Uvi Poznansky's Blog, page 93

Get off the phone. I’m trying to call you

And so we embarked on an exchange of letters, which started slowly. Then, over time, the intervals between one letter and the next grew shorter. First she told me about changes affected by the war effort:
Mama read in the magazine: “Rationing has been introduced not to deprive you of your real needs, but to make more certain that you get your share of the country's goods, to get fair shares with everybody else. When the shops re-open you will be able to buy cloth, clothes, footwear and knitting wool only if you bring your food ration book with you. The shopkeeper will detach the required number of coupons from the unused page... You will have a total of 66 coupons to last you a year; so go sparingly. You can buy where you like and when you like without registering.”
By Valentine’s Day, her voice became warmer and a bit more confident. She began to trust me with little things, little stories about her life, stories that showed her to me not only as a pianist but as a sixteen-year-old kid.She wrote,
Mama tells me to put on my roller skates and go to several neighborhood groceries because they’ve received a shipment of sugar, flour, butter or some other rationed items, and she’s given me some ration coupons that can be redeemed for the items. Every once in a while there may be Nylon Stockings that Ma would want me to try to get. If I can’t find any, she might have to get them on the black market.
I asked for her phone number. She gave it to me with a warning, saying that she liked chatting with her friends for long periods of time, so getting through to her would be tough. It would be next to impossible. 
This was true. After trying repeatedly to call her for three hours straight I finally got tired of it and resorted to send her a telegram, which I knew would be delivered at once by a young man riding a bicycle in a Western Union uniform and a cap, which is sure to get her attention. The telegram said, “Get off the phone. I’m trying to call you.”
Lenny in The Music of Us

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"Lyrical, musical, and hauntingly genuine, told in a voice that ages convincingly and loves completely, The Music Of Us lingers beautifully in the mind, long after the story's told, and is a truly great read."  - Sheila Deeth, Author, Top Amazon Reviewer, Vine Voice

Whispers have a way of penetrating me

I have no idea how much time has passed since I closed myself in this place. From time to time the door starts screeching on its hinges, as someone comes in. He brings in food, which I know because the plate rattles against the surface of the floor, before his footfalls fade away. Whoever he is I grant him nothing, not even as much as a glance, and I leave the food untouched.Yet even as I want to be left alone, I find myself dreading my loneliness.
My heart pounds, my strength fails me. Even the light has gone from my eyes. My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds. My neighbors stay far away.
Then, somehow, I know that it is morning. I hear my troops coming back, passing through the inner and outer gate, directly below this room. Some are moaning because of their wounds. Others are laughing, happy to be alive. Many of them ask why I am not out there to congratulate them for such an unexpected triumph. Someone, perhaps the gate keeper, must be pressing a finger to his lips to hush them, because at once they lower their voices. And I know that for the whole army, the victory this day is turned into mourning, because of me. They steal into the city this day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle.I can block loud talk, but whispers have a way of penetrating me. I wish I could forget words. I do not want to hear what happened. Let someone else listen. Let someone else write about it.
David in The Edge of Revolt

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"This is historical fiction at its best. The characterization of David is extremely well-done. An epic work and one well worth reading."  - Dianne Harman, Author

I could dub this journey, ‘The war to end all wars’

 I remove my crown, and with a heavy heart I raise my arms, and put a bronze helmet in its place. The time for words is over, except for using them to excite my troops into following me. Come what may, victory or defeat, together we will march from one battlefield to the next. I could dub this journey, ‘The war to end all wars.’ I tack my horse by putting the saddle on, then the girth and the bridle. I hold the reins, bounce gently in the stirrup, then swing my leg over, and sit down in the saddle. Then, with a select group of fighters, I ride out of the compound. Its gates creak to a close behind me. What I leave back there is the past: seven years as the ruler of a single tribe. This place is too small, too provincial to serve me any longer, because now I am the king of a new entity. I am king of Israel. The children of Hebron cheer me as I pass them. So do the women, who come out to kiss their men. All of them wave at me. I wave back, thinking I caught a glimpse of Bathsheba. Then I realize my mistake. It is another girl, combing her long, damp hair. She bends over the iron railing of her terrace, the better to see us as we are leaving town. A minute later she, too, becomes a distant outline.This is farewell to an era, farewell to a place. Win or lose I may never come back here again. 
David in A Peek at Bathsheba

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"This is the first time I've read this author and it won't be the last. I loved A PEEK OF BATHSHEBA! Ms. Poznansky transported me back to an interesting period of time with history, romance, and her eloquent style of writing. I enjoyed her unique way of describing the actions and reactions of her characters. She did a marvelous job with the setting as well. I especially liked how she ushered in a new era with the ending. In error I started with Book #2 in the David Chronicles. I'll get Book #1 and I'm sure I'll enjoy it just as much."  - Jan Romes, Author

The Challenges of Eternal Love

Short and sweet review for my WWII love story, The Music of Us:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Challenges of Eternal LoveByDoug Simpsonon March 30, 2018Format: Kindle Edition This is an intriguing story of love-at-first-site between Natasha and Lenny. World War II and medical problems create challenges which neither could have anticipated, making happy-ever-after a journey over many speed bumps. Is it a good read? Definitely!

One of No Other Kind

A great review of my dark fantasy book, Twisted:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of No Other KindByGabriel Constanson March 29, 2018Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase Ms. Poznansky is a master storyteller, and artist, who is able to combine insight, nuance, place, and time, with abstract ideas, situations, and characters. To say her stories are "one of a kind" would be a disservice, as they are really "one of no other kind". Twisted is unique, yet strangely approachable and identifiable, even though the context may be within a setting unknown, or not previously pictured, by the reader. I was somewhat wary of this collection, believing it might be filled with esoteric, or philosophical ramblings. Much to my surprise, and benefit, I was instead taken inside the creative mind of a brilliant author, and sculptor, of beautifully twisted views of the self, others, and the world within which we live.

Be Still, A Poet’s Heart

Be still, poet's heart, this moment is rare Stop this hammering, why would you dare   To set up a challenge, to write your own fateBe still and accept, perhaps it's too late
Unlucky the number, unlucky the day   Still, welcome the future, come what maySet yourself free, apart from loveChange whatever was decreed from above
Sing out a ballad of passion and hateSing it out as you drown, and ignore that dateSomeone may notice, may listen out thereSo quicken the pounding, sing out with a flair
The flood is abating, release the dovePray to find yourself a part of love 

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"This radiant book is an exploration of the bond between a daughter and father and the book overflows with some of the most eloquent poetic moments in print. HOME is an invitation, a very personal one, and should not be passed over." 
- Grady Harp, Hall of Fame Reviewer

Embark on a journey of discovery

Do you celebrate Easter or Passover? Either way, this story is meaningful to all of us. Embark on a journey of discovery: The David Chronicles includes three standalone novels about the youth, prime of life, and old age of King David. In addition, the series includes six collections of art by acclaimed masters throughout the ages, depicting iconic moments in his life.
Rise to Power:Here 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. Rooted in ancient lore, his is a surprisingly modern memoir.

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. But how does he 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?

A Peek at Bathsheba:The most torrid tale of passion ever told: David's forbidden love for Bathsheba, and his attempt to cover up the scandal. Will he muster the strength needed to protect her and save their son from danger?

This is volume II of the trilogy 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 curse looming over his entire future.
The Edge of Revolt:David loves his sons. The last thing he expects is that they will topple him from the throne. Who among them will remain by his side? Who will be not only loyal, but also eager to continue his legacy?

For now, David remains silent, even as Amnon rapes Tamar, even as Absalom lures Amnon to his death. In families other than his, such crimes may be concealed. But when they occur in the king’s family, they affect matters of the state, and result in his escape from the son he adores. Will he finds a way to quell the revolt and come back to the City of David?

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Volume V: Inspired by Art: Fall of a GiantEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Google Play ★ Smashwords
Volume VI: Inspired by Art: Rise to PowerEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Google Play ★ Smashwords
Volume VII: Inspired by Art: A Peek at BathshebaEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Google Play ★ Smashwords
Volume VIII: Inspired by Art: The Edge of RevoltEbook:  Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Google Play ★ Smashwords
Volume IX: Inspired by Art: The Last ConcubineEbook: Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Google Play ★ Smashwords

Before I go, there is one last thing I must ask you

The king squints at the sun, and when that fails him he raises his hand, shielding his eyes from the blinding glimmer. Then he takes hold of my shoulders, which at once makes me feel small. I cannot stand it, being under his thumb. He turns me around and tells me, “Behold, boy. Here, before you, is the valley of Elah.” So I study the terrain. Alas, our side of the valley is steep, and the path—slippery. It twists around this ridge and that, tunnels under boulders big and small, falls deeper and deeper into the abyss, till at last it drops completely from sight. The king must know: if he sends our soldiers down that path, they may find themselves in the end with their backs to the wall. There would be no escape, should the battle turn against them. By contrast, the opposite side of the terrain has a more gradual slope. Right now it is swarming with enemy soldiers advancing slowly, steadily, one massive wave after another, descending as one into the depth of the valley. His chin hangs over my shoulder, jaw tightly clenched. Together, the king and I are standing here, looking at the arena of war, at what is sure to become our defeat.“So,” I muster the courage, at last, to breathe in his ear, “you need me.”In turn he breathes, “I do.”“You need someone whose ambition drives him, straight ahead and without hesitation, to be completely foolish.”“You listen well, the devil that you are!” He chuckles for a moment, then turns serious again. “Are you ready?”“Yes,” I say. “I am. But now, before I go, there is one request, one last thing I must ask you.” “Anything,” he offers, and this time there is a new tone in his voice. It is full of pity. I close my eyes, and at once I conjure up a lovely, bubbly girl, hair and bust pointing upward. Of course, I am not the first soldier to dream about the princess. Imagining her beauty, her open arms, her embrace must have helped many of them stomach the idea of going to battle.I take a moment to think about the fallen, down there at the bottom of this valley. Her name must have been the last thing quivering on their lips. Merav.So I take a deep breath, and before I have a chance to regret it, the words roll off my tongue. Both of us listen to them in utter disbelief. “What I want,” says my voice, “is your daughter.”“What?” he doubles over, cackling in surprise.Somehow I gather the courage to say, “Yes! You heard me.”He pushes me away, full force, which makes me flail a bit to regain my balance. There I am, nearly tipping over the lip of the ledge. He says, “She has royal blood in her veins, and you... Who the hell are you?”For a moment I contemplate mentioning what everyone knows: Saul was anointed while looking for his father’s three asses. Coming from a lowly farm, he has no royal blood in his veins, and neither do any of his offspring.Instead I say, “But... But have you seen the way she looks at me?”“Who? Michal?” I cast a look at him which is just as surprised as his look at me. I have to control myself, which is utterly impossible. “Michal?” I blurt out. “Of course not!”And he says, “Why the hell not?”And I say, “Who on earth would want a flat-chested, grumpy Jewish princess like her? No, no way! The one I want is Merav!”“Goddamn it, who cares,” he dismisses me with a wave of his hand. “I have high plans for both of them. Quite soon, in fact. Michal shall marry a prince, and so will Merav. Nothing personal, you see. This is purely about politics.”“But—”“Stay away from my daughter.”“But I—”“You’re a nobody.”“So? What’s the difference to you? Most likely, I’ll not live to see my reward.” Now I wipe a tear from the corner of my eye, as theatrically as I can. “Your majesty, I’m as good as dead... Do I ask for much? Forget medals, forget colored ribbons! Let me have her!”
David in Rise to Power

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The complete trilogy:The David Chronicles (Boxed Set) Ebook: Kindle ★ Apple ★ Nook ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
"Somehow, even though we know the outlines of the story, we become completely engrossed, wanting to know how the story we are familiar with will be filled out. On my first reading, I became so engrossed as I read it on a bus that I missed my stop." 
- Laurel Gord, Author

To the German soldiers, we must appear as local people

I woke up the next morning by a rotating flash of sunlight. It reflected back from the handlebar of a bicycle that passed by the side of my tent with a sudden squeak. Leaning forward to gain speed, Rochelle was already turning the bend into the dirt road, which made me leap into my feet in a hurry. I had to catch up to her before she disappeared—or else, she would set out for a three-day journey all by herself. In haste I snatched a few provisions and packed them into a bundle—wild mushrooms I had picked up last night, leftover bread, some nuts—and grabbed a bike that leaned there, against a tree trunk, not even caring to whom it belonged. Someday I would ask forgiveness. Not now. Meanwhile, another bike creaked into motion behind me, and someone shouted, “Wait!”I glanced over my shoulder. It was the boy. “Stay here,” I told him. “No way,” he cried. “I am coming with you!”
The first couple of days, the three of us glided down the slope through a rocky terrain, which deflated the tires. This was supposed to be an easy ride, but doing it nonstop took its toll on us. Rochelle hummed some song at the beginning, but by now—fighting against gusts of wind—she grit her teeth and just breathed through the effort of pushing the pedals. The boy looked all pale and haggard. The skin of his inner thighs became red from the constant rubbing between them. Lifting one knee up to spin the wheel, forcing the other one down, and then over again, again, again... The thirst formed cracks on my tongue. A crust of salt formed over my upper lip, mixed with dust. It became thicker no matter how much I tried to lick it away. My shirt became drenched in sweat. It used to fit tightly over my body, but now it hung loose, disclosing how much weight I had lost.Once we got to the river Seine, the clouds broke. A ray of sunshine wandered across the distant landscape, till it hit a German road block. “We must freshen up before we get there,” I said.And the boy asked, “Why?”“Because.” “Because what?”“Because,” I said, “to the German soldiers, we must appear as local people, coming to the market from a village close-by. All clues suggesting that we’ve come from afar must be blotted away, somehow.”
Lenny in Marriage before Death


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" What the reader sees is how their relationship survives the horrors of war making their love for one another all the stronger. Through their eyes we see the terrible sights, sounds and smells of war, something no one ever forgets... This is Uvi Poznansky at her masterful best." 
-  Jess Steven Hughes, Author  

A WWII sy thriller like no other

FollowConvokeUSA | Listener Since 201261HELPFUL VOTES27 reviews31 ratings47 titles in library0 purchased in 2018FOLLOWING4FOLLOWERS3 Marriage Before Death: WWII Spy Thriller: Still Life with Memories, Book 5UNABRIDGEDby Uvi PoznanskyNarrated by Don WarrickView SeriesReviewed: 12/23/17

"A WW II sy thriller like no other"

OverallPerformanceStoryAny additional comments?Marriage before Death by Uvi Poznansky is a treasure, read alone or in its place in her series. We follow characters from her other books into a WWII milieu, with all the unparalleled darkness of those days. Poznansky's talent and resonance with the story means that you can read Marriage before Death on its own or as Book 5 in a series, following (Book 1: My Own Voice, Book 2: The White Piano, Book 3: The Music of Us, Book 4: Dancing with Air). Poznansky's protagonist Lenny, narrowly escapes execution, but not capture. Through his eyes and those of Natasha, who faces a more personal terror,a hideous fate, we are thrust into a world that not only breathes, but does so in a lyrical way that, somehow, brings the story closer, not farther away. If you haven't read Poznansky, Marriage before Death is a fine place to begin. Then, of course, you'll want to grab the others that came before. Brilliant.