Discover Mark's Novels
"‘As much a YA romance as a struggle for a young man to find closure. Superbly plotted and populated with a host of unforgettable characters."
"Oleksiw deftly blends a coming-of-age story with elements of a mystery, resulting in an insightful and refreshing YA novel with crossover appeal to an older audience."
"THE BOYS WHO DANCED WITH THE MOON is a tender and poetic look at adolescent boyhood, and its currents will draw the reader along almost as powerfully as those of the river at its heart."
The Boys Who Danced with the Moon
The Story
Can you ever escape the past? Kiran Wells, a thirtysomething professional living on the West Coast, thought he was safe until an anonymous letter arrives from his hometown. Its only contents- an old newspaper clipping about a drowning twenty years earlier. Leaving career and friends behind, Kiran returns to the place of his youth to find the conjurer of his past.
Kiran is a quiet and shy teenager with a taste for alternative music growing up in a suburban northern town during the mid-80's. The arrival of two students, the confident and rebellious Marius and the naive, cloak-wearing Moony, awaken Kiran. On the eve of graduation, fate turns the volume off in Kiran’s world and his memory fades to black.
Returning to his hometown, Kiran is forced to confront the demons that haunt him. His future depends on whatever hope he has left and the life or death decision he must ultimately make. Will he hear the music again?
“Why didn’t we ever dance if we had all this great music?”-Moony.
"‘A highly-charged, often gripping young adult mystery."
"Love can make the heart glow or plunge it into an endless night of despair. Returning to the land of the living is not a journey for wimps. The novel, Munching on the Sun, opens a Pandora's box of memories where evil might wear many faces, including your own... It is said a life without hope is a fate worse than death. Author Mark Paul Oleksiw takes a colorful cast on a VI Act journey towards reclaiming the beauty of life in the unusual novel, MUNCHING ON THE SUN"
"Oleksiw's Munching on the Sun is a fast-paced, skillfully plotted thriller, but still manages to discuss important, dark themes. Oleksiw's work is certainly original. The events that Lukas experiences in the novel are both relatable and realistic, and they will resonate with readers"
Munching on the Sun
In the labyrinth of memory, Lukas Wunand finds himself tangled in a web of past and present. At first glance, his life appears painted with the vibrant colors of success—a rising star at a prestigious university, surrounded by friends and endless possibilities. Yet beneath the surface lies a shadow, a specter of the past he cannot shake.
Enter Kara, the girl etched into Lukas' heart like an indelible mark. An immigrant and newcomer to his old neighborhood, she brought with her a whirlwind of emotions—friendship, confusion, and ultimately, betrayal. Though Lukas tries to bury their deep connection beneath layers of academia and ambition, Kara's sudden reappearance on campus shatters the fragile facade he's built.
Haunted by memories of their teenage bond, Lukas grapples with the unsettling notion that Kara shouldn't be there, that she belongs oceans away. But as disturbing incidents rock the student body, Lukas' grip on reality begins to slip, his obsession with Kara threatening to unravel the threads of his carefully constructed life.
In "Munching on the Sun," set against the backdrop of the 90s grunge culture, Lukas embarks on a journey to untangle the truth from the tendrils of his own mind. With each twist and turn, he teeters on the edge of sanity, desperately seeking a flesh-and-blood explanation for the apparition that haunts him. But in his quest for answers, Lukas risks losing not only his grasp on reality but also the essence of who he truly is.
In this suspense-fueled psychological odyssey, Mark Paul Oleksiw invites readers to delve into the murky depths of memory and identity, where the past casts a long shadow over the present and the lines between truth and illusion blur like ink on a page.
"Time's Musicians is a suspenseful musing on existence, relationships, truth, and purpose, offering a satisfying conclusion, along with plenty of profound questions that will persist long after reading the last page"
"Oleksiw’s searching literary novel focuses on an inexplicable childhood incident that forever connects two friends and bridges the past and future. Sci-fi, fantasy, and coming-of-age elements richly intermingle within a framework of literary fiction."
"A complex, well-written story of boys coming of age and the darkness they must face."
Time's Musicians
In a world where childhood dreams collide with adult realities, "Time's Musicans". Billy, once a believer in the wonders of black holes and time travel, now finds himself navigating the complexities of adulthood as the reclusive creator of a beloved comic book series. But as the final chapter approaches, Billy's world begins to unravel, prompting him to reach out to the one person who might hold the key to his past: Dr. Carrie Woodson, the psychologist who once evaluated him.
Enter the realm of Time’s Musicians, a tale that weaves together the lives of two eccentric souls—Billy and John—who first crossed paths at a summer camp, their brilliance drawing them together like magnets. As college roommates, they embarked on a quest for answers to life's greatest mysteries, until a seemingly harmless prank shattered their bond, altering their futures forever.
As Carrie delves into the enigmatic friendship between Billy and John, she uncovers layers of complexity and intrigue, questioning what truly drove Billy to betray his closest friend. Was it jealousy, madness, or something far more sinister lurking beneath the surface?
In this suspenseful coming-of-age saga, "Time’s Musicians" explores the timeless quest for truth amidst the shadows of the human experience. Amidst the silence, there lies a melody waiting to be played by those brave enough to face the music of their own existence.