Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an artist, a poet and a writer. In the past, my professional life has undergone several changes, as so many of us are experiencing in this day and age.
I earned a master of architecture from RPI in Troy NY. Later I earned a Master of Computer Science from the University of Michigan. Now, on it face, this transformation seems like a 180 degrees of change, from artistic to mathematical persuasion. But for me, I love to extend my skills in opposite directions, reinvent myself and find out the common areas between different disciplines.
during the last couple of years, I published four books: Apart From Love. Rise to Power, Home, A Favorite Son, and Twisted.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is RISE TO POWER. It is volume I of the trilogy, THE DAVID CHRONICLES.
This story is greatly inspired by painting and sculpture throughout the history of art, depicting this fascinating character. The view of the story has undergone amazing transformation over the ages. Take a look, for example, at the Painting ‘David and Bathsheba’ painted by Lucas Cranach the elder in 1526. He treated his subjects with awe and reverence, and the only naked skin visible is Bathsheba’s little foot, bathed by an adoring maid. David is presented as a psalmist, rather than a leering, dirty old man peeping on an unsuspecting, naked woman. There is not a hint of sin here!
Now compare the way Picasso transformed this very painting. The composition is exactly the same (only mirrored left to right) but the brush stroke is modern, it is spontaneous and fresh, bringing a sizzle to the entire scene. He enlarged the proportions of all the figures, especially David, so it is easier to spot the king here, because he is the only one fleshed out among the men at the top. His musical instrument is barely sketched, because the important activity is not playing heavenly music but rather gazing at the women, gazing at all the women, with keen, sexual interest. The water dripping from Bathsheba’s foot is clearly emphasized, with its juicy suggestion of a symbol of lust.
There is no right and wrong way to interpret the story. As an artist and writer, I believe that my mission is to let the characters speak to you through me. The king is flesh and blood in my mind, and so is Bathsheba. This story is happening here and now. I invite you to take a listen to David’s voice, to be found in the voice clip for the audio edition of Rise to Power.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Opening lines present themselves to me all the time. It is the closing lines–those that must carry a punch, and linger in your mind–that are more precious to find. I put my thoughts on this very subject in the mind of my character, Mr. Schribner, in my boo HOME:
“Mr. Schriber reflects upon his writing method. In his mind, it is best to skip any introductions and open, quite abruptly, from the middle of things. There may have been some events in the past, events leading you up to that first sentence—but he, the writer, allows you just a sense of them, a sense vague enough just to come closer and listen.
Beginnings, he tells himself, are cheap. They come to him every morning by the dozen; and as easily as they come, he finds himself compelled to discard them. Too bad about the trees. Most of them have been sacrificed for nothing, for the pulp upon which he attempts to write his first, second and third drafts. His waste basket is already overflowing with crumpled beginnings.
An ending, on the other hand, is precious. It comes rarely, sometimes in a dream. He has to jot it down quickly, before it evaporates. A good ending allows the tale to linger in your mind, well beyond the last sound of the last sentence. It invites the words, utterances and expressions, the little fragments that float there nebulously, over his head, to come to him. Once captured, they will flow out of his pen. Only then will he pour himself out. But right now—without an end— Mr. Schriber is stuck.”
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Surprisingly, I find poetry to be the greatest influence on my writing: I appreciate the nuances, the overloading of words, and the musical rhythms used in the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, the sonnets by Shakespeare, and the lyrical descriptions of Virginia Wolfe, to name but a few. I love The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky, and Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, for their expressive use of ‘stream of consciousness’. Playwrights Arthur Miller, T. Williams.
What are you working on now?
I am just about to publish A PEEK AT BATHSHEBA, which is volume II in the trilogy THE DAVID CHRONICLES. This is the book description:
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 most torrid tale of passion ever told: his deliciously forbidden love for Bathsheba, and his attempt to cover up the ensuing scandal by sending her husband—who serves him faithfully in his army—to his death.
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 happens here and now. Listen to his voice as he undergoes a profound change, realizing the magnitude of his sin, and the curse looming over his entire future.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The heart of my book campaign is my blog. I update it daily, with thoughts about creativity, the back story behind the story, the cross pollination between my art and my writing, and the latest news and reviews regarding my books.
Check it out: http://uviart.blogspot.com
Do you have any advice for new authors?
My best advice to develop your writing–besides reading a lot–is this: read your story aloud in front of a live audience. Listen not only to their comments and suggestions, but more importantly–to their breathing pattern while the story is being read. Are they holding their breath at the right moment? Do they burst out laughing, or wipe a tear when you intended? If not, you must go back to the drawing board and adjust your sentences.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
What are you reading now?
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am just about to publish A PEEK AT BATHSHEBA, it will be volume II of the trilogy THE DAVID CHRONICLES. Here is the book description:
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 most torrid tale of passion ever told: his deliciously forbidden love for Bathsheba, and his attempt to cover up the ensuing scandal by sending her husband—who serves him faithfully in his army—to his death.
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 happens here and now. Listen to his voice as he undergoes a profound change, realizing the magnitude of his sin, and the curse looming over his entire future.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Author Websites and Profiles
Uvi Poznansky Website
Uvi Poznansky Amazon Profile