Uvi Poznansky's Blog, page 271

Chinese Tea Kettle

Tilt down the spout, slowly: one, two, three,Till – drip! Out pours the strangest green tea,Sniff, whiff and sniffle… Then chant softly with meRight over the vapors: Harmony… Peace… Longevity…From carpets to scarves, from pearls to silkAnd lotions that turn your skin whiter than milkIn search for a bargain, ignoring the auraLeave no stone unturned in the Great Wall of ChinaIn the depths of Ming Tombs, the dead come aliveTo pay their respects to all who arrive,All who carry massive nick-knacks, ‘Knee high!’And wave like royalty aboard the rickshawThe emperor had the most delectable feastHis concubines wore nothing but perfumes of the EastPerfumes that would drive you to madness, oh Lord!Perfumes that I can no longer affordEvery place, every name, every phrase you could mindIn my notebook I write every thing of every kindSummer Palace in front, Temple of Heaven behindI has little choice but to smile and unwindShanghai Pork? Too succulent! Peking Duck? Too lame!So are other dishes of questionable fame.With a rare taste for the finest, the choicest cuisineI eat practically nothing – except for ice cream.My rhyme may be clunky; my line may be long,I may have said something entirely wrong,If you find it offensive, do with me as you pleaseWith a single exception: never serve me Chinese!Now sniff, whiff and sniffle… Then chant softly with meRight over the vapors: Harmony… Peace… Longevity…

Apart From Love: Rising up the Ranks

This evening I discovered that Apart From Love rose to position #17 out of 354 books in New Authors to Read on Goodreads. The book also rose to #41 out of 1,205 books in the Best Independent Books, and #4 out of 83 in Best Illustrated Book Covers!
If you haven't voted yet for my book, please consider doing it! You will give the book the exposure it so badly needs, and allow it find its audience! 

A Flow Chart for Surviving the Breakfast Blues

This week it's all about ice cream. The other day I posted And Now for Something Completely Different, which showed the ice cream cake I made with Marzipan chess pieces on top. Today it's a flow chart for surviving the breakfast blues.


Start.Eat vegetables. (That's all you'll get from her, for breakfast.)Hungry? If Yes, complain to Wife, and she'll tell you: go back to step 2.If No, tiptoe to the refrigerator.Did she notice? If Yes, change direction: go to the sink, wash dishes, end.If No, eat ice cream.Feel guilty? If No, Go back to step 6.If Yes, bite your fingernails.Did she notice? If No, go back to step 8, until she does. If Yes, make amends: go to the sink, wash dishes, end.

A Chinese Mystery from Ming Dynasty?

A new 5-star review has been posted this evening by Oleg Medvedkov. If you have read any of his books, you know that his pen oozes incredibly hilarious humor. Oleg is the author of How to Successfully Remove Any Negative Feedback on eBay!, Attila the Hun, CIA Hamster, Time Machine, Samurai's Confessions and more. Humorous Stories, Funny Tales and Amusing Anecdotes, and the latest installment in his Laugh series, Take a Break & Have a Laugh Series. Passionate Mind-Control Worms, Cool Cats of Fortune, The Art of Getting a Sandwich and more. So when I spotted the first sentence in his review, saying that my story was reminiscent of a Chinese mystery from Ming Dynasty, I was absolutely sure he's joking--only to realize it was written, by a surprising twist, with utter seriousness. Go figure...

"To me, this novel is reminiscent of a Chinese mystery from Ming Dynasty. Allow me to elaborate - we know WHAT crime was committed; we know HOW it was done; we know WHO committed the crime. Now we need to find answers to the following questions - WHY the crime was committed and what PUNISHMENT the criminal would or deserve to receive.
Take it from there and we spend a lot of time inside main characters' heads unraveling these mysteries all through the story which makes for a fascinating and twisted reading.
Surprisingly enough, my favorite part was the back story of the Aunts, which has only remote connection to the main plot. Somehow, it resonated with me the most.
Not being an artist, I can only say what I think of the book's cover with a haiku:
The chest tightens,
Shift your foot slightly
To see her lipstick on the glass.
One more thing of note - this is by far the BEST formatted and arranged Kindle book I've ever seen. If you've seen better or even approaching this level of quality, do let me know, I'd like to see it for myself."

Note: The Kindle version of Apart From Love is now free via Amazon Prime

A Battlefield in Black and White

Yesterday I posted And Now for Something Completely Different, which showed the ice cream cake I made with Marzipan chess pieces on top. Today, to continue the same theme, I present a chess set I made out of clay some years back. Don't expect any 'regularity' in these pieces: one pawn is not exactly the same as another, as each was sculpted (rather than molded) individually. This, I believe, is the charm of the set. 
Every chess set has a worldview behind it. Here, the king is old, and knowing his weakness he is trembling under the cover of his fur coat. The queen is young and tall, and has no doubt that she is the real power around here. The Bishop thinks himself a war hero, striking a Napoleonic pose with hands behind his back. He sends the pawns to the battlefield, ill-equipped, scared to death, and with bare feet.

And Now for Something Completely Different...

A few days ago I posted an excerpt from my book, describing The First Time She Laid Eye on Him which, as luck would have it, happened in an ice cream parlor. You might have guessed already that I have a true passion--no, not for the hero of the story, but for ice cream. So this week, in the spirit of 4th of July holiday, I thought I would post fun images about what I crave most, right at this minute...

So here is the last piece of a layered Ice Cream Birthday cake I made for my loved one. You have to spread the first layer (chocolate) freeze it solid, take it out to spread the next layer (vanilla) freeze it solid, take it out to spread the top layer (chocolate) and freeze it solid before you can start decorating. There was a checkerboard on top, which I made out of marzipan. The chess pieces on top are hand-made from marzipan. So you might say it is a true labor of love.

Now, hurry up and bring a spoon before it melts, honey! 

I Stole It... So Sue Me!

Who was it who said, "Other artists borrow--I steal"? Picasso? Did he steal the saying, too? 
A couple of days ago I came across this image, somewhere in my travels around Facebook. It should not be regarded as a theft, if it says exactly what is in my mind, right?



Then again, if this image is yours, I will--at a moment's notice--duck under my desk...

And the Winners Are...

This morning, Goodreads announced three winners for the book giveaway of my novel. First, I would like to congratulate each and every one of you, four hundred and forty two readers who entered the content during the three weeks leading up to this announcement. You took the chance to win! In the process, you learned about the story and about my work, and explored my thoughts about the creative process. I hope you will continue to engage with me, by joining the conversation in my Q&A Group on Goodreads, and following the posts here on my blog. 

Last--but not least--I would like to congratulate the lucky winners. They are Ashlee Dockins, Kristi Magruder, and Jenee Rager. Your prize--a complementary copy of the paperback edition of Apart From Love--will be on its way to you shortly. Thank you so much for being curious about the book, and for entering the contest, against incredible odds! I hope you enjoy reading the story, and would be happy to exchange ideas about it. I wish you all the best.

Bookstores: Beating the Odds

How unusual, in this day and age! I have just found an upbeat article about a bookstore called Jackson Street Booksellers, a bookstore that is not only beating the odds of surviving, but is thriving as well. The article casts a bright spot of hope amidst the dreary news of bookstores closing everywhere. Surrounded by piles and piles of books, the store owner sits there, welcoming the customers who, for some reason, keep flocking in. The store, he says, will soon be expanding. 

Want to learn his secret? How did he adapt to the times? Read Beating the Odds of Bookstore Failures, Jackson Street Expands

Author Interview: Art, Love, and Writing

My author interview on Katheryn Lane's blog has just been posted. Katheryn is the author of Her Latin Lover and The Royal Sheikh. She works full-time as a teacher, mother and wife, but somehow also finds time to be a part-time writer as well! She loves to write contemporary romances set in exotic locations.

No wonder, then, that she titled the interview Art, Love and Writing.