Uvi Poznansky's Blog, page 106

The smell of apple pie baking

The smell of apple pie baking filled the house that early morning. Thanksgiving was the following day. “Don’t forget that we’re leaving for the shore tonight as soon as Daddy gets home from work,” Harley reminded the girls as they filed out of the house. Tina couldn’t wait to have Thanksgiving at the shore. Granny Fran would set up a long table, stretching from the dining room into the living room of the cottage. Harley’s mother, Maryanne and sisters would be there with husbands and Aunt Melissa’s two children.
Excerpt by Suzanne Jenkins from her book in A Touch of Passion

Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords

A hearty thank you to our wonderful readerswho not only nominated A Touch of Passion for the Romance Reviews Reader Choice Awards but also took us all the way to first place:

"The authors... all have gifts to offer and in tandem they present a very fine collection of contemporary writing about Romance, suspense, fiction and a touch of history, Fine curl p by the fire reading"  -Grady Harp, Hall of Fame Reviewer

The ghosts peer in across the glass

This night is cold, no use to fillThe mind with thoughts of joy and cheerFrost paints stars on the window  sillWind shrieks the name of someone dear
The ghosts peer in across the glassTheir eyes are veiled, their faces--ashenLet them watch you till they pass Then find warmth in A Touch of Passion

Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords

A hearty thank you to our wonderful readerswho not only nominated A Touch of Passion for the Romance Reviews Reader Choice Awards but also took us all the way to first place:

"The authors... all have gifts to offer and in tandem they present a very fine collection of contemporary writing about Romance, suspense, fiction and a touch of history, Fine curl p by the fire reading"  -Grady Harp, Hall of Fame Reviewer

This, here, was no man’s land

This, here, was no man’s land. I spotted haystacks at the edge of a distant field and pictured myself lying there in the hay with my sweetheart, weaving flowers in her wavy, red hair. I watched the sky darkening and imagined her in my arms. If this were a time of peace, we would gaze together at the stars, rising ever so slowly over both of us. Above me, birds were chirping as they flew over mud, blood and the stench of dead bodies. I was puzzled at the craziness in this place, where beauty coexisted, strangely enough, with horrific ugliness. For a moment, I recalled the stories my dad had told me about trench warfare, dating back to his service in the First World War. Unprotected from rain, snow, and cold, many of the trenches had been continually flooded, exposing the troops to frostbites. With swollen feet, he had waded through water, surrounded by a multitude of frogs and faced with the nightmarish sight of red slugs and beetles with weird horns, all wriggling along the ledges. And then, the rats... Large and utterly fearless, they had invaded the foxholes. Feeding upon the dead had made them contemptuous of the living. I stretched out as best I could at the bottom of my trench and relaxed into feeling lucky. Of course, Natasha would be horrified to learn that my temple had been grazed, earlier that day, by a bullet—but unlike what my father had gone through, my discomfort was not amplified by the ravages of winter.The mound just ahead of me was in bloom. It was springtime. For that, and for the rustle of her letter in my breast pocket, which brought her closer to me, I felt grateful.
Lenny in Marriage before Death
Narrated by Don Warrick

★ Love reading? Get this series ★Still Life with Memories
Volume V: Marriage before DeathEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
Paperback: Amazon ★ Barnes&Noble
Audiobook: Coming soon


"Uvi Poznansky raises the stakes in a high stakes story, filled with uncertainty, drama and suspense... This book is a nail biter and one I found hard to put down. For me, this is Uvi Poznansky's best novel to date."  - Richard Weatherly, Author ____________________________________

On a different note: 
My gift to you:
A Peek at BathshebaBy Uvi PoznanskyHistorical Fiction, Romance FREE $2.99
Kindle ★ Nook ★ iTunes Kobo ★ Smashwords09/15/2016-09/18/2016
When Bathsheba becomes pregnant, David attempts to cover up the ensuing scandal. He sends her husband, Uriah—who serves him faithfully in his army—to his death. And for the rest of his life, David is tormented by the memory of that moment. Can he muster the strength to keep his promise to her and protect their son from danger? Will their forbidden love undo his entire legacy?

There is a twist to Natasha's past

I find this review particularly enlightening for me, as I can hear the expectations of this reader for the next volume in the series... This is what Critical Reader writes about my WWII spy thriller, Marriage before Death: 

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-PacedByA Critical Readeron September 11, 2017Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase This book moved much faster for me than the two before it. There was quite a bit of action, and there is a twist to Natasha's past I never saw coming. It was quite shocking actually, but I suppose I can see how something like that might have happened. Lots of crazy things happen in times of war, although during this particular war, I would expect something to be mentioned of these American Jews' brethren being slaughtered factory-style. Did Lenny and Natasha think about their Jewish brothers and sisters? Or was it too soon for them to know at this point what was going on? Is this a subject the author will broach in subsequent books? And what about Natasha's family, those who may have stayed behind in Russia? I have to wonder if any of these things will be brought up later on. Surely Natasha would care more about her people than the French. These are just my thoughts.

As for the book, this one is the best out of the WWII stories in this series. Natasha becomes a different person, and we get to know Lenny better and better. I do look forward to what comes next and hope to see more of a Jewish connection.

Weaving a tale of action/adventure

Angelica Kate writes contemporary and inspirational romances primarily, but occasionally likes to dabble in other genres. She is a lifetime scribbler who has always enjoyed writing as a release from the reality of life. I am thrilled to find her review of my WWII spy thriller, Marriage before Death:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you like a multi-faceted love story you will not be disappointedByAngelica Kateon August 19, 2017Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase This is the latest installment in the Still Life with Memories Series, featuring the multi-faceted duo of Lenny and Natasha Kaminsky. Uvi is a masterful storyteller that will draw you in to her stories and leave you needing to go back and read all the rest of these books in her series. If you like a multi-faceted love story you will not be disappointed, as these two return to memories of their past during World War II the author does a wonderful job of weaving a tale of action/adventure marred only by the present truth of Natasha's Alzheimer's diagnosis complicating the recalling of the entire story. If you are a fan of great romance, fantastic story telling, war stories or in general just escaping into a fabulous book - download this one today!

An autumn sun, reddening every ripple

There in front of us, closing in on an unclear horizon, is an autumn sun, reddening every ripple out there in the ocean, every little wrinkle here on the shore, and casting endless shadows, shadows made of vapor and dust, which seem to be flowing along, right over the surface. We stand side by side. We smell the salt in the air. We step off the paved boardwalk and into the soft sand. All the while, I am listening to myself thinking. Slapped by a sudden backwash of emotion, I realize that just now, for the first time in years, something has changed in me: I have said something quite unusual, which came about without planning—but also, without regret. Three times I have named him and me, bringing the two together into a single word: becoming one, as in We.  For just a minute I lean on my father, to fold up my pant legs, take off my shoes and roll my socks in them. Then he leans on me, to do the same. 
We cross the border between the wind-blown mounds of dry sand, and the saturated, nearly flat seaboard, trounced by the tide. The waves roll in, threatening to swallow us whole. With a roar in their widening mouth, they are leaping ahead, then lapping the sand angrily, foam on their lip.And scattered here all around us—going away this way and that, across moist and dry land—are traces: footprints of things big and small. You can figure out what they might have been, by that which they have taken away, by what has gone missing, and how. 
Ben in The White Piano


★ Looking for a Mother's Day gift? ★Still Life with Memories
Volume II: The White PianoEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ SmashwordsPaperback: Amazon ★ Barnes&NobleAudiobook: iTunes ★ Amazon ★ Audible
Volume I & II, woven together: Apart from LoveEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ SmashwordsPaperback: Amazon ★ Barnes&NobleAudiobook: iTunes ★ Amazon ★ Audible

Few authors would be able to pull off the manner in which the apparent polar opposites of Ben and Anita begin to bond... but Poznansky has the visual and verbal and architectural skills to create this maze and guide us through it. ~Grady Harp, HALL OF FAME reviewer

Palace intrigue

Charles A. Ray is a writer, artist, and photographer. He reads and writes in many genres, and reviews books on his blog Charles Ray's Ramblings. Here is his great review of my Historical Fiction novel, The Edge of Revolt:

5.0 out of 5 stars Palace intrigueByCharles A. Rayon September 3, 2017Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase King David is getting old, and must face the inevitability of his demise. His eldest son Amnon is next in line to the throne, but when he rapes his half-sister, Tamar, David, though shocked, remains silent. Then, Tamar’s brother, Absalom, lures Amnon to his death. David still remains silent, even though these events have rocked the kingdom. When Absalom moves to oust him from the throne, David is forced to flee, setting in motion a chain of events that will rock Israel to its roots.

The Edge of Revolt by Uvi Poznansky is the third book in the series about David, slayer of Goliath and king of the Israelites. In David’s own words, the story of palace intrigue and family betrayal is chillingly told. This one stands on its own.

Masterful Story Telling

Jess Steven Hughes has extensive experience as  a police detective sergeant. He is also a horseman, and he draws on all his skills in writing his great historical fiction books. I am thrilled to find his review of my WWII Spy novel, Marriage before Death:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful Story TellingByJess S. Hugheson September 3, 2017Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
Marriage Before Death is the fifth installment in the Still Life with Romance series featuring Lenny and Natasha Kaminsky. Once again the story begins in the present time. Lenny is the loving caretaker to his wife, Natasha, who is suffering from the ravages of Alzheimer's Disease. Her memory is slowly fading about their unusual courtship during World War Two, especially, about the events that took place during and after D-Day, the invasion of Normandy, France.

In this installment, Lenny is a member of the U.S. Marines attached to an army unit that lands in France during that fateful day. He is separated from his unit and is eventually captured out of uniform by the Germans. They intend to execute him as a spy.

To his surprise and consternation, Natasha enters the picture as a member of the French resistance. It is only later he learns that she had volunteered to work with them. Although it is obvious that Lenny avoids the hangman's noose, to say more as to how he got away would spoil the story.

What the reader sees is how their relationship survives the horrors of war making their love for one another all the stronger. Through their eyes we see the terrible sights, sounds and smells of war, something no one ever forgets.

This is Uvi Poznansky at her masterful best. Five stars!

This book was sent to me for an unbiased review.

Mercy is useless. Merav knows better than to ask this of me

Merav, his oldest, is a lovely, bubbly girl. She is petite—but to compensate for that, her hair and bust point upward. She hops onto the stone stage and prances towards her father. Then she rises to her tiptoes to brush her lips across his cheek, at which time her eyes flutter slightly and turn, almost by accident, to meet mine. “David,” she curtsies, spreading her silk skirt with a perfectly dainty move, and in a blink, also winking at me. “Enough with that,” blurts the younger, nudging her sister aside. With that, she gives Merav a look, as if to admonish her for a behavior unbecoming of a princess, especially a Jewish princess.Like her father, Michal is tall. She is all legs, and has no chest to speak of. It is flat as a board. The back of her hand, when she extends it to me so I may kiss it, is white, and her palm feels clammy. Then, without a single remark to me or to her father—as if what she has to say is too heavy for words—she turns on her heels and walks away. Meanwhile, Merav releases the spear from her father’s hold, and with a disarming smile she whispers into his ear, “You love me, father?”“I do,” he says.“Then,” she hints at me, “have mercy on him.”She leans the thing against the wall, and a minute later hops off the stage, and races her sister to the other side of the court. They disappear beyond the stone arc, and the sound of her giggles subsides, until finally it is no more than a ghost.  The king heaves a sigh, raising his eyes. Catching sight of the richly draped, raw-silk canopy over his head, he flicks off the pretty tassels dangling down from it. When they fall back into place, he tears them out with a single rip, at which time he turns back to me. “Mercy is useless,” he says. “Merav knows better than to ask this of me. I’ve told her so, many times before.”
David in Rise to Power

★ Love reading? Give The David Chronicles ★

Volume I: Rise to PowerEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ SmashwordsPaperback: Amazon ★ Barnes&NobleAudiobook: iTunes ★ Amazon ★ Audible
Volume II: A Peek at BathshebaEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ SmashwordsPaperback: Amazon ★ Barnes&NobleAudiobook: iTunes ★ Amazon ★ Audible
Volume III: The Edge of RevoltEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ SmashwordsPaperback Amazon ★ Barnes&Noble
Audiobook: Amazon ★ Audible ★ iTunes

The complete trilogy:The David Chronicles (Boxed Set) 
Ebook: Kindle ★ Apple ★ Nook ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords

"The miracle of Uvi Poznansky's writing is her uncanny ability to return to old stories and make them brilliantly fresh"-Grady Harp, Hall of Fame reviewer

Soon the trilling of pipes will be heard

And so Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and my bodyguard, Benaiah, hurry out of my chamber together, to escort Solomon to Gihon. I have chosen this spring, whose name means gushing forth, for a reason. It flows three to five times daily in winter, twice daily in summer, and only once daily in autumn. No one has ever gone through the passage all the way to its outlet, which is hidden in a cave. It is deep enough to preserve a sense of mystery about it. Despite being intermittent, the spring is a reliable source of water for the Pool of Siloam, located in the Kidron valley, which stores up water for the City of David. It made settlement possible here—not only for drinking water but also for irrigation of the royal gardens. Since ancient times, it has been considered a source of sustenance. What better place to ensure an orderly transition of power for my dynasty, and what better symbol for the future!All my attendants have followed Solomon on his journey, so here I am, left all alone in my chamber. There is not much to do but follow my son from afar, in my own way. I imagine the priest taking the flask of oil from the sacred tent to anoint him. There is a flash of gold in the air as he starts pouring, which brings to mind the fragrance of oil. I smell it as if it were dripping over my own head. Somehow the days of my youth, when Samuel the Prophet arrived at my father’s house to choose the next king of the land, come rushing back to me. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath, in which I detect a dash of powdered bark, a pinch of scented medicinal leaves, sweet cinnamon, calamus and cassia, mixed together into olive oil according to an age old formula passed down the generations.By now, I imagine, the sound of trumpet must be reverberating back and forth between the walls of the valley. Soon the trilling of pipes will be heard, along with the thud of footfalls in various rhythms of dancing, and laughter, resounding laughter of men and women rejoicing. I can almost hear them shouting, and find myself startled by the words, in which my name has been omitted to mark an irreversible change.“Long live King Solomon!”And the last thing I imagine before sleep comes is Adonijah, pressing his hands over his ears to stop it, stop hearing the blaring of the trumpet, while his guests are rising in alarm, just about to disperse. 
David in The Edge of Revolt


★ Love giving gifts? Give The David Chronicles ★

Volume I: Rise to PowerEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ SmashwordsPaperback: Amazon ★ Barnes&NobleAudiobook: iTunes ★ Amazon ★ Audible

Volume II: A Peek at BathshebaEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ SmashwordsPaperback: Amazon ★ Barnes&NobleAudiobook: iTunes ★ Amazon ★ Audible
Volume III: The Edge of RevoltEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ SmashwordsPaperback Amazon ★ Barnes&NobleAudiobook: Amazon ★ Audible ★ iTunes
The complete trilogy:The David Chronicles (Boxed Set) 
Ebook: Kindle ★ Apple ★ Nook ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords

"The miracle of Uvi Poznansky's writing is her uncanny ability to return to old stories and make them brilliantly fresh"-Grady Harp, Hall of Fame reviewer