Uvi Poznansky's Blog, page 195

Four women, four fates, one mystical tapestry

What a lovely new review for the audiobook edition of Twisted:
FollowAmazon CustomerUSA07-26-14OverallPerformanceStory

"Four women, four fates, one mystical tapestry"

Where does Twisted rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?Among the audiobooks I've heard so far, Twisted ranks in my top twenty percent, primarily because of the melding of narrator and story, but also because I love Poznansky's forays into the mythos of the Old Testament.
What other book might you compare Twisted to and why?I can compare Twisted only to Uvi Povnasky's other works about Biblical characters and times. The author is creating her own canon, bit by careful bit. I'd call this book magical realism, but it isn't quite that because the characters are not of this time: it's a passionate recasting of Biblical legend for womens' perspectives, with a helping of honesty thrown in for good measure. These four stories feature female protagonists so real you want to touch them, so bold that their unapologetic and unforgettable nature will haunt you long after the narrator finishes telling you each tale.
What does Heather Jane Hogan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?Heather Jane Hogan brings a finely wrought integrity to her readings, disappearing into each character in turn. Having these stories read to you allows the narrator to characterize each story differently; and different these feminine perspectives are, one form the other. Hogan breathes voice into each tale without ever overplaying her hand.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?If I could, I'd have listened to each of the four stories straight through.
Any additional comments?The narrated story "I Am What I Am" alone is worth the price of this quartet of tales. As the character searches for her identity in a word of symbol, myth, and metaphor, so do you. Job's wife has something to say to all women of every age, and does, and narrator Hogan makes sure you hear the message. Accompanied and enhanced by three other tales, I, Woman...The Hollow...and The One Who Never Leaves, this quartet transports you into a way of apprehending life that is different from your own, so that you see all through a rarefied artistic sensibility. Bravo, author and narrator!

I stare at the unfurled thing, utterly speechless

At the height of the lunar cycle, when the moon grows full once again, I give in to temptation. I go out onto the roof, where I hope, in vain, to catch a glimpse of her. And just as I start agonizing, asking myself how long can our secret be kept silent, an interruption occurs. My bodyguard, Benaiah, comes out. I want to believe that he knows nothing about me except what orders I give him, and how I want them obeyed. When he comes to a stand near me I spot a note in his hand. I recognize it: this is the same little papyrus scroll I sent with him that first time, a month ago, but she must have sealed it anew. I break the seal and then, then I stare at the unfurled thing, utterly speechless. It takes just three words to get me into this state. In long, elegant glyphs, Bathsheba has written, simply, “I am pregnant.”
David in A Peek at Bathsheba
The correspondence between David and Bathsheba is the invention of artists, whose mind was tickled to imagine how the two lovers communicated to try and prevent a public scandal. Here is the work of two great artists, Rembrandt's Bathsheba at her bath, and Picasso's version based on Rembrandt's. Compare how he makes Bathsheba lean forward, emphasizing her keen attention to the letter, and how he plays with the patterns so that the entire space is abuzz with energy.
Rembrandt, Bathsheba at her bath
Picasso, Bathsheba at her bath
Just released! Volume II of the trilogy:
A Peek at Bathsheba
★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★

 Volume I of the trilogy: Rise to Power★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★

"I am so enamored with the sensual style and delicious delivery
 that this review is a purely emotional response as I have just put it down. 
I feel like a devotee."

I break the seal and then, then I stare at the unfurled thing, utterly speechless

At the height of the lunar cycle, when the moon grows full once again, I give in to temptation. I go out onto the roof, where I hope, in vain, to catch a glimpse of her. And just as I start agonizing, asking myself how long can our secret be kept silent, an interruption occurs. My bodyguard, Benaiah, comes out. I want to believe that he knows nothing about me except what orders I give him, and how I want them obeyed. When he comes to a stand near me I spot a note in his hand. I recognize it: this is the same little papyrus scroll I sent with him that first time, a month ago, but she must have sealed it anew. I break the seal and then, then I stare at the unfurled thing, utterly speechless. It takes just three words to get me into this state. In long, elegant glyphs, Bathsheba has written, simply, “I am pregnant.”
David in A Peek at Bathsheba
The correspondence between David and Bathsheba is the invention of artists, whose mind was tickled to imagine how the two lovers communicated to try and prevent a public scandal. Here is the work of two great artists, Rembrandt's Bathsheba at her bath, and Picasso's version based on Rembrandt's. Compare how he makes Bathsheba lean forward, emphasizing her keen attention to the letter, and how he plays with the patterns so that the entire space is abuzz with energy.
Rembrandt, Bathsheba at her bath
Picasso, Bathsheba at her bath
Just released! Volume II of the trilogy:
A Peek at Bathsheba
★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★

 Volume I of the trilogy: Rise to Power★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★

"I am so enamored with the sensual style and delicious delivery
 that this review is a purely emotional response as I have just put it down. 
I feel like a devotee."

Bathsheba with the letter from King David

I must keep myself away from her, to protect both of us from gossip. In secret I send word to Bathsheba, to let her know that I intend to take care of her. I want to do the right thing, one way or another—even though I have no idea, at first, what that may mean. What action should I take? Should I reunite her with her husband, or else take him out of the way, somehow, and make an honest woman out of her? Utterly baffled I close my eyes. I try not to think about the forbidden woman, not to imagine her nude—but my mind works against me. There she is, sitting in her bedroom, crossing one leg over another at the edge of the bed. By her side, over the richly embroidered, velvety blankets, lays her robe. It is damp and crumpled, because in my mind she has just come out of the bath. From somewhere above soft, golden light is washing over her, letting her flesh glow against the darkness. Light glances off a teardrop earring that is hanging from her earlobe.I pay no attention to the maid, who is kneeling there before her, because she is barely seen, sunk in the shadows of my vision. Instead I focus on imagining Bathsheba. I paint her face turned from me, in profile. She is holding back a tear as my note rustles in her hand, with the whisper of my word of honor. By the look in her eye, she senses that which I have not yet begun to consider. With profound sadness, she can already foresee the calamity, which my promise would cause for her, and for her husband, Uriah. In my mind Bathsheba is already grieving—and yet, she seems to accept her fate, the way I would dictate it.
David in A Peek at Bathsheba

David yearns for bathsheba, even glorifies her at times, but at some points in the story he regards her as a 'soldier's wife', a woman with low morals who may have been with many man before him. 
This divided view of one of the most desirable women in history is reflected in the way artists have depicted her. Compare for example these dutch painters: Under the influence of Rembrandt's famous painting, Willem Drost painted a lovely, ponderous Bathsheba, holding David's letter in her hand. He paints her lovingly, and heightens the emotions that must rage in her heart, and the worries that cross her mind, knowing that there will be consequences for her and for her husband to suffer. 
On the other hand, Jan Steen ridicules Bathsheba as a cheap, bare-chested woman, eyeing you, the viewer, with a cynical look, in his painting, her attention divided between her manicure and your presence.  
Even in his more 'modest' presentation of Bathsheba, where she is a society woman properly dressed up, he continues to intervene between you and her. She turns her head, surprised to find you spying on her in this intimate moment, when David's letter is delivered to her hand.
My novel, A Peek at Bathsheba, is greatly inspired by all these pieces of art, and all these different points of view.

Willem Drost, Bathsheba with the letter from king David
Jan Steen, Bathsheba after the bath
Jan Steen, Bathsheba receiving David's letter
Just released! Volume II of the trilogy:
A Peek at Bathsheba
★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★

 Volume I of the trilogy: Rise to Power★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★
"The richness of her descriptive language, to me, evokes a sense of majesty that seems, well, biblical."

Voice of a Kindle Book

I'm waiting to be taken, but now, be forewarned
Don't you dare come near me, or else you'd be scorned--
Unless you delight in literary fiction
And enjoy reading a book with detailed scene depiction

If you let me pull you in, deep insideUntil you find yourself there, in my characters' mind
I'll make you burn in hell, ablaze in desire, 
I'll let you swirl like smoke, ever higher and higher

I'll bring you down here: Santa Monica, Venice BeachFor a father-son meeting, with a blame and a breach
You'll hear Lenny, Natasha, Anita and Ben
And be tortured by guilt, again and again 

Find a path to forgiveness, find a way to come cleanFind the words to explain what exactly you mean
Turn page after page, then fall to your knee
'Cause Apart From Love, no feeling is free

FREE 07/25-07/26

★ Love reading? Treat yourself to a gift ★
Apart From Love★ Audio ★ Ebook★ Print ★
"A literary symphony complete with a cast of likeable, bruised characters"

A wildly creative look on a biblical story

Brenda Perlin is the author of Reality Bites, Shattered Reality, and Burnt promises.and she also writes children's books. I am thrilled to find her lovely review of A Favorite Son:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Favorite Son!, July 24, 2014By brenda (LADERA RANCH, CA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   Verified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: A Favorite Son (Kindle Edition) A Favorite Son by Uvi Poznansky is a smart retelling of the story of Jacob and Esau. This insightful read is about birthright and power and yet so much more. This book had me laughing at times with the authors great sense of humor that is sprinkled throughout. This story comes alive on the pages. I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy history and stories on families and relationships.

A Favorite Son is well written and a wildly creative look on this Biblical story. It’s full of life which weaves a tale on one side of negativity and then on the other, compassion. There is true life emotion that pulled me in. Dysfunction is everywhere but so is the human spirit.

Quote ~

"The notion of asking my brother-no, begging him-to forgive me, crossed my mind. I thought of retracing my footprints and perhaps, finding my way back home, only to realize, by nightfall, that those footprints had led me astray."

#Free #Download: Apart From Love

Apart from love you shouldn't beTake my book, it's yours, it free!

★ Love reading? Download this book now ★And while you get it, check out the audio edition, too! Apart From Love Free 07/24-07/26
Secrets, passion, betrayal...Written with passionate conviction, this story is being recorded by two of its characters: Ben, a twenty-seven years old student, and Anita, a plain-spoken, spunky, uneducated redhead, freshly married to Lenny, his aging father. Behind his back, Ben and Anita find themselves increasingly drawn to each other. They take turns using an old tape recorder to express their most intimate thoughts, not realizing at first that their voices are being captured by him.

Meanwhile, Lenny is trying to keep a secret from both of them: his ex-wife, Ben's mother, a talented pianist, has been stricken with early-onset alzheimer. Taking care of her gradually weighs him down. What emerges in these characters is a struggle, a desperate, daring struggle to find a path out of conflicts, out of isolation, from guilt to forgiveness. 

These tapes hold the secret of the story. As one of the characters concludes, "I wish I could be more confident of its veracity and completeness. I wish I could do more. This, I suppose, is the nature of the quest for truth--even if it is truth in fiction."

Where does the title, Apart From Love, come from?
The word Love is used sparingly in the novel, which makes it ever more precious. The title comes from a phrase used three times in the story:

After a while I whispered, like, "Just say something to me. Anything." And I thought, Any other word apart from Love, 'cause that word is diluted, and no one knows what it really means, anyway.
Anita

Why, why can't you say nothing? Say any word--but that one, 'cause you don't really mean it. Nobody does. Say anything, apart from Love.
Anita

For my own sake I should have been much more careful. Now--even in her absence--I find myself in her hands, which feels strange to me. I am surrounded--and at the same time, isolated. I am alone. I am apart from Love.
Ben

#Kindle #Countdown #Deal: A FAVORITE SON!

You know you want it, A Favorite SonThe clock is ticking, time to run!

★ Love reading? Get this book now ★ A FAVORITE SON !  
Book Description:
This story is a present-day twist on the biblical story of Jacob and his mother Rebecca plotting together against the elderly father Isaac, who is lying on his deathbed, in order to get their hands on the inheritance, and on the power in the family. This is no old fairy tale. Its power is here and now, in each one of us.
Listening to Yankle telling his take on events, we understand the bitter rivalry between him and his brother. We become intimately engaged with every detail of the plot, and every shade of emotion in these flawed, yet fascinating characters. He yearns to become his father’s favorite son, seeing only one way open to him, to get that which he wants: deceit
“What if my father would touch me,” asks Yankle. In planning his deception, it is not love for his father, nor respect for his age that drives his hesitation—rather, it is the fear to be found out.
And so—covering his arm with the hide of a kid, pretending to be that which he is not—he is now ready for the last moment he is going to have with his father.


US Countdown: July 24 1:00am PST
Price discounted to $0.99  
July 25 6:00am PSTPromotional price increases to $1.99 
July 27 11:00am PSTPromotional price increases to $2.99 
July 29 4:00am PSTPromotional price increases to $3.99 
July 31 12:00am PSTPrice returns to original list price of $4.99
UK Countdown: July 26 8:00am GMT
Price discounted to £0.99
 July 28 8:00pm GMT
Promotional price increases to  £1.99
July 31 8:00am GMT
Price returns to original list price of £2.99

Tomorrow's Literary Classic - Today!

Here is a lovely new audible review, written by Aaron Paul Lazar. Aaron is a mystery writer, and many of his books have audiobook editions. I am thrilled by what he says about the narration of Rise to Power:

FollowAaron P. LazarGeneseo, New York, United States07-23-14OverallPerformanceStory

"Tomorrow's Literary Classic - Today!"

What did you like about this audiobook?Uvi Poznansky's lyrical writing pulled me into this historic story with such power, realism, and poetry that I was immediately drawn into the scenes. I felt immersed in the battles and drenched in my enemies blood. I felt myself swagger over the battlefields in armor and helmet, carrying a spear, exultant in anticipated victory. But that was just one of the aspects of this tale. More than anything, I was deeply intrenched in David's mind and thought processes throughout the entire story. What a ride!
How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?Frankly, I've never been interested in this type of story - historical, biblical, drama or epic tales. I am a passionate fan of mysteries and suspense, mostly in the current day. But when another book is written by this outstanding author, I would definitely read or listen again!
Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?Interesting - absolutely! Insightful - almost frighteningly so. How this author puts herself in the mind of such a man astonishes me. Her ability to think and speak like a man -- and a man living many centuries ago -- was formidable. Ms. Poznansky portrayed David's inner thoughts better than most men of this generation could possibly have done. Kudos!
What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?Nothing - this narrator was outstanding and on target. His voice changed and matured as the character aged. I loved his interpretation of each character, and his amazing range of voices was delightful. I'd listen to him read the newspaper, to tell the truth. Great job, Mr. George. I do wish, however, that my daughter (Melanie Lazar Carbonneau) had written the music for the song that was performed over and over again ("Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands..") I think she could have provided a more interesting musical theme!
Do you have any additional comments?I am often reluctant to read or listen outside of my normal, very predictable genre. But I'm glad I did. I can see this book (and others written by Ms. Poznansky) offered in the future as classic literature in future writing or reading classes. Truly, I think this book will become a global classic. Thank you, Ms. Poznansky, for taking such care with your writing and production. This was a stellar production.

About my trilogy, The David Chronicles

David is a character that has been fascinating me all my life. My new trilogy, The David Chronicles, is in his voice. It is the story of David as you have never heard it before: from the king himself, telling the unofficial version, the one he never allowed his court scribes to recount. In his mind, history is written to praise the victorious—but at the last stretch of his illustrious life, he feels an irresistible urge to tell the truth. In the first volume, Rise to Power, David gives you a fascinating account of his early years, culminating with a tribal coronation. Rooted in ancient lore, his is a surprisingly modern memoir. 

Readers often ask me, "Were you quoting the bible or paraphrasing? Since I was looking at the King James version, and I'm certain you weren't, I really didn't expect a word for word; nevertheless, sometimes I did." To which I say, all the English versions, King James included, are translations and therefore, they are interpretations of the original Hebrew, in which I am versed to the point of knowing it by heart. In this trilogy, the choice of modern language is by design. It is meant to indicate to the reader that this story is no fairytale, it is happening here and now. Step into the skin of David, and look yourself in the mirror.

The entire book is greatly informed by art through the ages, including modern art about David. Here is but one example:


I try to take control of my desire by playing my lyre and writing poetry, but notes and words fail me. Everything I compose these days seems to be but a pale shadow of a shadow of what Bathsheba means to me. And the one image that keeps coming back to me is our reflection in the glass, where our faces melded into one. My eye, her eye, and around us, the outline of a new, fluid identity. A portrait of our love, rippling there, across the surface of the wine.This was inspired by this painting of David and Bathsheba, by Chagall. In my future posts I will give you many other art pieces, modern and old, that informed my story.


Volume I: Rise to Power
This volume starts at his coming to Saul's court, to play before king Saul, and ends with his coronation to become king of a single tribe. How does David see himself, during this first phase of his life? With his hands stained with blood, can he find an inner balance between conflicting drives: his ambition for the crown, his determination to survive the conflict with Saul, and his longing for purity, for a touch of the divine, as expressed so lyrically in his psalms and music?

In an era of cruelty, when destroying the enemy is deemed a sacred directive, the slayer of Goliath finds a way to become larger than life. His search for a path to power leads him in ways that are, at times, scandalous. Notorious for his contradictions, David is seen by others as a gifted court entertainer, a successful captain in Saul’s army, a cunning fugitive, a traitor leading a gang of felons, and a ruthless raider of neighboring towns who leaves no witnesses behind.

Volume II: A Peek at Bathsheba
This volume starts at the civil war between the tribes, his eventual coronation over the whole nation of Israel, and his affair with Bathsheba. 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.
Volume III: A Search for Redemption

This volume (still on the drawing board) will start with the rape of his daughter Tamar by her half-brother Amnon, the revolt of his son Absalom, the attempt to overthrow him by his son Adoniah, and his eventual peaceful transition of power into the hands of Solomon.



Here is David, extending his invitation to you, in the prologue of Rise to Power: 
The tip of my pen is dull, and the ink has dried, but that cannot stop me from writing. Nothing will. I am grasping for power once again, but in a different way than I did back then. This time I can see, with great clarity, that power does not come from the crown. At long last I have no urge anymore to keep my grasp on it. Now I know, power comes from within, from something else entirely: my skill with words. I wish I would have recognized it a long time ago, on my first visit to the royal court. Perhaps then I would have become a poet. Not a King.It is still a long time from daybreak, and the girl’s breast heaves as she mumbles something, some unclear word. She is so close at hand and yet, so far out of my reach. When I was first crowned, I was such a vigorous young man that no illness could keep me away from my dear wives and concubines. If I would catch a cold, all of them would be sneezing. I know, somehow, that unlike all the women I have had, Abishag is the one I will never know. I hold my breath until she lulls herself back to sleep. Faint shadows start dancing on the wall. I read the shapes, trying to invent someone, a listener. You. I whisper, Come in... Call me insane, who cares? Who the hell cares if you refuse to trust me, if you insist on clinging to your kind of reality, which is as dull as it is solid... Mine, I insist, is not a dream. But even if it is... Even so, it is true! How can you deny it? Here is my story. I am opening it up to you. I can see why at first glance what you see here—these records which I jotted here, on these papyrus rolls—may seem scattered, even scary. I understand why you step back from my door, why look over your shoulder to find the guard... 
Come in! Will you? Will you read these scribblings? Can you see my sword, which I have drawn here, look! Can you see it the way I do, lifting out of the ink and into the air, turning magically over, around and around, right in the center of the space? If you can, then—by the flash of it—I shall take you along, to leap with me into the surface of the steely thing. Into my reflection.