Years before my first novel Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun became available for purchase as a full-cast audiobook on Audible.com, I recorded it as a 37-episode podcast using only a few friends for additional voices. This early version is still available for free on Podiobooks.com and iTunes under their Podcast category. I highly recommend the full-cast audiobook version instead (linked on my STORE page), but if you are into podcasts, and the word free, then the early version (links below, or click here) might be for you.
Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun
Promo Video by Brian Jessip
Video Music by Kim Smith
This audiobook can be heard for free in its entirety on Podiobooks.com and iTunes (originally available summer 2012).
Click here for instructions on how to subscribe and download this free audiobook on iTunes
Or, simply search for “Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun” on either Podiobooks.com or iTunes in their Podcasts section. The entire download is FREE. After listening, your feedback is welcome, and requested. Also be sure to visit Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun, my novel’s webpage, to hear all twelve companion songs in their entirety and link to each music artist’s page.
Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun – a survivor’s guilt story by Mark L Berry
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, reckless driving, one-night stands, and body painting. 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.
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.
A dozen original songs are developed and woven into this audiobook’s 36 episodes.
Chapters are read in alternating first-person point of view by Mark L Berry as Billy, Alison Leston as Lindy, and Christopher Madden as Dog.
– Intro and outro music for most chapters composed and recorded by Adam Hill
Podcast Trailer and Promo – Long 1:00
Here are the first five chapters to get you started.
Then be sure to visit Podiobooks.com or iTunes Podcasts section to download and listen to the full novel (again, it’s FREE in podcast format).
Cheers, MLB
Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun – in its original podcast audio form
Novel Intro and Chapter 1 – Curb Hopping 11:04 (Billy)
Chapter 2 – He Loved to Ride 4:05 (Lindy)
Chapter 3 – Last Call 11:34 (Billy)
Chapter 4 – Oso’s Last Ride 7:27 (Lindy)
Chapter 5 – Formidable Force 4:28 (Billy)
Here’s the Table of Contents for all 36 episodes (chapters)
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Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun Total time: 8 hours 33 minutes
Chapter Titles Companion Songs Minutes
Part I
Summer of 1984
Episode 1 – Billy Curb Hopping 11:04
Episode 2 – Lindy He Loved to Ride 4:06
Episode 3 – Billy Last Call 11:34
Episode 4 – Lindy Oso’s Last Ride “One Down and Four Up” 7:27
Episode 5 – Billy Formidable Force 4:28
Part II
2 Years Later—Summer of 1986
Episode 6 – Billy Kassi’s Diner 26:10
Episode 7 – Lindy Bubble Hockey “Can’t Say Goodbye” 8:28
Episode 8 – Billy The Battle of Breakfast 7:37
Episode 9 – Lindy High School 9:53
Episode 10 – Billy Around The Loco Beer Fridge 20:30
Episode 11 – Dog The Fallout Shelter “If I’m Only Dreaming” 25:13
Episode 12 – Billy Ship of Fools 35:26
Episode 13 – Lindy Officer Huskador 4:26
Episode 14 – Billy Guests of the Crew 16:13
Episode 15 – Lindy Concert Plans 3:12
Episode 16 – Billy Misery Loves Company 31:16
Episode 17 – Lindy One Day “One Day” 13:46
. “Screwed at the Drive-thru”
Episode 18 – Dog Dog Houses 10:42
Episode 19 – Lindy Spy’s Surprise “Man-Made Roadblocks” 3:28
Episode 20 – Billy Don Q and Phoenix for Two 13:56
Episode 21 – Lindy Zodiac Signs 7:36
Episode 22 – Billy What About Lindy? 15:43
Episode 23 – Lindy Hey Young Lady “Hey Young Lady” 11:16
. “Organized Anger” (drum solo)
Episode 24 – Dog White Horse Diner 8:55
Episode 25 – Billy Back in the Saddle 15:30
Episode 26 – Dog At Least It’s Paid For 4:36
Episode 27 – Billy Cockroaches of the Sea 7:46
Episode 28 – Lindy About ‘Just Dan’ 16:38
Episode 29 – Lindy From a Long Way Away “From a Long Way Away” 20:44
Episode 30 – Billy The Silent Treatment 12:50
Episode 31 – Lindy Next Move “Just Another” 17:01
Episode 32 – Billy Pushing a Couple Leaves Towards the Sun 15:33
. “Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun”
Episode 33 –Lindy Restless Sleep 4:47
Part III
2 Years Later—Summer of 1988
Episode 34 –Lindy Encore! “The Family Tree” 18:51
. “Cats”
Episode 35 – Billy Epilogue 25:50
Episode 36 Q & A 32:22
Total time required to listen to this entire podcast audiobook: 7 hours 55 minutes 22 seconds
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The following songs are used as background within the audiobook with permission from the songwriters:
Refugee – Words by Amanda Feuerberg
Music by The Siren
Performed by The Siren
10 Round Click – Words by Amanda Feuerberg
Music by The Siren
Performed by The Siren
During Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun and Street Justice Lindy (protagonist) composed four music albums: Slices of NightLife, Studying Psychology–Mostly as a Patient, The Fallout Shelter, and Street Justice. The songs are listed as they appear on those albums, along with Bill’s cover body n’art, here: Lindy’s Albums and Cover Art
Podcast Novel Launch Party at The Vino Gallery 7/11/2012 – click here
Fun map showing where this audiobook has been downloaded. Thank you worldwide listeners!
