Uvi Poznansky's Blog, page 149
January 4, 2016
A TOUCH OF PASSION: Love Me Tender by @MimiBarbour
The woman who waved reminded him of his old friend, if only because she had the same beautiful face. Her hair, she’d worn really long as a teen, was now cut shoulder length and hugged her face with dramatic effect. It made him think of models on magazine pages.With his guts in his throat, he approached and waited for her to take the initiative about their greeting. Why her enthusiastic hug and kisses on both cheeks surprised him, he’d never know. But wrapping his arms around the slight body, feeling her warmth against the ice he’d lived with for so long, started the first melt he’d had in ages.
Here is a heartwarming story for cold evenings... Excerpt from Love Me Tender by Mimi Barbour, included in A Touch of Passion
Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
Here is a heartwarming story for cold evenings... Excerpt from Love Me Tender by Mimi Barbour, included in A Touch of Passion
Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
#99cents #sale: A PEEK AT BATHSHEBA
It's a rush, don't break a heel!The price is slashed, this book--a steal!
$0.99 sale:
Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
When you get the kindle edition, the audiobook is yours for only $1.99
Book Description:Against the backdrop of wars, raging within the land and without, David is growing into the mantle of leadership. Between his anointment as a tribal king and his anointment as the king of all of Israel, he uses wisdom, cunning, and his own understanding of the forces of history, aiming for high ideals: stopping the bloodshed, uniting the nation, and bringing about healing and peace.
But then, having reached his peak, David falters. He makes a serious error that threatens to undo his political success, and cost him not only the adoration of his people--but also the sense of being sustained by a divine power. That error is the most torrid tale of passion ever told: his deliciously forbidden love for Bathsheba, followed by his attempt to cover up the ensuing scandal by sending her husband--who serves him faithfully in his army--to his death.
This standalone novel is volume II of The David Chronicles, told candidly by the king himself. David uses modern language, indicating that this is no fairytale. Rather, it is a story that is happening here and now. Listen to his voice as he undergoes a profound change, realizing the magnitude of his sin, and the curse looming over his entire future.
"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
$0.99 sale:
Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
When you get the kindle edition, the audiobook is yours for only $1.99
Book Description:Against the backdrop of wars, raging within the land and without, David is growing into the mantle of leadership. Between his anointment as a tribal king and his anointment as the king of all of Israel, he uses wisdom, cunning, and his own understanding of the forces of history, aiming for high ideals: stopping the bloodshed, uniting the nation, and bringing about healing and peace.
But then, having reached his peak, David falters. He makes a serious error that threatens to undo his political success, and cost him not only the adoration of his people--but also the sense of being sustained by a divine power. That error is the most torrid tale of passion ever told: his deliciously forbidden love for Bathsheba, followed by his attempt to cover up the ensuing scandal by sending her husband--who serves him faithfully in his army--to his death.
This standalone novel is volume II of The David Chronicles, told candidly by the king himself. David uses modern language, indicating that this is no fairytale. Rather, it is a story that is happening here and now. Listen to his voice as he undergoes a profound change, realizing the magnitude of his sin, and the curse looming over his entire future.
"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
January 2, 2016
A new year ushered in with a splash of champagne
The cycle has started all over againA new year ushered in with a splash of champagne Let's clink our glasses, let's tell a new storyOf dangers and love, of shadows and glory
★ The novels in these boxed sets are out of the box ★Open them at your own risk!
A Touch of Passion★ Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords ★
At Odds with Destiny★ Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords ★
★ The novels in these boxed sets are out of the box ★Open them at your own risk!
A Touch of Passion★ Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords ★
At Odds with Destiny★ Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords ★
January 1, 2016
Interview with voice artist Don Warrick
interview with voice artistDon Warrick
Are you curious to learn how a voice artist goes about his craft? I know I am! Unlike in the movies, where an actor is often type-cast and must adhere to the outline of a particular character, here he can truly become a 'shape-shifter', live in the skin of one character only to leap into the skin of another at the drop of a hat. It takes talent, but also discipline.
Don Warrick is a natural. I find it wonderful to hear the voices of my characters--young and old, male and female--not just playing in my imagination but resonating out loud, with full presence, in the air. Don has just finished recording my latest novel, The Music of Us. I invited him to share his creative process with me.
How do you ‘channel’ characters when you read a story? Do you find a friend--or enemy--whom you connect in your head to the character, so you can get into their skin and use their accent?
When my son was a teenager, he came into the house one afternoon and exclaimed to his mom and I, that “the voices inside my head; have voices in their heads”. This is the essence of it. The characters that live with me are an amalgam of my life experience, which may extend way beyond this life I am currently living. It’s kind of like when you hold a mirror up to another mirror, and you get an image of an endless number of mirrors. The longer you work as an actor…the more images you have in reflection.
The audition script was set up as a challenge. It included three distinct voices: Lenny in his fifties, Lenny as a young soldier, and Natasha, writing in her diary. When you first saw the audition script, what was your impression, and did it change once you read more of the story?
For me, first impressions are powerful. When I read a script, or a story, I connect with it pretty quickly. Or, conversely, disconnect from it. Sometimes in a very few words I know that I am going to inhabit this place easily. I got that from the first few sentences. I just knew that I was going to want to live in this story.
When you gave voice to Natasha, you evoked her fears and confusion as a woman losing herself to early onset Alzheimer’s. Then you took her back to her years of glamour, when she was a rising star, a pianist. How did you come up with her voice, and how did you let it go through these incredible changes?
Being a man, portraying a woman is only slightly less difficult than its opposite. Much of this has to do with the physiology of the vocal instrument. When I am narrating in my natural vocal range, the pallet that I can choose from for color and timbre is pretty broad. When I am speaking a female part, the pallet is greatly reduced. This also has to do with my life experience. I have been a guy most of the time. So finding the “voice” isn’t really the question for me. Finding the character, and the emotional center opens the door to the voice. You, as a writer provide the words. My job as an actor is to access the emotional content that those words evoke. The voice is simply the output of the equasion.
When you gave voice to Lenny, you evoked his mixed emotions having to take care of his wife, who often forgets who he is, and then you took him back to the moment he first fell in love with her, at the beginning of WWII. In what ways did you change your voice to reflect what Lenny is going through?
When I was a young actor one of my favorite plays was “On Golden Pond”. I fell in love with the Hank Fonda character of Norman. In my 30’s I had no business auditioning for this show, but loved the play so much that I thought “what the hell” and auditioned despite the obvious obstacle of own age. To my surprise, I was cast as Norman, a man in his 70’s and it was in the rehearsal process that I discovered the path. I found Norman in the checkout line at the grocery store. As I was struggling to discover what it felt like to be old, I found myself in line at a grocery store one day behind an elderly gentleman. I watched him very carefully and took detailed mental notes on how he inhabited his space. It wasn’t until I put myself inside his skin that I discovered Norman. I built the character from the outside – in. I found Norman when I began to feel his pain.
Finding the character of Lenny in his 50’s is pretty easy. Cause, well, I am him. Finding him in his 20’s takes a little bit of regression, but the process is the same. I find him in my body first. I remember what it was like to inhabit the body of a 20 year old. The rest follows. Again, I have a tendency to build characters from the outside – in.
As a young man, you had a vision of becoming an opera singer. You studied with a very well know voice teacher for several years at Cal State Northridge. In what ways did you approach singing the lyrics in this book, to evoke the feel of an era gone by?
Back in the early 80’s a young composer approached me to collaborate on a musical he was writing called “The Midnight Cruise ship”. I listened to a huge body of music from the early days of music pre-WWII to be able to capture the style of the crooners. So I have put in a lot of time in being able to sing the music of the period. Beyond that, I have a real affinity for the time period and always have. It was my mom’s music so I guess I grew up with it. Learning to sing the classical repertoire invests you with some great tools that allow you to sing across a wide variety of genres.
Give us a glimpse into how you narrate. Do you stand or sit? Read from paper or from the screen? In a dialogue, do you change your voice on the fly from one character to the next, or do you go back later to highlight a distinct voice of one of them?
I think everyone’s process is unique. Mine is for sure. I really do record in a tiny box in my basement (I may have the only home in Cali with a basement) where I have built my sound booth. It is rather like being locked in a tiny crate…or coffin for those of you of a darker bent. It’s just me, and a mic and a computer screen. There is a kind of sensory deprivation vibe to being inside and I have designed it this way. My goal is to immerse myself as thoroughly as I can in the script.
The beauty of producing audio books from start to finish myself, is that I control the whole process. Since I perform the editing and post-production work I have the luxury of discovery. When I encounter a character I have a pretty good idea of what they feel like, but I may play with their sound until I really discover them. The real trick is to lock it in so that the character maintains continuity throughout the many months it may take to complete a finished product.
Every actor has a unique set of skills. I have always been great at cold reading and I like to approach my work this way. I think when I discover characters in the instant I encounter them, they are more authentic, more genuine. If I spend a lot of time trying to research them, trying to effect them, they become contrived, and that can come across in my reading.
That’s the real beauty of recording in the digital world. If I don’t like it (or more importantly if the author doesn’t) I can change it in a matter of minutes.
Links:
Don's websiteDon's Facebook page
Are you curious to learn how a voice artist goes about his craft? I know I am! Unlike in the movies, where an actor is often type-cast and must adhere to the outline of a particular character, here he can truly become a 'shape-shifter', live in the skin of one character only to leap into the skin of another at the drop of a hat. It takes talent, but also discipline.
Don Warrick is a natural. I find it wonderful to hear the voices of my characters--young and old, male and female--not just playing in my imagination but resonating out loud, with full presence, in the air. Don has just finished recording my latest novel, The Music of Us. I invited him to share his creative process with me. How do you ‘channel’ characters when you read a story? Do you find a friend--or enemy--whom you connect in your head to the character, so you can get into their skin and use their accent?
When my son was a teenager, he came into the house one afternoon and exclaimed to his mom and I, that “the voices inside my head; have voices in their heads”. This is the essence of it. The characters that live with me are an amalgam of my life experience, which may extend way beyond this life I am currently living. It’s kind of like when you hold a mirror up to another mirror, and you get an image of an endless number of mirrors. The longer you work as an actor…the more images you have in reflection.
The audition script was set up as a challenge. It included three distinct voices: Lenny in his fifties, Lenny as a young soldier, and Natasha, writing in her diary. When you first saw the audition script, what was your impression, and did it change once you read more of the story?
For me, first impressions are powerful. When I read a script, or a story, I connect with it pretty quickly. Or, conversely, disconnect from it. Sometimes in a very few words I know that I am going to inhabit this place easily. I got that from the first few sentences. I just knew that I was going to want to live in this story.
When you gave voice to Natasha, you evoked her fears and confusion as a woman losing herself to early onset Alzheimer’s. Then you took her back to her years of glamour, when she was a rising star, a pianist. How did you come up with her voice, and how did you let it go through these incredible changes?
Being a man, portraying a woman is only slightly less difficult than its opposite. Much of this has to do with the physiology of the vocal instrument. When I am narrating in my natural vocal range, the pallet that I can choose from for color and timbre is pretty broad. When I am speaking a female part, the pallet is greatly reduced. This also has to do with my life experience. I have been a guy most of the time. So finding the “voice” isn’t really the question for me. Finding the character, and the emotional center opens the door to the voice. You, as a writer provide the words. My job as an actor is to access the emotional content that those words evoke. The voice is simply the output of the equasion.
When you gave voice to Lenny, you evoked his mixed emotions having to take care of his wife, who often forgets who he is, and then you took him back to the moment he first fell in love with her, at the beginning of WWII. In what ways did you change your voice to reflect what Lenny is going through?
When I was a young actor one of my favorite plays was “On Golden Pond”. I fell in love with the Hank Fonda character of Norman. In my 30’s I had no business auditioning for this show, but loved the play so much that I thought “what the hell” and auditioned despite the obvious obstacle of own age. To my surprise, I was cast as Norman, a man in his 70’s and it was in the rehearsal process that I discovered the path. I found Norman in the checkout line at the grocery store. As I was struggling to discover what it felt like to be old, I found myself in line at a grocery store one day behind an elderly gentleman. I watched him very carefully and took detailed mental notes on how he inhabited his space. It wasn’t until I put myself inside his skin that I discovered Norman. I built the character from the outside – in. I found Norman when I began to feel his pain.
Finding the character of Lenny in his 50’s is pretty easy. Cause, well, I am him. Finding him in his 20’s takes a little bit of regression, but the process is the same. I find him in my body first. I remember what it was like to inhabit the body of a 20 year old. The rest follows. Again, I have a tendency to build characters from the outside – in.
As a young man, you had a vision of becoming an opera singer. You studied with a very well know voice teacher for several years at Cal State Northridge. In what ways did you approach singing the lyrics in this book, to evoke the feel of an era gone by?
Back in the early 80’s a young composer approached me to collaborate on a musical he was writing called “The Midnight Cruise ship”. I listened to a huge body of music from the early days of music pre-WWII to be able to capture the style of the crooners. So I have put in a lot of time in being able to sing the music of the period. Beyond that, I have a real affinity for the time period and always have. It was my mom’s music so I guess I grew up with it. Learning to sing the classical repertoire invests you with some great tools that allow you to sing across a wide variety of genres.
Give us a glimpse into how you narrate. Do you stand or sit? Read from paper or from the screen? In a dialogue, do you change your voice on the fly from one character to the next, or do you go back later to highlight a distinct voice of one of them?
I think everyone’s process is unique. Mine is for sure. I really do record in a tiny box in my basement (I may have the only home in Cali with a basement) where I have built my sound booth. It is rather like being locked in a tiny crate…or coffin for those of you of a darker bent. It’s just me, and a mic and a computer screen. There is a kind of sensory deprivation vibe to being inside and I have designed it this way. My goal is to immerse myself as thoroughly as I can in the script.
The beauty of producing audio books from start to finish myself, is that I control the whole process. Since I perform the editing and post-production work I have the luxury of discovery. When I encounter a character I have a pretty good idea of what they feel like, but I may play with their sound until I really discover them. The real trick is to lock it in so that the character maintains continuity throughout the many months it may take to complete a finished product.
Every actor has a unique set of skills. I have always been great at cold reading and I like to approach my work this way. I think when I discover characters in the instant I encounter them, they are more authentic, more genuine. If I spend a lot of time trying to research them, trying to effect them, they become contrived, and that can come across in my reading.
That’s the real beauty of recording in the digital world. If I don’t like it (or more importantly if the author doesn’t) I can change it in a matter of minutes.
Links:
Don's websiteDon's Facebook page
December 31, 2015
A TOUCH OF PASSION: Ambrosia by the Sea by @tracihallauthor
She blinked her cool blue eyes. He wondered if they’d warm up with passion, or turn an icier shade. “Okay.”“Ask me something. Anything. So we can be even.” Celia put her hand on her hip, her lips pursed with suppressed amusement. “You really are a Sir Galahad, you know? All right. You said you never took the plunge for marriage. Why?”“I was engaged right out of college. She rushed back to New York after her first winter here with no snow.” There was more to it, of course, but he didn’t have to share his total heartbreak. The realization that promises of the heart could be broken. The shattering of the illusion, love. She smiled with compassion. “It was probably culture shock. New York is all about the snow, the parade, and Macy’s. What do you do here?”
“Go to the beach. Decorate our palm trees with conch shell ornaments. Santa knows his way to South Florida.”
Here is a heartwarming story for cold evenings... Excerpt from Ambrosia by the Sea by Traci Hall, included in A Touch of Passion
Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
“Go to the beach. Decorate our palm trees with conch shell ornaments. Santa knows his way to South Florida.”
Here is a heartwarming story for cold evenings... Excerpt from Ambrosia by the Sea by Traci Hall, included in A Touch of Passion
Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
December 30, 2015
In service of our characters
This is a happy time: last night I approved the audiobook edition of The Music of Us, so in about three weeks it will become available to you on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It is a sad time too, marking the end of my work with a gifted artist, at least for now.
Having worked with several talented voice artists over the last few years I pride myself on having an ear for expression, but even with that there are surprises: enter Don Warrick.
Having three distinct voices, the audition script for The Music of Us proved a challenge to many actors, but upon hearing Don I knew instantly that he’s the one--or rather, he’s all three. For my mature protagonist he had a deep voice, rendered intimately as he reflected on his life’s journey; for the flashback character he had a younger, more upbeat voice, and as for the love interest, Natasha, he had a velvety, youthful female voice with a full range of emotions. In the story, Natasha has a long monologue, and it was crucial not only to get her voice right but also to hold the illusion for 10 minutes. Listening to how Don does her, it was hard to imagine the voice was coming from the throat of a man.
What I did not know at the time was his ease of producing accents (from Russian to Scottish), his range of ages and most of all, his capacity to immerse himself in the character, to the point that he can live in their skin. This is the real magic.
And another thing: for The Music of Us, there were several segments with lyrics, which Don sang oh so beautifully. As a lifelong stage actor he can easily project himself from the stage to reach the last row of spectators, but here, for my story, the songs were intimately rendered. For example, he sang Amazing Grace as a young war widow whose voice is choked with tears.
I had a great time working with Don. There we were, author and narrator giving it all, in service of their characters. I am so grateful for the joy of creative collaboration.
Having worked with several talented voice artists over the last few years I pride myself on having an ear for expression, but even with that there are surprises: enter Don Warrick.
Having three distinct voices, the audition script for The Music of Us proved a challenge to many actors, but upon hearing Don I knew instantly that he’s the one--or rather, he’s all three. For my mature protagonist he had a deep voice, rendered intimately as he reflected on his life’s journey; for the flashback character he had a younger, more upbeat voice, and as for the love interest, Natasha, he had a velvety, youthful female voice with a full range of emotions. In the story, Natasha has a long monologue, and it was crucial not only to get her voice right but also to hold the illusion for 10 minutes. Listening to how Don does her, it was hard to imagine the voice was coming from the throat of a man.
What I did not know at the time was his ease of producing accents (from Russian to Scottish), his range of ages and most of all, his capacity to immerse himself in the character, to the point that he can live in their skin. This is the real magic.
And another thing: for The Music of Us, there were several segments with lyrics, which Don sang oh so beautifully. As a lifelong stage actor he can easily project himself from the stage to reach the last row of spectators, but here, for my story, the songs were intimately rendered. For example, he sang Amazing Grace as a young war widow whose voice is choked with tears.
I had a great time working with Don. There we were, author and narrator giving it all, in service of their characters. I am so grateful for the joy of creative collaboration.
December 28, 2015
Completely 'Twisted'
Just discovered this lovely new review for my dark fantasy horror collection of tales, Twisted:
5.0 out of 5 stars Completely 'Twisted'ByTMBorgwardton December 26, 2015Format: Kindle Edition
I received this for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This was a unique and thought-provoking collection of short stories. It's title says it all as it truly is 'twisted'. Poznansky definitely provides a twist on reality and on what you would expect. These short stories challenge your thoughts and your senses. They will leave you overwhelmed with a sense of 'Wow' and 'What'.
If you are looking for something unique and powerful, something different that is unlike anything else, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it.
Poznansky has a great writing style and I look forward to seeing more!
5.0 out of 5 stars Completely 'Twisted'ByTMBorgwardton December 26, 2015Format: Kindle Edition
I received this for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.This was a unique and thought-provoking collection of short stories. It's title says it all as it truly is 'twisted'. Poznansky definitely provides a twist on reality and on what you would expect. These short stories challenge your thoughts and your senses. They will leave you overwhelmed with a sense of 'Wow' and 'What'.
If you are looking for something unique and powerful, something different that is unlike anything else, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it.
Poznansky has a great writing style and I look forward to seeing more!
Celebrating not only romance but also the talent of fellow writers
I am so grateful to Susanne Leist, the author of The Dead Game, for featuring the romance boxed set A Touch of Passion, which celebrates not only romance but also the talent of my fellow writers. Please check out my guest post:
A Touch of Passion
A Touch of Passion
December 27, 2015
A TOUCH OF PASSION: The Single Daddy Club by @DonnaFaz
The breeze blowing across the bay held the chill of true autumn. Derrick had hoped that taking the boat out for a short sail would help to clear his mind. But it seemed that chaos was determined to reign supreme.He'd told Anna that he was falling in love with her. He'd had no idea whatsoever that he was going to say such a thing when he'd gone into school earlier today. But when she'd ambushed him like she had, announcing that she didn't want to see him anymore, he'd scrambled for some way to change her mind. His declaration of love had been a secret weapon he hadn't even known he'd possessed, until the sentence had tumbled out of his mouth.After he'd said the words, however, he'd felt glad about it. Glad that Anna knew how he felt.
Here is a heartwarming story for cold evenings... Excerpt from The Single Daddy Club: Derrick by Donna Fasano, included in A Touch of Passion
Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
Here is a heartwarming story for cold evenings... Excerpt from The Single Daddy Club: Derrick by Donna Fasano, included in A Touch of Passion
Love Romance? Get this amazing collectionKindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
December 26, 2015
Love Is Beautiful While It Lasts
Ia Uaro, a gifted artist and the author of Sydney's Song, was a published author at 17 and used the proceeds to help fund her university studies, during which time she was active in aero-modelling, martial arts, mountaineering, speleology, and more. I am honored to find her review of my novel, The Music of Us:
5.0 out of 5 stars Love Is Beautiful While It Lasts.ByIa Uaroon December 25, 2015Format: Kindle Edition
As always, Uvi doesn’t disappoint. In this brilliant painting Uvi skilfully depicts rich historical facts and engaging characters of well studied 1940s where we learn about fascinating WWII military servicemen, get insights into the sufferings of the civilians, observe the intriguing lives of artists and musicians, and compare the technology of things. All the while Uvi outlines the psychology of why people do what they do without judging.
With deep understanding of human nature and keen observation on how people interact Uvi shows the turmoils that moves protagonist Lenny to stray from his beloved even when in the beginning true love rules and in the end family values never cease to exist. Uvi teaches us about Alzheimer: what it does, what it changes, how it begins.
Fun, captivating, wise. After reading this, because of Uvi, we sure won’t be too quick to blame others and will instead think of the reason behind their actions. And oh, if you’re a writer, don’t forget Uvi’s excellent writing tips!
5.0 out of 5 stars Love Is Beautiful While It Lasts.ByIa Uaroon December 25, 2015Format: Kindle Edition
As always, Uvi doesn’t disappoint. In this brilliant painting Uvi skilfully depicts rich historical facts and engaging characters of well studied 1940s where we learn about fascinating WWII military servicemen, get insights into the sufferings of the civilians, observe the intriguing lives of artists and musicians, and compare the technology of things. All the while Uvi outlines the psychology of why people do what they do without judging.With deep understanding of human nature and keen observation on how people interact Uvi shows the turmoils that moves protagonist Lenny to stray from his beloved even when in the beginning true love rules and in the end family values never cease to exist. Uvi teaches us about Alzheimer: what it does, what it changes, how it begins.
Fun, captivating, wise. After reading this, because of Uvi, we sure won’t be too quick to blame others and will instead think of the reason behind their actions. And oh, if you’re a writer, don’t forget Uvi’s excellent writing tips!
