Uvi Poznansky's Blog, page 160

Another Brilliantly Written Masterpiece by the Author

De Ann Townes Jr. "Native American Girl" as she is known in the world of Poetry is the author of Peer Inside My Soul and See me, and A King Among Prince. Her Poetry has been widely anthologized by The League of American Poets, 2005 Expressions II red book edition. I am thrilled to find her lovely review of my historical fiction novel, A Peek at Bathsheba:

5 Another Brilliantly Written Masterpiece by the Author
ByDe Ann Townes Jr. "Native American Indian who is a Poet, Author, Artist"on August 7, 2015Verified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: A Peek at Bathsheba (The David Chronicles Book 2) (Kindle Edition) A Peek at Bathsheba
The David Chronicles Volume 2
By Uvi Poznansky
27 July 2015

What can I say..... I've been a fan of Author Uvi Poznansky's work for a few years now. She's one of the most prolific writers that I've had the pleasure to read. Whether it's Poetry, Biblical Fiction or Children's books, she is a truly amazing talented writer.

"A Peek at Bathsheba" is another one of her masterpieces!!! King David's Psalms are one of my favorite books in the Bible, and the story of King David and Bathsheba is legend. Author Uvi Poznansky brilliantly penns this Biblical story in such a way it leaves you totally breathless intellectually and emotionally.

I'm not sure if you've ever had the privilege to read some of her work? But if you haven't I overwhelmingly recommend that you pick up a copy soon. Maybe even start with this book. Another brilliantly written masterpiece by the author!!! A definite 5 Star Read!!

Jess the Determined Girl and Wiggle her Imaginary Friend

I am thrilled to find the first review for my new children's book, Jess and Wiggle, written by a Top 500 Reviewer:

~~Jess the Determined Girl and Wiggle her Imaginary Friend~~By Chief, USN Ret...VT Town TOP 500 REVIEWER on August 6, 2015Verified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: Jess and Wiggle (Kindle Edition) A magical and delightful book written for ages 3 - 6. The illustrations are beautiful and accompany the text plus the story rhymes which I always think is a plus. The author shows her creativity in several manners. First and foremost, the story is so cute. Toss is the fact that the author also did the drawings! Then she adds something really unique - 'Jess with the reddish curl' speaks in a straight line' and Wiggle's speech is a wiggly line. At the very end, the story is repeated in plain text.

The story itself is indeed magical. For Jess, you see, does not smile or laugh. She is also a most determined girl. Her imaginary friend, Wiggle has a mission and that is to make her smile! So, their adventure is on and what a time it is for both of them. Excellent story which I am sure the little ones will enjoy both for the illustrations and the text.

Most highly recommended and for multiple reasons.

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From poem to animation: Jess and Wiggle

Once there was a little girlWith the cutest reddish curlHer name--how could you guess?It was simply--Jess
So started a poem I wrote for a little girl named Jess, who at two months was looking at the world with such an intense, serious observation, as if to examine if anything was worthy of a smile. Once the ink dried on paper, each verse started forming shapes in my mind. So here is the title page:


You can see that from the start, the word 'Jess' became her face, and also that it bore an expression, sad at the beginning, happy by the end. Likewise, the word Wiggle was drawn, literally with a wave in it, one 'g' rolling around the other. Other words soon followed, becoming pictorial elements that express their meaning. So the word 'Spin' spins around itself; 'Comb' has the teeth of a comb; and so on.

Then, once the entire book was ready, I used the illustrations to create an animation:
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Lovely Book For Any Age

Clarissa Simmens says, "I am so grateful that my poetry is able to be published and stored in the modern version of what author Carlos R. Zafon has called The Cemetery of Forgotten Books." She is the author of seveal books, and I am thrilled that this is what she said about my children's book, Now I Am Paper:

Lovely Book For Any Age, July 27, 2015
By Clarissa Simmens "Drabarni"This review is from: Now I Am Paper (Kindle Edition) Trees--and their most distressing function in the wheel of life--are brilliantly portrayed in poetry and water color drawings by writer-illustrator Uvi Poznansky. Recycling teaches others that nothing is wasted, and that hope and (re)purpose spring from the melancholy fate of the living. A lovely book for any age.

You may have heard those rumors about me

You may have heard those rumors about me: how I escaped by moonlight, how I hid inside each one of the seven wells of Beersheba, with nothing in my possession but the shirt on my back, how I eluded my enemy, my brother, and then, how frightened I was, how alone. I’m afraid you have been, at best, misinformed—or, more probably, mislead by some romantic foolery, some fiction and lies, the kind of which can easily be found, and in abundance I might add, in the holy scriptures.  I insist: it was not moonlight but rather, high noon. I was wearing no shirt whatsoever—nothing, really, but a goatskin sleeve. There was only one well in which I could hide, not seven. And most importantly, I was hardly alone, for the entire camp—all the maidservants, the shepherds, the guards—stood aghast all around me. So now, you must see that I could not, despite my best intentions, escape stealthily out of there, nor could I elude anyone.Instead I was flung out, kicking and screaming, with tugs and pulls loosening the remaining shreds of my clothes, and whacks and smacks coming at my bare back from all directions. My left eye swelled up to such a degree that out of necessity, I resorted to use the right one—only to discover, once I raised my head from the dirt, that my brother was standing right over me. His foot could be seen coming straight at me, at an easygoing, unhurried pace, until it turned into a full blown kick.I managed to roll away, mainly by flailing my arms wildly over my head. With a great sense of urgency I crawled on all four through the crowd, and hid inside the closest well. Luckily it was bone dry, thanks to a yearlong drought. And so for a second, I could hang there by my fingernails and pant, and catch my breath. Then I tiptoed behind the corner, right into the shade of my mother’s tent. From there I took a plunge and hurled myself downhill—where, to my utter disappointment, I found out that my brother had already caught up to where I was headed, and was waiting there for me with open arms. He made a point of letting me know that his hate for me would, by no means, stand in the way of our closeness. “Come, Yankle,” said Esav. “I promise not to hurt you.”“Really,” I said. “Can I trust you?”“Aha,” said he. “I will just kill you.”
Yankle in A Favorite Son


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David and Bathsheba - The Bible Brought to Life

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 novel, A Peek at Bathsheba:

5 David and Bathsheba - The Bible Brought to Life, August 2, 2015
By Jess S. HughesThis review is from: A Peek at Bathsheba (The David Chronicles) (Volume 2) (Paperback) From the cobwebs of the Old Testament, author Uvi Poznansky masterful prose has brought to life the legendary and forbidden romance of King David to the beautiful but married, Bathsheba.

To place in a historical perspective, it must be remembered that King David and Bathsheba were products of their time. Uvi Poznansky makes this abundantly clear. In the ancient world of the Near East, most so-called kings were little more than clan chieftains, ruling small pieces of territory. David, who was egocentric, had proven himself on the battlefield, but was still doubtful of his own strength. He was one of these petty monarchs, ruling over only one of the twelve tribes of Israel. His capital was the small mud and brick city of Hebron. Knowing that to truly be considered a "real king" and recognized as an equal by the leadership of Egypt, Assyria and the Hittites, he had to unite the twelve tribes under his reign.

Along the way, David had to deal with betrayal and treachery from within, including his commanding general, Joav. He was a soldier only interested in perpetual war and had no interest in seeing the tribes Israel united.

David also had to deal with the wiles and needs of his many wives. Perhaps it was this that drew him to Bathsheba, a married woman and therefore "forbidden fruit."

We know Bathsheba was the wife of the soldier, Uriah, a Hittite. Being a foreigner, he was probably a mercenary in David's service, albeit a loyal one.

The wives of soldiers in the ancient armies were mostly camp followers and passed around from one fighter to the next. The author points out that David was aware of this, knowing that Bathsheba had experienced the same until her union with Uriah had been legitimized. He also knew Bathsheba, as a married woman, would be stoned to death for adultery if their affair was discovered.

Given Bathsheba was "only a woman" and that David was king and considered "above the law," it is doubtful that Bathsheba would have refused his advances. Perhaps she was resigned to that fact. At the same time, the author makes it clear she was a clever, intelligent and strong minded woman. She probably considered her affair with David as an opportunity to advance herself by having his son. She certainly succeeded, as her son, Solomon, became one of the most famous kings in The Old Testament.

All of this is weaved together by the author's almost poetic style. She brings her characters to life describing their strengths and foibles to the point you can easily identify with any of them. It is a story of deep love and one of intrigue
.
Some readers will probably be put off by author's modern usage of words which do not necessarily give it a "biblical" feel. However, I believe more will identify with it than using archaic words which have no relevance into today's modern society.

For the bible purists, they might take offense, believing this style sacrilegious or even sinful.

I like her style. Five stars.

Meet our characters up this road

Time to get it, get At OddsAvoid the wrath of all the godsMeet our characters up this roadThis book you're destined to download

★ The novels in this boxed set are out of the box ★Open it at your own risk! At Odds with Destiny★ Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★★ Kobo ★ Smashwords ★

If not for brotherhood, the rivalry between them may become deadly

The following three excerpts depict three moments in Davids story: the first, when he starting ruling over the entire country and was enthralled to build his city, the City of David, and his palace. The second, when the construction of the palace has been completed, and his sons begin a rivalry that will end up in one of them executing the other and mounting a revolt to topple his father, David, off the throne. And the third, after the revolt has been quelled, when he comes back to a palace in ruins:

My court is abuzz with suppliers, artisans, architects, interior designers, engineers, carpenters, brick layers, and contractors, all of them eager to win a commission from me, which makes it challenging to do my work: consult with my spiritual advisors, discuss policy matters with foreign diplomats, and exchange niceties with the elders of our tribes. I thrive on the excitement of it all. Workers are rubbing off excess cement, which they have poured earlier across the ground, so the geometrical mosaic design starts to appear from the dirt, in all its brilliance. Inlaid with colored glass from Tyre, trimmed on all four sides with glazed tiles from Shushan, and dotted on all four corners with shells from the delta of the Nile and pebbles from the river Tigris, this floor will create a new, vibrant ambience in my court.A master craftsman bows deeply before me, to the point that his sketches are nearly dropping out of his portfolio. “My lord,” he says, in a heavy Egyptian accent. “Let me decorate the walls of your palace, all of them, the same way I did in the burial chambers of the pyramids.”“But,” say I, “this is not a tomb.”
“Too bad,” he mutters, under his breath. “Unfortunately, the living are more particular about art than the dead.”
David in The Edge of Revolt
I look around me at the decor of my palace, in which I have invested so much time and thought, not to mention gold and silver. At last, the renovation is complete. The workers have packed away their tools, stored away the ladders, removed the scaffolding, and left. In their absence you can now see the entire space, and take in its magnificence.New, exotic draperies are hanging from the gilded trim above the arched windows. Their fringes are delicately embroidered in silver, and threaded with fine gems. The entire floor has an abstract geometrical design done in mosaic, with colored stones and marble. The walls are covered by cedar wood panels with fancy inlays in them, contrasting various stains and directions of wood grain. Flames are flickering in glass oil cups in the large metal chandeliers, which makes the vast space sparkle with light. This is so different from my humble home, back in Bethlehem. I have created something about which I have been dreaming since the days of my youth: a grand shell for justice, learning, and power. And like a shell, it is fragile. I pray that my boys would create their own memories of this place, because if not for brotherhood, the rivalry between them may become deadly.
David in The Edge of Revolt
The first sign that the palace was looted is the way the gate to the courtyard is sighing in the wind, swaying lopsided back and forth, forth and back on a single hinge. The doors of the palace carry muddy boot marks, and the latch is broken. I enter, and find myself appalled at the sight of destruction.The geometrical design of the mosaic floor, which has been laid out in my court with such care and artistry, is missing most of its details. Here and there, its stones—including the colored glass from Tyre, the shells from the delta of the Nile, and the pebbles from the river Tigris—are missing. As for the curtains, they are crumpled in a heap, torn and utterly soiled. In the women’s quarters, the frames of the embroidered panels are smashed. Pearly beads are strewn across the floor, the only remnant of the jewelry that was stolen. The rooftop outside my chamber has been torched, and charred slats that used to be part of the wooden lattice around it are now dangling over the edge.But the most heart-wrenching sight is not the damage to my property—but to the women, the ten concubines whom I left behind, on the night of my escape. They are wandering listlessly about the place, looking more dead than alive. If anyone comes near them, they start screaming in fright. 
David in The Edge of Revolt
In writing these segments I was inspired by artist James Tissot, who depicted three moments in David's life, all of which he set up on the balcony of his palace. In these paintings you can see time passing not only by looking at David, maturing from a young lad to an old psalmist, and not only by the garments he wears, which are increasingly richer and more regal, but also by the updates in the decor of the balcony.

In the first painting, David Watching Bathsheba Bathing, David is sitting on a simple blanket that separates him from the hardness of the stone seat. There is a tiled design along the sitting level of the balcony and along the stair that raises him from the floor level. 
In the second painting, Nathan Rebukes David, a new tile design has been added behind him, as well as gridded panels that allow blocking the hot summer air or opening in the evening to cool down the area. Also David is sitting on a mat of Sheepskin. 

In the last painting, The Legacy of David, the columns have been replaced by richly decorated columns with fancy three-tiered bases, the tiles have been removed so as not to compete for attention with the bas-relief backsplash under the columns, and David is sitting upon an upholstered, specially designed cushion. Light bounces from the page to the sweet, young face of the scribe sitting at his feet, writing the history and the psalms of the king.
David Watching Bathsheba Bathing
Nathan Rebukes David
The Legacy of David
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The complete trilogy:The David Chronicles (Boxed Set) 
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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 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

A huge spike of interest

This month is not over yet, but already it shows a HUGE spike of interest, expressed as the number of visits to this blog. Here is the traffic chart since the inception of this blog, check it out:


So you can see that two and three months ago there were a little over 25,00 visits per month, but now... this month is simply stellar, I have to wipe my eyes in astonishment: During the month of August there were just over 42,000 visits! I am so grateful to you for coming here to share in my thoughts.

And here are two additional graphs showing audiobook sales. The first is for sales of the audiobook edition of Rise to Power. You can see that the sales are gathering steam, as the points of sale become more and more frequent as time goes on:


And the second graph is for sales of the audiobook edition of A Peek at Bathsheba. Even though this is a 'younger' audiobook you can already see the same trend, with sales getting more frequent as time goes on.


Because both books belong to a series, The David Chronicles, the sales for one book spur sales for the other, a bit later in time.

So I want to thank you so much for coming to this blog to read about my work and the wonderful narration of all my books. You have the power to bring them to the attention of more readers. Please tell a friend about them and invite them to come read my blog!