Uvi Poznansky's Blog, page 114

Only forever... Be my joy and my pride

When Natasha came back, she sat at the edge of the bed and turned on the radio. And to the faint sound of music, she started unbraiding her hair. I turned on my side, drew closer to her, and ran my hand along the arch of her back and the fullness of her hips. Never before had I experienced such a complete sense of peace. In spite of the suffering of my flesh, I had no worry, no tension whatsoever in my soul. Until now, my life had been in turmoil, like dust and debris swirling around in the wind. And just like that, a revelation: here, I thought, was something that felt like the eye of the storm. Here was the core. This was us, united not only in love but also in trust. It was a new feeling for me, a special moment.Then, peeking over her shoulder, I detected a sudden glint. “What’s that?” I asked.And Natasha said, “It’s the little gold locket you gave me, remember?”“Yes,” I said. “I do.”Touching the gold link that held it, she raised the necklace from her cleavage and rolled over to face me. “Every night,” she whispered, “just before falling asleep, I hold it in my hand, imagining us—I mean, our little pictures—ensconced inside of it, smiling at each other, giving joy, giving warmth.”I gathered her to my breast. One day, I thought, we would remember this time, when—just like the two little images in her gold locket—we were held together by something we could not even name, a rapture that could not be captured in words. And even as we would grow old, those memories of what both of us went through would keep us here, in this embrace, forever young, forever ensconced in love.And the last thing I remembered, before losing myself in her kiss, was the deep, vibrant voice that played on the radio. It sounded so much like mine, so much like a prayer.
Do I want you to stayAnd be here by my side?Only foreverBe my joy and my pride
Would I let you leave meIf you say that you must?Take my heart with you‘Cause its you that I trust
Would I be counting the daysTill you’re back in my arms?Only alwaysEnchanted by your charms
Excerpt from Dancing with Air by Uvi PoznanskyIncluded in Love in Times of War



Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionLove in Times of WarKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo  ★ Smashwords 
"This anthology consists of twelve wonderful stories with the inherent theme of love and war contained in them. Out of the twelve authors, Uvi Poznansky is the only one that I was familiar with previously. So, in addition to becoming acquainted with new authors in this set, my 'to be read' pile has grown considerably. That is not a bad thing with the wind chill of a minus 10 as I write this review!!"  - Off Grid...And Loving It... TOP 500 REVIEWER

The Beauty of Art, the Power of History

I am thrilled to find this review, written by an author who loves and lives to write, Dellani Oakes. She is also a former A.P. English teacher and a photo journalist. This is what she says about my art book, Inspired by Art: Fall of a Giant:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beauty of Art, the Power of HistoryByDellani Oakeson April 20, 2017Format: Kindle Edition|Verified PurchaseVerified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: Inspired by Art: Fall of a Giant (The David Chronicles Book 5) (Kindle Edition) Inspired by Art: Fall of a Giant by Uvi Poznansky, is a collection of amazing works of classical art inspired by David's defeat of Goliath. Ms. Poznansky has gathered these beautiful pieces into one volume to share with the public. Her artist's eye has lit upon a variety of styles, eras and masters, conveying the power and energy of this time in history. I enjoyed revisiting old favorites and finding new works to love.
Be sure to check out the historical literature by Uvi Poznansky. I highly recommend her books in The David Chronicles, which prompted her to create this eclectic collection of artworks. Rise to Power is the first book in The David Chronicles – Beautifully written and meticulously researched, this is an incredible read. I highly recommend Inspired by Art: Fall of a Giant, as well as the fascinating novels by Uvi Poznansky.
Five Golden Acorns
© 2017 Dellani Oakes

You can’t leave me. Let me come with you

His ravaging kiss stole away anything else she’d planned to say. They were both breathing heavily before he came up for air.“I need you to stay hidden here. I’ll be back in thirty minutes or less.”“No!” She grabbed his arm. “Don’t leave me. You can’t leave me. Let me come with you.”He wrapped his arms around her again. “I’ll be quick. I need to go back and cover our tracks so no one can follow us. I promise I won’t be long and we won’t be separated again, but I have to do this.”Emma sighed. “I’m holding you to your promises, John Weldon. If you break them and get yourself captured or killed, I’ll hunt you down and haunt you even if I have to go all the way to Hanoi Hilton.” Stories of where POW’s were kept at the end of the Ho Chi Minh trail and the conditions they lived under were horrible.“I never break my promises, Em. And that’s a promise.” He slid off his pack and pulled a MCI can from it then unstrapped a canteen of water. “Eat while I’m gone. And just keep in mind that Char-uh-C-ration tastes better than anything I could cook.” She reluctantly grinned and he disappeared from her sight, carrying only his rifle and machete. 
Excerpt from A Weldon Family Christmas by Jennifer St. GilesIncluded in Love in Times of War

Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionLove in Times of WarKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo  ★ Smashwords 
"This anthology consists of twelve wonderful stories with the inherent theme of love and war contained in them. Out of the twelve authors, Uvi Poznansky is the only one that I was familiar with previously. So, in addition to becoming acquainted with new authors in this set, my 'to be read' pile has grown considerably. That is not a bad thing with the wind chill of a minus 10 as I write this review!!"  - Off Grid...And Loving It... TOP 500 REVIEWER

You know what to do when we get to our room, right?

As we pulled into the parking lot at the hotel I’d booked for our wedding night, Ellie and I burst out laughing. The blinking light heralding the establishment read, “Poughkeepsie’s Finest Destination.”The building was pretty old and looked tawdry at best. “Guess this isn’t much of a honeymoon,” I said. “I’m sorry.”Ellie skipped alongside of me, as we went inside to register. Her uninhibited behavior reminded me of the girl who’d invited me to play spin the bottle, not so long ago. This time, however, she wore a wedding dress and was my wife.“Hey, Ellie, control yourself,” I told her, taking her hand in mine. “You’re a married woman now.”“Oh, knock it off, husband. Think about what’s in store for us. This is our special night.” She sent me a sneaky grin. “You’re mom gave us champagne, we have ourselves a car, and my parents gave us some money. What else is there?”“Not a darn thing.”As we walked to our bridal suite, bucket of ice in tow for our champagne, Ellie whispered, “You know what to do when we get to our room, right?” 

Excerpt from Lovin' Those Navy Games by Susan Jean RicciIncluded in Love in Times of War

Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionLove in Times of WarKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo  ★ Smashwords 
"This anthology consists of twelve wonderful stories with the inherent theme of love and war contained in them. Out of the twelve authors, Uvi Poznansky is the only one that I was familiar with previously. So, in addition to becoming acquainted with new authors in this set, my 'to be read' pile has grown considerably. That is not a bad thing with the wind chill of a minus 10 as I write this review!!"  - Off Grid...And Loving It... TOP 500 REVIEWER

An Inspired Collection

I am thrilled to find this new review, written by Catherine Cavendish, the author of Touched by Darkness, Cold Sparks, and other books. This is what she wrote about my art book, Inspired by Art: A Peek at Bathsheba:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Inspired CollectionByCatherine Cavendishon April 16, 2017This review is from: Inspired by Art: A Peek at Bathsheba (The David Chronicles Book 7) (Kindle Edition) An inspired collection of some of the world's greatest paintings, each of which have inspired the author in writing the book 'A Peek at Bathsheba' - in her series The David Chronicles. A fascinating idea as this book serves to illustrate her novel in a classic and beautiful fashion.

She could feel the tempo of her heart skip, and then race

The sound of a car door opening and closing changed her mind.  Swinging a leg over the side of the bed, she knew she couldn’t see the driveway from her bedroom, so she sleepily navigated the stairs at a pace guaranteed to not trip her up.  The knock at the door put any further doubt aside that who was on the opposite side was lost.  Glancing at the downstairs grandfather clock, she once again verified the time for her confused mind. Opening the interior door, she felt her stomach plummet, and every sense come fully awake.  “Ryker, what are you doing here?  At 1 a.m. in the morning.”“Sorry,” he glanced absently at his watch.  “I just…I just drove.”She opened the screen porch, attempting to settle her shaking hands.  “Come inside,” she said as the cold further unnerved her overstimulated body. He stepped inside, and she was made aware, not for the first time, of the significant difference in height.  It didn’t help that she was in stocking feet, and he in cowboy boots with a heel.“I hate to sound ungrateful to see you, but I thought we settled everything the other day.”“We didn’t really settle anything,” he said.  “I just didn’t think I should follow you, so I let you walk away.”“Okay?  And now?”  She was trying to be patient, but the urge to slap him and then kiss him was messing with her equilibrium.  She needed answers, and she needed them now. He exhaled and looked up at her, “I think I’m in love with you…scratch that, I’m in love with you.  And it scares the shit out of me.  You are Bryce’s fiancé, and…”“Bryce is dead.”“I know…but…”“I love you too, but I still don’t understand why you are in my doorway obviously discombobulated at one in the morning,” she said, patiently holding his eyes. 
He slowly extended his hand, and she noticed he held an envelope.  She could feel the tempo of her heart skip, and then race.
Excerpt from Moving to Forever by Angelica KateIncluded in Love in Times of War

Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionLove in Times of WarKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo  ★ Smashwords 
"This anthology consists of twelve wonderful stories with the inherent theme of love and war contained in them. Out of the twelve authors, Uvi Poznansky is the only one that I was familiar with previously. So, in addition to becoming acquainted with new authors in this set, my 'to be read' pile has grown considerably. That is not a bad thing with the wind chill of a minus 10 as I write this review!!"  - Off Grid...And Loving It... TOP 500 REVIEWER

Hey, stop flirting with my girl

Entering the kitchen from the garage, Tammy smelled something delicious. “Hey, Tammy, welcome home.” Lex’s smile was electric.“Hi, Lex. Wow, you look happy.” Tammy returned his smile with a brilliant one of her own.“Hey, stop flirting with my girl.” Danny walked into the kitchen wearing jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt, the ridges and planes of his muscles shown easily through the soft gray material. Sexy. He walked straight to Tammy and wrapped her in his arms. He nuzzled his nose into her hair and breathed in deeply. She felt his heart beating strongly against her cheek and she closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax. This. Is. Where. She. Wanted. To. Always. Be. Danny felt a shiver run through Tammy’s body and he squeezed. He knew she'd been having a rough time of it lately. His guilt that he'd been enjoying his friends visiting and failed to see all that she'd been going through made him feel stupid. Sucky boyfriend he was. He needed to start thinking like a teammate and less like an individual, because, he wanted Tammy here with him.Pulling back, he looked into her eyes. “Wine?”Her full lips spread into the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen. “Yes, please.”
Excerpt from Moving to Forever by PJ FialaIncluded in Love in Times of War


Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionLove in Times of WarKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo  ★ Smashwords 
"This anthology consists of twelve wonderful stories with the inherent theme of love and war contained in them. Out of the twelve authors, Uvi Poznansky is the only one that I was familiar with previously. So, in addition to becoming acquainted with new authors in this set, my 'to be read' pile has grown considerably. That is not a bad thing with the wind chill of a minus 10 as I write this review!!"  - Off Grid...And Loving It... TOP 500 REVIEWER

I imagined I was the woman in the photo

The summer before my senior year of high school, the first where I’d be alone, getting through each day became my secondary objective, my primary still hoping to work at the magazine someday. Part of making it a reality was giving the goal credence by sharing my hopes outside of the family. The situation sprung up out of nowhere, in yet another creative writing class. The first day of senior year began like any other, that is until it was time to leave for school. I woke up to a quiet house, the sounds of the last day of summer filtering in through my window. A neighbor’s dog barked, traffic picking up on Outer Drive, the echoes of a woodpecker going to town. The sound on the periphery of consciousness, I thought my mother was chopping vegetables for a breakfast omelet at first, but when the racket continued for some minutes I knew it was the bird. Soft foot steps coming up to my room, my mother opened the door a few inches and peeked in.“Pipi, it’s a school day,” she whispered. “I know,” I moaned. “Thanks, Mom,” Although it was early September, I felt the chill of autumn. The temperature would rise later in the day, summer returning for a few, short weeks. I dressed and grabbed my book bag, taking one last look around my room. Leaving it was difficult. It had been a summer of peace, the last summer we would all live under the same roof, a slightly lonely summer with my sisters all dating, going steady or engaged. I was the only one of us who didn’t have a boyfriend, and the solitude was unusual, but not painful. What I’d missed most was the camaraderie, my sisters and I against the repressive tyranny of our mother, but not so that she’d ever find out. Over the summer, I was forced into cahoots with Mother, wondering what the others were up to.I already knew what I really wanted in life; one, to get away from the boring, domestic grind of home, the footsteps of which my sisters appeared to be following, and two, to acquire a job at Mademoiselle Magazine. The creative writing class my senior year helped define my goal in words.The way my exposure to the outside world came about was circuitous; the instructor gave us a writing prompt in the form of a photograph from the 1950’s of a stylish woman standing next to an expensive sports car, a bridge in the distance partially obscured by fog. The moon rose in the background, eerily beautiful. 
Closing my eyes, I imagined I was the woman in the photo, being lured over to the edge of a cliff by a handsome man. The bridge in the distance, the Golden Gate, drenched in fog, reminiscent of stories I’d heard about San Francisco. I admit, I was fully enraptured by the photograph, transported there in seconds. I could even smell the seaweed in San Francisco Bay.
Excerpt from Mademoiselle by Suzanne JenkinsIncluded in Love in Times of War



Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionLove in Times of WarKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo  ★ Smashwords 
"This anthology consists of twelve wonderful stories with the inherent theme of love and war contained in them. Out of the twelve authors, Uvi Poznansky is the only one that I was familiar with previously. So, in addition to becoming acquainted with new authors in this set, my 'to be read' pile has grown considerably. That is not a bad thing with the wind chill of a minus 10 as I write this review!!"  - Off Grid...And Loving It... TOP 500 REVIEWER

His dark eye falls on me

Michal plops into her seat and graces everyone with a splendid smile. Meanwhile, an army of servants advance towards us, carrying casks of wine, and baskets laden with buttery, freshly baked pastries. She points at a steaming hot pastry, filled with crushed nuts and brushed with egg gloss, and one of the servants drops it onto her plate. She selects her wine, and with a twirly splash he fills her cup. Then he turns to me.“Here,” he offers, raising the basket to my eyes, and tipping it so I may make my choice. “Won’t you have this one? It’s flaky.”In reply, my stomach starts growling.“And,” he says, in a lower tone, “so is the king.”“What?” I cry.Startled, the servant looks left and right. Then he takes a deep breath, and with fear in his eyes bends towards me again. “Shush,” he breathes in my ear. “I may be hanged for telling you this: the king spoke to me, and to all the servants, that we should kill you.”“You sure?”He gives me a look, “Beware.”“Beware,” I think I hear another servant echo, as he passes behind my back. At hearing this I lose my appetite in a big hurry, and despite a look of disapproval from Michal leap to my feet— but before I can begin to head for the nearest exit, the heavy iron doors at the far end creak open, which lets in a new sound, the sound of a ceremonial drumbeat. Then, two guards holding flaming torches step in to announce, “Long live the king!” And all the servants bow deep while they do their best to balance the baskets and casks. “Long live the king!” And his wife, his concubine, his sons, his daughters, and anyone connected to any one of them by ties of marriage—the entire Kish clan—they all rise up, chairs squealing against the floor and knocking against each other, and they clap their hands and call, “Long live the king,” because there, there he is, towering over the shoulders of his guards. He is marching in with a heavy step, with his spear at his side, flashing in the air.I raise my empty wine cup.“Long live the king!”Heading for the fireplace Saul unties his mantle. Its folds ebb and flow, rolling in and out of one another until they freeze. He wipes the sweat off his brow, and with a clouded look he scans the entire length of the table, giving a slight nod to each one of the guests—until, at long last, his dark eye falls on me.
David in Rise to Power

★ Love reading? Get this series ★
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

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

Love Rises above the Challenge of Dementia

Elaine C. Pereira is a Multi-Award Winning, Best Selling Memoir I Will Never Forget, in which she describes the compelling story of her once brilliant mother’s journey through the dark abyss of dementia. I am honored that she read my book, The Music of Us, and posted this review:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love Rises above the Challenge of DementiaByElaine C Pereiraon April 10, 2017Format: Kindle Edition|Verified PurchaseThis review is from: The Music of Us: WWII love story (Still Life with Memories Book 3) (Kindle Edition) The Music of Life could have been a true story as it deeply profiles Lenny's detailed and romantic journey to find Natasha, clearly a woman worth finding! He suffers through his dad's death, unable to arrive in time due to his service in WWII. They find each other many times over due to his persistence and despite Natasha's old school, Russian, matriarch and interfering mother!

But the real story is the foundation of love and commitment Lenny has for his wife years later when, at a young age, she starts to exhibit clear signs of Early Onset Alzheimer's! Alzheimer's is a brutal, despicable disease for anyone at any age, but as a woman in the middle of life, it's especially tragic!

While reading The Music of Us I could help but think about the real life Pat Summit, Tennessee's winning women's basketball coach, who succumb to EOA at age 64. Although the stories and time frames are very different, the underlying tragedy is the same.