Verses

by Mark Eric

Pain. Strength. Courage. Defiance. Mark Eric follows up his debut novel, Benders, with Verses, a provocative collection of poetry that explores the trials, turmoil, and triumph of the Black Male experience in America. Eric demonstrates once again his broad range as a storyteller and offers up a collection that reflects his coming of age in New York City amid high crime, strong racial divides, and tragic unjustified shootings. Influenced by such legends as Maya Angelou, Pablo Neruda, and Langston Hughes, Eric shares his pain and frustration with the world around him. While some of his words may have been born years ago, readers will find that sadly little has changed in the landscape of America and for her Black Men. These selections stand as a testament to the lives still impacted by a cultural history we have yet to break free from as a country.

81 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 4, 2014

About the author

Mark Eric, an up and coming indie novelist, bursts into today's fictional landscape with a refreshing blend of realistic heroes within larger than life plots. He pours his creative energy onto the page in a way that both thrills and entertains as he infuses his stories with characters that become fond friends and dreaded enemies that beg to be destroyed.

Eric's writing career has spanned 20 years across multiple genres and media. Fans will be delighted with his range and unique tales. His dynamic multicultural casts reflect the rising demand in American entertainment for a richer, more diverse mix of age, race, gender, and socioeconomic status.

Eric's first release, Benders, is contemporary fiction of a gifted young Black man being pursued by one of the country's most politically influential men. His second novel, Charlie, is set to release late 2014, and a collection of his poetry will be released Summer 2014. Two other novels are also in the works for 2015. Eric will be filling our traditional and digital bookshelves for years to come.

Equally passionate—if not fanatic—about both films and music, Eric shares his wealth of intelligence, humor, insight and layman reviews as an avid blogger. In addition, the NYC native is a fiery social advocate against racism and social inequality. While writing, he divides his time between the culture rich concrete jungle of NYC and quiet woods on the outskirts of Youngstown, Ohio.