to her disturbing time in a care facility. While the story is fiction, I found myself comparing Megan’s experiences with those of my mother.
Megan and her neighbor, Gideon, form a special friendship that blooms into a love story. Unfortunately, Megan’s mother is controlling and manipulative. Her dream is for her daughter to marry the playboy actor, Jordan. He tries to convince Megan he is in love with her, but the attraction seems to be based mostly because he is used to having women throw themselves at him.
If readers like villainous characters, this book has plenty. Some of the workers in the care home abuse the residents. There are moments where I was furious that the owner of the facility was far more concerned with profits and reputation rather than carrying for the residents most basic needs. About the only thing that I found challenging at times was trying to keep track of all of the characters as there are many caregivers and residents. I still have to rate the story five stars because the writing is excellent and the plot moves along at a steady pace. I know after finishing this book that this will not be the last book by Alex Craigie I will read.
Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US – Follow Alex: Goodreads – Alex Craigie via: Facebook
Thanks for dropping by today and I hope you will be leaving with some books.. Thanks Sally.
I have Mark’s book on my kindle and look forward to reading it. Thanks for introducing me to Trish. 😊
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Thanks Yvette.. and I am sure you will enjoy Trish’s books x
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Thanks, Yvette!
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Thanks, Yvette. 🙂
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I follow the blogs all these authors, but haven’t read any of their books yet! Mark’s themes are certainly topical and the novel must have been hard to write, because of the subject and also the need to know what life is like in places most of us know little about.
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Great Janet..I read Mark’s book and you are right a difficult subject but well written and certainly put a spotlight on the issue..x
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Thank you, Sally. 🙂
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Thank you, Janet. Vanished broaches a difficult, but important topic, and there was a considerable amount of research needed. I’m hoping it will raise awareness. 🙂
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Another good collection. I need to take a reading day! My daughter’s coming for a visit. We usually have reading hours–that should help.
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Thanks Jacqui.. I have been getting some garden time now warm enough and catching up an hour a day.. it does make a difference and I am loving it..hugs
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I think if I didn’t love writing, I’d garden. There’s a lot of joy in digging fingers into the dirt and watching life sprout.
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With you on that Jacqui and there is nothing more pleasing that a riot of colour to greet you each morning..hugs
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Reading hours sounds like a wonderful way to pass the time – I might take that one and run with it myself!
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We’ve done it virtually, too. My son in Okinawa and me here in California–we agreed on the time and read “together”.
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What a lovely idea Jacqui…xx
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Thanks, Jacqui!
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Thanks very much for sharing Micihael..hugsx
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Thanks, Michael – much appreciated!
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Thank you, Michael. 🙂
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I am also looking forward to read Mark’s “Vanished”, and have an eye on “Acts of Convenience”. Both great books. Thank you for remembering, Sally! Enjoy a great afternoon! Michael xx
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Thanks Michael.. I have read both authors’ books and can recommend.. hugsx
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Thanks! ❤️
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Thank you, Sally. 🙂
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Thanks, Michael. I appreciate your support! 🙂
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Lots to look at in more depth, thanks for introducing them. Good luck everyone.
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Thanks Jane. It’s good to find myself included with these excellent authors.
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It is a grand place to make discoveries. Congrats and good luck x
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Thank you, Jane.
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Good luck, and congrats again xx
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Three excellent books, Sally.
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Thanks, Robbie! These reviews are great and I love my one by Pete – he really did me proud!
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Thanks, Robbie. 🙂
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Thanks Robbie..hugsx
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What a wonderful way to begin the day! Thanks so much for including Pete’s lovely review of Someone Close to Home. I’m sure the other two authors and I are more grateful than you can imagine for the support!
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Pleasure Trish and delighted to share.. hugs ♥
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I have Mark’s book on my Kindle, just waiting for its turn. Super authors and reviewers. Thank you, Sally
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Thank you, John. 🙂
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😊
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Thank you, John.
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Great John and some great reading ahead.. have a good week.. hugsx
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Thank you, Sally.
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Thanks for the mention, Sally. I’ve discovered many great bloggers via your columns, and hope to ‘meet’ many more.
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Thanks Cathy and delighted to hear that.. enjoy your week..xx
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Thanks you so much for sharing these reviews, Sally. 🙂 I’m honored to be included along with these Cathy and Alex, two talented authors. I thank you again, Catherine, for your review of Vanished.
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Delighted to share Mark.. enjoy your week.. x
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I enjoy your introductions to authors. It’s great to learn of these new to me authors.
The trouble is that my tbr list is getting looooong. But the good news is that I don’t have to go searching for something to read.
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I know exactly what you mean about tbr lists. As I add new books to my Kindle it feels like a game of Jenga and I’m afraid that it’ll all come tumbling down!
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Thanks Viv and I love being an enabler lol.. and you have to show these TBR’s whose boss lol.. Happy reading ahead. cc
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I agree, Viv, so many books, if only we didn’t need sleep. 🙂
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I agree with that, Mark.
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Fabulous trio of talent here today Sal.Looking forward to Trish’s books and Mark’s, when regular reading resumes. And now adding Cathy’s 🙂 Congrats writing friend ❤
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Thanks very much Debby… I have so many books waiting for me I need a beach, an unbrella and a steady supply of margs…♥
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No kidding! I had 2 margs yesterday. It was lovely. 🙂 ❤
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bliss..♥
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Thank you so much, Debby, 🙂
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Welcome Mark 🙂
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I’ve read books by Mark and Trish (both 5 stars), and it encourages me that others have started to write in retirement, such as Cathy, as that is my path.
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Thanks Pete and excellent review for Alex’s book. It is wonderful that all the wonderful experiences and knowledge over a lifetime is not going to waste and the resulting books are fantastic.. xx
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Thank you, Pete. 🙂 I appreciate your support. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Judith Barrow.
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Very much appreciated, Judith! xx
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Thank you so much, Judith. I’ll head to your blog soon. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Thorne Moore.
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Thanks, Thorne! Only just seen this. Was a migraine day yesterday and I’m catching up now…
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Thank you so much, Thorne! I’ll head to your blog, soon. 🙂
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A Great meet the authors. All the best to Mark, Cathy, and Alex 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Sally. Hugs xx 🙂
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Thanks very much Harmony..♥
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Thank you, Harmony. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Head over to the Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore to Meet the Authors featuring Mark Bierman, Cathy Cade, and Alex Craigie
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Very much appreciated, Don!
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You’re welcome.
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Thank you, Don! Heading to your blog, soon.
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You’re welcome.
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How wonderful that you have (again) introduced me to new authors, Sally (or not new, but new to me). I’ve just downloaded Cathy Cade’s The Godmother on my Kindle, as I’m in need of something light and creative. Mark’s work is so well done and timely. And I will next explore Alex’s writing. Thank you!
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Thank you very much Pamela and Cathy’s book is a lovely read.. glad you introduce you to Alex.. hugsx
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Music to my ears, Pamela. Thanks!
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Thanks, Pamela. 🙂
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Some wonderful reviews, Sally! I highly recommend Mark’s book! I thoroughly enjoyed it although, at times, it broke my heart. Congrats to all the authors!
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Thanks Jan and for adding your recommendation for Mark’s book.. I agree heartbreaking in places…hugsx
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Thank you, Sally. 🙂
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Thanks, Jan!
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