Intuitive and Captivating

I am delighted to find a new review, written by the author of The Trap, D.W. Hendrick. 
Here is what he writes about my book, Twisted: 

5.0 out of 5 stars Intuitive and Captivating, September 30, 2013

By 

D.W.Headrick - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Twisted (Kindle Edition)

Uvi Poznanski has once again authenticated her status as an amazing artist - one who can personify and clearly, believably speak to the reader through a myriad of voices; human or inhuman, animate or inanimate. If the author wants us to feel empathy, we cry; when she invokes horror, we shiver... and all of this for a captive cat, a clay figure, a woman in a relationship free-fall, or the Biblical wife of Job appealing to Satan in Hell.

This is a stunning novel by an extraordinary writer. Do yourself a favor and invest in a work of art - purchase Ms. Uvi Poznanski's "TWISTED". Five very enthusiastic stars.

New poetry series: Contemporary Writers of Poland

The newest in an outgoing series dedicated to the courageous people of Poland who fought always to defend and preserve the Polish identity and cultural heritage throughout long periods of oppression - so beautifully represented here in Polish Literature Anthologies. I had the honor of being invited to contribute several of my poems:

Contemporary Writers of Poland 2000-2014

Ever dreamt about falling? Look into the elevator shaft

I am so grateful for the third opportunity to be featured on Brian M. Hayden's blog! He is a dear friend, and the author of The Road to Transplant (and more books) where he takes you along to witness the final mile on his incredible journey to a heart transplant. 

My guest post takes you into a fall through an elevator shaft:

“The Descent into a Different Realm”

Take a listen: Beautiful and Haunting

James DibenedettoArlington, VA USA09-11-13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Beautiful and Haunting"

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely! The writing is beautiful, the story compelling, and the narration excellent
(and perfectly suited to the tone of the book)

What did you like best about this story?

The author's use of language is just incredible. Her prose paints a picture that it's easy
to be drawn into (it's no surprise that the author is a visual artist as well).

Which scene was your favorite?

I enjoyed the opening chapter, when Yankel makes and describes the lentil stew that he
will use to buy his brother's birthright.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A Timeless Story of Greed and Betrayal

Any additional comments?

I was really overwhelmed by the quality of the writing, and really impressed by how
well the narration complemented it. This really is a case where the whole becomes
greater than the sum of two already excellent parts.

What will become of me?

I can hear her letting out a a sigh.

“Oh, Isaac,” she sighs. “What will I do without you?”

She must be extremely sorry to let him go, for her sadness seems as pressing and as urgent as her need for a proper will. 

At first, my father is unmoved. “Oh, Becky,” he says. “Don’t start.”

“Without you, I will be lost.”

“Please, not that again.”

Her voice trembles a little as she carries on, “Please, Isaac: What will become of me?”

“You have two sons—”

“Neither one of them will be here to help me, in my hour of need.”

This gives him pause; after which he says, “What about that gift I gave you, long ago, that goatskin coat; do you still have it?”

“Why,” she says, and I know she is a bit startled. “But of course—” 

“You never wear it. I was just wondering.” 

“It has a sleeve that needs mending.”

“So then, in your hour of need, just put it on the auction block,” he suggests, half-seriously. “It will fetch a small fortune!”

“Talking about a small fortune,” she counters, “what about your little trunk, full of gold coins?”

“Being of a sound body and mind,” he says, “I spend it all.”

“On what, in heaven’s name?”

“What! On what, Becky? Here I go, heaping all those bracelets, all those nose rings on one woman, and one woman alone, only to find out, in the end, the real extent of her gratitude!”

Rebecca and Isaac in A Favorite Son

This is my charcoal on paper drawing of Rebecca, strong-willed and eager to get what she wants.

★ Love literary fiction? Treat yourself to a gift ★

A Favorite Son

Audible: US ★ UK ★ FR ★ DE

Audiobook: Amazon US ★ Amazon UK ★ iTunes

Paperback: Amazon ★ Barnes&Noble

"Her prose is beautiful; she paints intricate, emotionally resonant pictures with words"

The last moments that remain to us

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. 

And the only thing that disturbs me, the only thing that stands here between us, is not being able to look each other in the eyes, during the last moments that remain to us.

My mother gets up. She is a petite woman, but the snakeskin shoes give her some stature. She throws the remains of the damaged coat back into the chest. Then she pulls out one of her fur hats and sinks her face into it, taking in the smell. “The air of the hunt,” she says, then hands it to me. “Here, put it on.”

Yankle in A Favorite Son

This is my charcoal on paper drawing of Rebecca's hands upon the hairy goatskin coat

★ Love literary fiction? Treat yourself to a gift ★

A Favorite Son

Audible: US ★ UK ★ FR ★ DE

Audiobook: Amazon US ★ Amazon UK ★ iTunes

Paperback: Amazon ★ Barnes&Noble

"Her prose is beautiful; she paints intricate, emotionally resonant pictures with words"

The author has great talent - A true master of her craft

Wow, what a lovely review for my novel, Apart From Love! It is written by Dawn Torrens, the author of  Amelia's Story (the authors true life story) a book that inspired people all over the world. Here is what she says:

5.0 out of 5 stars The author has great talent - A true master of her craft., September 23, 2013

By 

torrenstp (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apart From Love (Kindle Edition)

Apart From Love is such a beautifully written and well crafted story. The author writes an intriguing and unravelling story of a dysfunctional family. The events of this story are told from various points of view so thus giving you 3D insight into whole family unit. A divorced family that are coming to terms with newly found placement in life. Lenny is a writer with a new younger partner who is far removed from Ben and Anita's mother. This is a very cleverly written book by an equally very clever writer who in my humble opinion is at the top of her game. This is a compelling read that you simply won't be able to put down. It will take you hostage from the opening pages and grip you like a vice until the very last page. I will be reading more by this author for sure.

A Lovely Composition by AEL

Praveen from AEL Data Services LLC wrote this to me:

"Our team has already fallen in love with your work "A Favorite Son" It's an amazing story. We want to feature "A Favorite Son" on our pages for that matter. Could you send me the material required for this novel?"

I sent him a brief article about the inspiration for the book, which will be posted soon. Meanwhile, his team composed this lovely picture and presented the book, here:

Presenting A Favorite Son

International Day of Peace: A Child in Time of War

In honor of International Day of Peace--September 21--here is a story of a child whose family family escapes from war:

"There he sits, pressed in between bundles and things that keep rattling around him, on top of a horse-driven wagon. Looking up at his parents he can sense something big, something fearful and unspoken casting a shadow over them; and they bend their heads together over him and his sister. He can see an endless line in front, an endless line in back—horses and wagons, wagons and horses as far as the eye can see—all advancing towards the same gray, unclear horizon, all escaping towards the same destination: Unknown.

The sun rises in front of the wagons, and sets behind them. Towns appear and disappear. Rivers pass by, then forests, brick houses, motels. In Minsk they stop. He finds the three-story hotel quite fascinating at first, especially the curved rail of the staircase, which is meant, no doubt, for sliding down and yelling at the top of your voice. Of course, landing down on your butt, he finds out, is an entirely different matter—and so is the harsh, unforgiving look cast down at him by the hotelkeeper.

They settle down for the night. In the rented room, his mommy blesses the Sabbath candles. Her hands are tightly clasped, her eyes closed. And early the next morning they mount the wagon again, and the journey goes on in the dim light, guided by nothing but an instinct to survive, farther and farther away from home. Squinting at the rising sun, Zeev finds it more and more difficult to keep his eyes open. His mind is going numb listening to the wheels as they spin and turn, spin and turn, beating incessantly against the mud.

Cold rain starts coming down at him, sheet after sheet, and streaming in the same direction is the wet mane of the horse. Its head keeps bobbing up and down, up and down in front. When will it end? Where can they go?

Many days pass by—he cannot count them any more—until, one evening, as they travel along the river, a big town comes into view, closer and closer against the smoky blue backdrop of the Ural Mountains.

This, his daddy tells him, is Saratov."

*

My father was born 1912, and the story above is how I imagine the story of the family, escaping their home on the eve of World War I, which started on August 1, 1914 with the German declaration of war on Russia. Always an army town, the fortress of Brisk was now flooded with Russian military personnel, and many private houses were requisitioned to accommodate them. Late in July 1915, with the installation of new hospitals in town, it became clear that the front was fast approaching Brisk De-Lita.

Rumors of evacuation were heard and the Russian army was to fortify the east bank of the Bug River; but when the German army captured Warsaw on August 4, the Fort Commandant gave the civilian population in Brisk three days to evacuate. Imagine the panic amongst the Jews, who owned most of the businesses, when they had to abandon their belongings and flee for their lives.

When the German army marched into Brisk on August 25, it was a town without people, but with a great abundance of merchandise in the stores. And on the eve of Yom Kippur, the 18th of September, they entered Slonim, a neighboring city, and pressed on into Russia. By that time, the family was already far away from the frontline.

A long, dragged out journey had begun.

My ink-on-paper below is my way of illustrating the ugliness of war. Two figures holding whips are standing over a defiant, seated figure, threatening to cause him harm. In reality, all three figures were sketched looking at the same model.

★ Love the music of words? Get this book ★
Home 

★ Audio ★ Ebook ★ Print ★
"HOME is an invitation, a very personal one, and should not be passed over"

"show us their flaws, their hopes and dreams"

DebraWILSON, NC, United States09-12-13

Overall

Performance

Story

"A Shining Light!"

Would you consider the audio edition of A Favorite Son to be better than the print version?

I don't know, I haven't read the print version.

What did you like best about this story?

Everything. The writing, the narration... it was all brilliant.

What about David Kudler’s performance did you like?

I couldn’t imagine anyone, anyone at all, dramatizing the story as brilliantly as
David Kudler!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I believe so.

Any additional comments?

I’d encourage Uvi to write more such biblical accounts, convince us further just how human these characters are, show us their flaws, their hopes and dreams, take us deep into their psyches and allow us to know them more intimately, as she has here. More.
Give us more!

An impeccable work!

Author Dr. Glen Hepker has written A Glimpse of Heaven: The Philosophy of True Health, and he has doctorate degrees in psychology and health/wellness arts. I am deeply honored that he posted this review for Apart From Love:

5.0 out of 5 stars An impeccable work!, September 17, 2013

By 

Dr. Glen Hepker "Dr. Glen Hepker" (Mason City, Iowa USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apart From Love (Paperback)

It is truly an honor to write this review for this impeccable work by Uvi Poznansky.

In her media comments, Uvi eloquently relates that she 'paints with a pen and writes with a paintbrush.' I believe it is important to know that this is in no way an exaggeration - she truly is an artist/writer of the highest caliber, and Apart from Love is splendidly consistent with this level of artistry.

Please know I do not say this lightly - with this book, Uvi has offered us a work which is impeccably written, quintessentially resplendent, and with a powerful, deeply moving message...so much so that I (humbly and respectfully) believe it is important to say that she has truly made the world a better place through her splendid effort. Through the troubled characters in her book, Uvi weaves a so quite spellbinding study into the dynamics of life...and does so in a wonderful fashion which prompts a deep and abiding empathy and hope within the heart of the reader. Once one begins reading, it really truly IS difficult to put down. - Dr. Glen Hepker (author of "A Glimpse of Heaven: The Philosophy of True Health)

Truly wonderful!

A great review for Apart From Love! Thank you Bill Nelson!

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly wonderful!, September 13, 2013

By 

Bill Nelson - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Apart From Love (Kindle Edition)

I didn't need to read the author's bio to know she was a poet. The writing is lyrical, eloquent and yes, poetic. And, I could have guessed Poznansky is also an artist, as each scene is painted with lovely sentences and paragraphs that seem to be created out of a vision delivered by a muse. Apart From Love, by Uvi Poznansky is an emotional story told with care. It deals with love and secrets (and all that they entail) and finally, a quest for understanding. We hear this story from Ben, "Here is my latest revelation: I have been in hiding for so long that at this point, by some strange twist, my mind starts rebelling against me. I know it, because - in spite of my efforts to disguise myself, to alter my looks and behavior - I find myself wishing to be found out." And from Anita, "I open the bedroom window, and feel warm spring air coming in, blowing gently into my face, which feels like a promise." But I might have enjoyed the cleverly named Mr. Bliss the most. Apart From Love is a beautiful thing to read. Highly recommended.

A Shining Light!

Wow, what an amazing review for A Favorite Son!

5.0 out of 5 stars A Shining Light!, September 11, 2013

By 

debra (WILSON, NC, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Favorite Son (Paperback)

In A Favorite Son, Uvi Poznansky presents in her brilliant lyrical style the account of Jacob and Esau, Rebecca and Isaac, adding flesh to the bones of an ancient story and breathing new life into the characters you thought you knew. Anyone who knows this biblical story will recognize Poznansky's extraordinary imagination as she fluidly spins desert yarns, weaving spellbinding moments, creating dramatic images, and engaging every sense.

That lentil stew...to die for! So "scrumptious, so lipsmacking, finger-licking, melt-in-your-mouth good!" that you can't help but empathize with poor Esau. Well, almost. If he weren't so gruff and primitive and impatient - "Give me. Give me now!" - compared to his more sophisticated brother, the mama's boy...

And Rebecca, stuck out in the middle of nowhere in her silk garments and snake skin heels and jasmine perfume, is to the wasteland what Lisa Douglas was to Green Acres: an unhappy camper. Thus her goatskin scheme, and "the meat becomes a love offering... and the old man will bless his favorite, the one he trusts."

Exiled from the circle of warmth he'd always known, Yankle is forced to listen, really listen, to the desert, and feel the void, the silence of God. In this poignant scene he sees the vision for which he is celebrated far and wide - an unforgettable moment.

I'd encourage Uvi to write more such biblical accounts, convince us further just how human these characters are, show us their flaws, their hopes and dreams, take us deep into their psyches and allow us to know them more intimately, as she has here. More. Give us more!

Beautiful and Haunting

James DiBenedetto, the author of Dream Student (and other books in this series) currently lives in Arlington, Virginia with his beautiful wife and their cat (who has thoroughly trained them both). I am honored that he posted this review for the audiobook edition of A Favorite Son:

5.0 out of 5 sta Beautiful and Haunting, September 11, 2013

By 

James Dibenedetto "starkllr"

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: A Favorite Son (Kindle Edition)

(note: this review is of the audiobook edition of "A Favorite Son" narrated by David Kudler)

Uvi Poznansky's "A Favorite Son" is a modern-day retelling of the story of Jacob and Esau, one brother tricking the other out of his birthright. But it's also so much more than that.

The author's prose is simply beautiful; she paints intricate and emotionally resonant pictures with her words, drawing us into the Biblical/modern world that she's created. We see everything from the perspective of Yankel, who seeks to claim the position of firstborn and favorite son from his twin, Esav - and who learns the true cost of his desires.

I can't praise the writing enough; the author has an incredible voice and a sharply observant eye (it's no surprise that she's a visual artist as well).

As for the audiobook aspects, the narrator, David Kudler, did a wonderful job. His reading of the story was perfectly done; he captures the voices of all the characters, making them not only distinct but memorable. His delivery perfectly complements the author's tone, making the audiobook a real treat.

I highly, highly recommend this book.