Uvi Poznansky's Blog, page 208
April 25, 2014
♡ MOM: celebrate #MothersDay with my author friends and me!
Come out, come out, wherever you areSing out a tune, or play your guitar
Spring flowers are blooming, the grass smells so sweet,
Come sit among us, come find a seat
A light breeze is blowing... Look, the kite lifts!The picnic basket will open, we'll give you our giftsWe'll tell our stories to you and no otherA toast for our friendship, and a big hug for mother
We invite you for an early Mother’s Day picnicRight here where you areCome meet all of us:
James DiBenedetto, Author Ruth Cardello, Uvi Poznansky, John A. Miller, Elaine Raco Chase, Stephanie Giancola, Mary Campisi, Donna Fasano,Stacy Drumtra Juba, Aaron Paul Lazar, Charity Parkerson, Libby Fischer Hellmann, Barbara Silkstone
Click this link and join: ♡ MOM
Spring flowers are blooming, the grass smells so sweet,
Come sit among us, come find a seat
A light breeze is blowing... Look, the kite lifts!The picnic basket will open, we'll give you our giftsWe'll tell our stories to you and no otherA toast for our friendship, and a big hug for mother
We invite you for an early Mother’s Day picnicRight here where you areCome meet all of us:
James DiBenedetto, Author Ruth Cardello, Uvi Poznansky, John A. Miller, Elaine Raco Chase, Stephanie Giancola, Mary Campisi, Donna Fasano,Stacy Drumtra Juba, Aaron Paul Lazar, Charity Parkerson, Libby Fischer Hellmann, Barbara Silkstone
Click this link and join: ♡ MOM
A thought-provoking spin on the Biblical King David
Joan P. Lane is a Jamaican born author of mystery and suspense. Her book, The Tangled Web, is a story of international web of intrigue, nuder, and romance. I am thrilled to find her review of my novel, Rise to Power:
A thought-provoking spin on the Biblical King David, April 25, 2014By Joan P. Ashley "J.P. Lane" (Gainesville, FL, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME) Verified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: Rise to Power (The David Chronicles) (Kindle Edition)
Uvi Poznansky gets another five stars from me, this time for her marvelous portrayal of the Biblical King David. Her David, although fictional, is not the perfect figure sculpted by Michelangelo. Nor is he strictly the David of the Bible. With his human failings, the David she has created is a bit of a departure from the legend.
This book is written as David’s memoir. In it, he tells us that all it took to make him the legend he became was twisting the historical facts to his advantage. David confesses that, in his youth, he was ambitious. He lusted after the crown of Judah, but soon realized a certain amount of clever public relations was required to get it, and hold on to it. He was also concerned with how he would go down in history. So in this fictional memoir, we see not just the musician, poet and youth who killed Goliath, but wily David, the master manipulator. Though David’s actions are motivated not only by ambition, but by the need to survive. For no good reason, the mad King Saul is out to kill him, forcing David to make some tough decisions.
Uvi Poznansky uses modern language (with slang) to tell this story. David says things like hurry up already. At first, such modern terms being dropped into a mid-9th Century BC setting were, to me, a bit lacking in authenticity. The descriptions of some of the women’s clothes also didn’t seem true to the time. But somehow these unexpected elements work together to set the stage for a compelling character who keeps the reader spellbound.
Ruthless soldier and commander, brilliant strategist, gifted musician and inspiring orator, David is also a stud. Every woman wants David who wants them in turn, yet he can hardly keep up with the domestic demands of his wives. No doubt about it, he’s a man who loves wine, women and song, a rogue I couldn’t help falling in love with.
As far as David’s alleged philandering goes, Uvi Poznansky may not have strayed that far from what the Biblical records tell us. David did indeed have eight wives and ten concubines. He had 20 legitimate children and is said to have had even more children with his concubines. That would suggest he was the busy man Ms. Poznansky makes him out to be. Whatever impression the scriptures may have given you of David, you’ll find this book entertaining, thought-provoking, and, in some parts, very amusing. I’m very much looking forward to the sequel.
A thought-provoking spin on the Biblical King David, April 25, 2014By Joan P. Ashley "J.P. Lane" (Gainesville, FL, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME) Verified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: Rise to Power (The David Chronicles) (Kindle Edition)
Uvi Poznansky gets another five stars from me, this time for her marvelous portrayal of the Biblical King David. Her David, although fictional, is not the perfect figure sculpted by Michelangelo. Nor is he strictly the David of the Bible. With his human failings, the David she has created is a bit of a departure from the legend.This book is written as David’s memoir. In it, he tells us that all it took to make him the legend he became was twisting the historical facts to his advantage. David confesses that, in his youth, he was ambitious. He lusted after the crown of Judah, but soon realized a certain amount of clever public relations was required to get it, and hold on to it. He was also concerned with how he would go down in history. So in this fictional memoir, we see not just the musician, poet and youth who killed Goliath, but wily David, the master manipulator. Though David’s actions are motivated not only by ambition, but by the need to survive. For no good reason, the mad King Saul is out to kill him, forcing David to make some tough decisions.
Uvi Poznansky uses modern language (with slang) to tell this story. David says things like hurry up already. At first, such modern terms being dropped into a mid-9th Century BC setting were, to me, a bit lacking in authenticity. The descriptions of some of the women’s clothes also didn’t seem true to the time. But somehow these unexpected elements work together to set the stage for a compelling character who keeps the reader spellbound.
Ruthless soldier and commander, brilliant strategist, gifted musician and inspiring orator, David is also a stud. Every woman wants David who wants them in turn, yet he can hardly keep up with the domestic demands of his wives. No doubt about it, he’s a man who loves wine, women and song, a rogue I couldn’t help falling in love with.
As far as David’s alleged philandering goes, Uvi Poznansky may not have strayed that far from what the Biblical records tell us. David did indeed have eight wives and ten concubines. He had 20 legitimate children and is said to have had even more children with his concubines. That would suggest he was the busy man Ms. Poznansky makes him out to be. Whatever impression the scriptures may have given you of David, you’ll find this book entertaining, thought-provoking, and, in some parts, very amusing. I’m very much looking forward to the sequel.
April 24, 2014
I should kiss her, and hug her, and bid her farewell
"After a while, she stirs. Her hand hangs, for a moment, in midair, a motion designed to reach out to me, and hug me, perhaps, in her own manner. Yet I can see that it is only herself, in the end, that she embraces. “On me your sin,” she smiles sweetly, placing a hand on her breast, where the heart can be found. “Let your curse be on me.” The sleeve, meanwhile, continues to climb, as if of its own accord, over my shoulder. By now it is covering the entire length of my arm. To my amazement, a part of me seems to have disappeared. Esav’s arm is beginning to take shape in place of mine.She leans over me and with a sharp eye, threads her needle. But for some reason, we cannot bear to look at each other eye to eye. “Give me one minute, let me mend it,” she says, removed from me, smiling to herself. “We don’t have much time, I’m afraid. Your brother is on the hunt, and so are we.”I sit there at her feet watching her work. My mother is so skillful in manipulating that sleeve. Inside of it, my limb feels hot, suffocated. I let her control me, control my hand. It is no longer my hand. By and by, a perfect calm comes upon me. I have no thought in my head, no clue that this is to be the last sunrise, the last morning that I spend with my mother; no premonition that our time together is running out, and that I should kiss her, and hug her, and bid her farewell. Yet for some reason, glancing around me, I commit to memory every aspect of this scene, every detail: The vivid pattern of the rug, spread across the dirt floor. The embroidered silk pillows, leaning against the woven headrest. The little blemish, barely visible in the corner of the blanket. The silver thread coming apart, at one point, at the bottom of the canvas. The jug of water, half hidden behind the curved leg of the bed.I can hear little noises: The occasional cry of a newborn baby, searching blindly for his mother’s breast. The light snores of the maidservants, some of whom are just starting to wake up, only to fall asleep again. The yawns of the shepherd boys, stretching their limbs lazily under the sheepskins in the neighboring tents. The unrest of the sheep, the lambs, the kids, the goats, all eager to go out there, to graze in the sun-flooded fields. Meanwhile the needle flies back and forth, forth and back, over my shoulder, catching the light in its path. I am transfixed. I wish I could stay here forever. This place is so full of charms. This hour is so intimate; so sweet, and it is fast coming to its bitter conclusion."
Yankle, in A Favorite Son
Here a small voice clip out of this excerpt, narrated by the gifted David Kudler:
If your browser wouldn't play it, try this.
I have long been fascinated with the story of Jacob and Esav. To me, it captures several layers of emotions which we all go through in our families: a rivalry between brothers, the way a mother’s love, unevenly divided, can spur them to action, to crime, even; and how in time, even in the absence of regret, a punishment eventually ripens.
The story had been brewing in me for several years before I put pen to paper. Being an artist, I had expressed it through sculpture long before I wrote the words. So here you can see Yankle and his mother Becky, plotting to cheat the father. Out of a sense of shame, they are unable to look each other in the eye.
Having been cheated, I found that the character I wish to explore is not the victim of the crime, but rather the perpetrator. What are his motives? Has regret set in? Does he love his father even as he is cheating him? Does he long for the early years when he still had a bond with his twin brother?
I wrote the first chapter, Lentil Stew, and thought I got the story out of my system. But no, Yankle kept chatting it my head, demanding that I record his thoughts. I wrote the second chapter, and the same thing continued to happen. It was not until I wrote the last chapter, The Curse of the Striped Shirt, where I find a ‘poetic justice’ to conclude the story, that Yankle finally fell silent...
So when reading my story, do not seek clear distinction between heroes and villains: no one is wholly sacred, because--like Yankle, the main character here--we are all made of lights and shadows, and most of all, doubt.
My clay sculptures of Jacob "What if my father touches me"
and of his mother, Becky "On me your sin, my son"
★ Love reading? Get this book ★A Favorite Son★ Audio★ Ebook ★ Print ★
"I can't praise the writing enough; the author has an incredible voice"
Yankle, in A Favorite Son
Here a small voice clip out of this excerpt, narrated by the gifted David Kudler:
If your browser wouldn't play it, try this.
I have long been fascinated with the story of Jacob and Esav. To me, it captures several layers of emotions which we all go through in our families: a rivalry between brothers, the way a mother’s love, unevenly divided, can spur them to action, to crime, even; and how in time, even in the absence of regret, a punishment eventually ripens.
The story had been brewing in me for several years before I put pen to paper. Being an artist, I had expressed it through sculpture long before I wrote the words. So here you can see Yankle and his mother Becky, plotting to cheat the father. Out of a sense of shame, they are unable to look each other in the eye.
Having been cheated, I found that the character I wish to explore is not the victim of the crime, but rather the perpetrator. What are his motives? Has regret set in? Does he love his father even as he is cheating him? Does he long for the early years when he still had a bond with his twin brother?
I wrote the first chapter, Lentil Stew, and thought I got the story out of my system. But no, Yankle kept chatting it my head, demanding that I record his thoughts. I wrote the second chapter, and the same thing continued to happen. It was not until I wrote the last chapter, The Curse of the Striped Shirt, where I find a ‘poetic justice’ to conclude the story, that Yankle finally fell silent...
So when reading my story, do not seek clear distinction between heroes and villains: no one is wholly sacred, because--like Yankle, the main character here--we are all made of lights and shadows, and most of all, doubt.
My clay sculptures of Jacob "What if my father touches me" and of his mother, Becky "On me your sin, my son"
★ Love reading? Get this book ★A Favorite Son★ Audio★ Ebook ★ Print ★
"I can't praise the writing enough; the author has an incredible voice"
April 22, 2014
I must guard myself from her, because she knows me, knows my weakness
Here, on my ear, I can feel the tickle of her curl, which must have slinked out of the towel wrapping her head. And I can smell the scent of shampoo as she leans closer to whisper, “Get in.”In confusion I whisper back, “Get in—what?”“The tub,” she breathes in my ear. “What else?”Which leaves me speechless. She goes on to say, “I filled it to the rim for you. And the water is still warm—why let it go to waste?”And with that, she lets go of me and runs barefoot across the surface of the roof, hanging the large Egyptian towel over her shoulders so it flares behind her as she goes. A minute later she disappears down the shadow of the staircase.I have no idea if she has been playing with me. Perhaps she is simply frugal. Water should not go to waste in a desert country like ours. But this I know for sure: the last thing I need is a hot bath. A cold shower is more like it.On my way to leave this place I pass by the tub. My nostrils flare in an anguished attempt to take in a last whiff of her scent. Finding myself in an unfamiliar mood I come to a stop, and lean over the rolled porcelain edge. Soapsuds swim sluggishly to and fro. I wish they would cover the entire surface. I don’t want to spot my face down there. I am afraid that the water may mirror to me that which I don’t wish to find. Youth is nothing but a burden. What is my life if not a bubble, shimmering for an instant and then—pop! It is gone... Lord, I whisper, do not rebuke me in your anger, or discipline me in your wrath…Underneath me is a darkening sky, cast back from the surface. Clouds are rippling around the crowned outline of my head. Upside down, am I still a king? Perhaps I am: a king afraid of reflection. Afraid of the magic it holds. Afraid of its distortions—and even more, of its truth. Here is my fate, written on water, encrypted in reverse.And it is then, when I meet my eyes, that suddenly I catch a glimpse of who I am. I am a mortal, and my future will be quick to dissolve. My face is already wrinkling, rippling across the surface. This moment never happened, because luckily there is no one here to record it, so no one to splatter it over a scroll of papyrus, and make a sensational, scandalous story out of it. No one will ever know about my little indiscretion, but the two of us. From now on I must guard myself from her, because she knows me, knows my weakness.
David in Rise to Power
★ Love reading? Treat yourself to a gift ★Rise to Power★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★
David in Rise to Power
★ Love reading? Treat yourself to a gift ★Rise to Power★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★
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..."
★ Love reading? Treat yourself to a gift ★A Favorite Son★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★
★ Love reading? Treat yourself to a gift ★A Favorite Son★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★
April 21, 2014
She wraps her arms around his frail shoulders
"I hear the slight rustle of her skirt, and her soft voice saying, “Wait, Isaac—” just before it becomes muffled. So sharply, so unexpectedly does it happen, that it makes me giddy with curiosity; and so, I do what I have to do: I lift the flap of the tent, allowing light in, to peek in on them; and what I see leaves me dumbfounded. There she is, kneeling down before him amidst ripples of silk. She wraps her arms around his frail shoulders, draws closely and kisses him, long and full, on his mouth. And then, when she rises up, you can see that his face is confused, and his hand is trembling a little."
In this excerpt Yankle describes his mother Becky, modeled after the biblical figure of Rebecca. Her husband Isaac is lying on his deathbed. He is blind, and waiting for his firstborn son Esav to come back from the hunt, so he can give him the blessing. Becky plots to deceive the old man. In my story, A Favorite Son, she goes into his tent to say her last farewell, and just before sending Jacob in to execute her criminal plan, she kisses her husband. Watching this from a distance, Yankle says:
"I have to wonder: What was that kiss? Her way to say farewell? Was it inspired by some old memory, some image of their younger days—or else, was it designed to make him vulnerable, make him ready for me, just in time for my entrance? I agonize, I puzzle over that kiss. Was it act of love—or of deceit?"
Take a listen to this paragraph read by my gifted narrator, David Kudler:
If your browser wouldn't play it, try this.
My small clay sculpture, The skirt
★ Love reading? Treat yourself to a gift ★A Favorite Son★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★
In this excerpt Yankle describes his mother Becky, modeled after the biblical figure of Rebecca. Her husband Isaac is lying on his deathbed. He is blind, and waiting for his firstborn son Esav to come back from the hunt, so he can give him the blessing. Becky plots to deceive the old man. In my story, A Favorite Son, she goes into his tent to say her last farewell, and just before sending Jacob in to execute her criminal plan, she kisses her husband. Watching this from a distance, Yankle says:
"I have to wonder: What was that kiss? Her way to say farewell? Was it inspired by some old memory, some image of their younger days—or else, was it designed to make him vulnerable, make him ready for me, just in time for my entrance? I agonize, I puzzle over that kiss. Was it act of love—or of deceit?"
Take a listen to this paragraph read by my gifted narrator, David Kudler:
If your browser wouldn't play it, try this.
My small clay sculpture, The skirt★ Love reading? Treat yourself to a gift ★A Favorite Son★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★
There she is, kneeling down before him amidst ripples of silk
"I hear the slight rustle of her skirt, and her soft voice saying, “Wait, Isaac—” just before it becomes muffled. So sharply, so unexpectedly does it happen, that it makes me giddy with curiosity; and so, I do what I have to do: I lift the flap of the tent, allowing light in, to peek in on them; and what I see leaves me dumbfounded. There she is, kneeling down before him amidst ripples of silk. She wraps her arms around his frail shoulders, draws closely and kisses him, long and full, on his mouth. And then, when she rises up, you can see that his face is confused, and his hand is trembling a little."
In this excerpt Yankle describes his mother Becky, modeled after the biblical figure of Rebecca. Her husband Isaac is lying on his deathbed. He is blind, and waiting for his firstborn son Esav to come back from the hunt, so he can give him the blessing. Becky plots to deceive the old man. In my story, A Favorite Son, she goes into his tent to say her last farewell, and just before sending Jacob in to execute her criminal plan, she kisses her husband. Watching this from a distance, Yankle says:
"I have to wonder: What was that kiss? Her way to say farewell? Was it inspired by some old memory, some image of their younger days—or else, was it designed to make him vulnerable, make him ready for me, just in time for my entrance? I agonize, I puzzle over that kiss. Was it act of love—or of deceit?"
Take a listen to this paragraph read by my gifted narrator, David Kudler:
If your browser wouldn't play it, try this.
★ Love reading? Treat yourself to a gift ★A Favorite Son★ Audiobook ★ Ebook ★ Print ★
In this excerpt Yankle describes his mother Becky, modeled after the biblical figure of Rebecca. Her husband Isaac is lying on his deathbed. He is blind, and waiting for his firstborn son Esav to come back from the hunt, so he can give him the blessing. Becky plots to deceive the old man. In my story, A Favorite Son, she goes into his tent to say her last farewell, and just before sending Jacob in to execute her criminal plan, she kisses her husband. Watching this from a distance, Yankle says:
"I have to wonder: What was that kiss? Her way to say farewell? Was it inspired by some old memory, some image of their younger days—or else, was it designed to make him vulnerable, make him ready for me, just in time for my entrance? I agonize, I puzzle over that kiss. Was it act of love—or of deceit?"
Take a listen to this paragraph read by my gifted narrator, David Kudler:
If your browser wouldn't play it, try this.
★ Love reading? Treat yourself to a gift ★A Favorite Son★ Audiobook ★ Ebook ★ Print ★
Stunningly different
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 novel, Apart From Love;
5.0 out of 5 stars Stunningly different, April 21, 2014By Catherine Cavendish - See all my reviewsThis review is from: Apart From Love (Kindle Edition)
This is an amazing and unusual read. The story of three characters -Lenny, his second wife, Anita and his adult son, Ben. Each tells their part of the story and I became hooked right from the beginning. This author has a real gift for getting right inside her characters' heads. Each voice was distinct and different and each point of view very different from the other. The same events were viewed in markedly different ways by each member of this dysfunctional family, adding layer upon layer of intricate detail, emotion and passion. This is the first story I have read by Uvi Poznansky, who is surely an exciting new voice to watch out for. The stunning cover demonstrates another talent of this highly creative and skilled author. Highly recommended.
5.0 out of 5 stars Stunningly different, April 21, 2014By Catherine Cavendish - See all my reviewsThis review is from: Apart From Love (Kindle Edition)
This is an amazing and unusual read. The story of three characters -Lenny, his second wife, Anita and his adult son, Ben. Each tells their part of the story and I became hooked right from the beginning. This author has a real gift for getting right inside her characters' heads. Each voice was distinct and different and each point of view very different from the other. The same events were viewed in markedly different ways by each member of this dysfunctional family, adding layer upon layer of intricate detail, emotion and passion. This is the first story I have read by Uvi Poznansky, who is surely an exciting new voice to watch out for. The stunning cover demonstrates another talent of this highly creative and skilled author. Highly recommended.
April 20, 2014
Each book--a steal!
April 18, 2014
♡ MOM: meet my author friends! You may win my #audiobook
Dont miss this opportunity! Click this link and join:
♡ MOM
A select group of authors has joined forces with meto bring you amazing storiesnarrated by great voice actors. This spring, we invite you for an early Mother’s Day picnic. Come listen to voice clips from the audiobooks You may win one of them!
Elaine Raco Chase Dare the DevilDesigning WomanSpecial Delivery
Uvi Poznansky Rise to PowerA Favorite Son
Apart from LoveHome Stephanie Queen The Throwbacks
Mary Campisi A Family AffairPulling Home Ruth Cardello Maid for the Billionaire: Book 1 of the Legacy Collection
Donna Fasano Mountain LaurelHer Fake Romance Libby Fischer Hellmann Set the Night on FireBitter Veil Charity Parkerson The Sexy & the UndeadWanted Hexed or Alive
The Pixie & the PrinceThe Wizard the Wanton Stacy Juba Sink or Swim
Barbara Silkstone The Adventures of a Love Investigator, 527 Naked Men & One Woman
Aaron Paul Lazar Terror Comes KnockingTremolo: Cry of the Loon
Don’t Let the Wind Catch YouThe Seacrest John A. Miller Gladstone
James DiBenedetto Dream DoctorBetty & Howard's Excellent Adventure
A select group of authors has joined forces with meto bring you amazing storiesnarrated by great voice actors. This spring, we invite you for an early Mother’s Day picnic. Come listen to voice clips from the audiobooks You may win one of them!
Elaine Raco Chase Dare the DevilDesigning WomanSpecial Delivery
Uvi Poznansky Rise to PowerA Favorite Son
Apart from LoveHome Stephanie Queen The Throwbacks
Mary Campisi A Family AffairPulling Home Ruth Cardello Maid for the Billionaire: Book 1 of the Legacy Collection
Donna Fasano Mountain LaurelHer Fake Romance Libby Fischer Hellmann Set the Night on FireBitter Veil Charity Parkerson The Sexy & the UndeadWanted Hexed or Alive
The Pixie & the PrinceThe Wizard the Wanton Stacy Juba Sink or Swim
Barbara Silkstone The Adventures of a Love Investigator, 527 Naked Men & One Woman
Aaron Paul Lazar Terror Comes KnockingTremolo: Cry of the Loon
Don’t Let the Wind Catch YouThe Seacrest John A. Miller Gladstone
James DiBenedetto Dream DoctorBetty & Howard's Excellent Adventure
