Interview with Uvi Poznansky

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#LoveIs2Care, Award Winning Novels, Historical Fiction, romance, Uvi Poznansky

Today I am talking with Uvi Poznansky , author of The Music of Us and Dancing with Air. She has many interests and several books listed below, but what interested me was our common interest in connecting history into our stories.

Uvi, the history I put in Love Is Never Past Tense comes directly out of my life. How does history fit into your recent work?

I love writing historical fiction because it is one of the most difficult genres of all, demanding a complete immersion in the era and studying every detail–in clothing, gadgets, hairstyle, manners and of course, the timeline of events–in order to make the story not only believable but utterly authentic. And even though I pride myself on writing with a sensual slant, aiming to put you in the skin of the characters, I have never before focused on the genre that would allow me to develop that lyricism to the fullest: namely, Romance.

But lately, the characters I have written in a previous book, My Own Voice, demanded that I take them back a generation, to WWII, to the beginning of their love story. In my new novel, I had such heartwarming fun witnessing Lenny and Natasha overcoming every obstacle I threw in their way, only to find themselves, as they were meant to from the beginning, in each other’s arms.

Please share an excerpt with us.

Gladly! This excerpt was the inspiration for the design of the cover of The Music of Us:

With that Natasha handed the microphone back to him and curtsied to the audience. A wavy, red strand of hair slinked from her headband, which was decorated with delicate flowers, and glided over her bare shoulder. Below that, the bodice of her dress glinted as she turned around. And again, for just a second, I thought I felt her eyes fluttering in my direction, meeting my gaze. Everyone around me must have imagined that, too.

Natasha lifted the long, silky skirt of her dress, so its folds fanned out from the seam that hugged her hips. As she sat down they draped, full and flowing, over the piano bench, responding playfully to the light from above with a cherry red shine. A reflection of it lit her chin from below and lined the underside of her slender arms, just a touch. With a slow, deliberate motion she lifted her hand, letting it hover, for what seemed like the span of a thought, over its shadow over the keys.

Her fingers started flitting across the keys, and at once I was taken by the solemn, dramatic sounds she made rise over us. They came pressing against the far reaches of the hall, gathering ominously just below the vaulted ceiling, as if in preparation to blow it away and sweep us into the night.

And what was the inspiration for the cover of your new novel?

I was inspired by this passage in Dancing with Air, told by Lenny:

A month ago she had given me a page of her diary, and to the sound of it rustling in my hand I imagined her imagining me: 

He will be running his fingers down, all the way down to the small of my back, touching his lips to my ear, breathing his name, breathing mine.
Here I am, dancing with air.
Around and around we go.

With these words Natasha stepped into my mind, lighting up the gloom. I pictured her dancing with her back to me as if, between the two of us, I was the one who was not even there.
The ripples of her hair spread open, glinting in all shades of red. Wave by wave they cascaded down, first between her shoulder blades, then over them. Fingers stretched out, just like a ballerina, she raised her arm up high, swirling, twirling air, turning it into glow. The translucent fabric fastened around her waist flapped over her legs, folds radiating, fluttering, flaring with every sinuous movement, as she formed loops, slow, continuous infinity loops with her hips.

What does LoveIs2Care mean to you?

Some people equate love with desire, which is an urgent need to take. But in my mind, love is truly tested not by taking but by giving, by being ready to sacrifice for the well being of your beloved.

As you may know, almost every chapter in Dancing with Air includes lyrics, inspired by the era, which not only echoes the popular songs of the time but also reflects the mood of the characters. Your question reminded me of the lyrics I wrote for the last chapter:

You must now hold on to me
I must save the memory
Of our past, so we’ll be there
We’ll be there…

I’ll always believe in you
Cling to me, we’ll be strong anew
In days to come, we’ll be there
We’ll be there…

 Author Links:

Blog
Facebook author page
Amazon author page
Goodreads author page
pInterest
@UviPoznansky

Buy links for Still Life with Memories:

Vol I  My Own Voice – ebook print audio
Vol II  The White Piano – ebook print audio
Vol III  The Music of Us  – ebook print audio
Vol IV Dancing with Air  – ebook print
Vol I+II  Apart from Love – ebook print audio

Buy links for The David Chronicles:

Vol I  Rise to Power – ebook print audio
Vol II  A Peek at Bathsheba – ebook print audio
Vol III The Edge of Revolt – ebook print

3 Big Steps for LOVE…

Tags

adventure, bestseller, drama, historical, love, romance, suspense, true story, winner

Love Is Never Past Tense, my old-fashioned second-chance romance story with an original twist of modern history and intrigue woven in, recently became a best seller in its category on Amazon! http://amzn.to/2aOHOpp

I’m really doing the happy dance because Bookdaily.com sent it out as a featured book of the day earlier today (August 5). http://www.bookdaily.com/book/5477879…

Finally, Love Is Never Past Tense finished in first place with 223 votes in in http://booksgosocialdaily.com/winners/

BESTSELLER!!! LOVE IS NEVER PAST TENSE is a bestseller!

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adventure, Amazon, bestseller, Book, drama, ebook, Goodreads, historical, inspirational, Literature, love, romance, Russian, sale, Soviet Union, true events, Ukraine

LOVE IS NEVER PAST TENSE showed up today in two categories on Amazon Best Sellers lists: http://amzn.to/29GyrG4 

It’s still on countdown sale: http://amzn.to/29O7Skp

WHEN YOU WANT IT YOU DO IT!

Tags

Book, drama, goals, goalsetting, historical, inspiration, romance, Soviet Union

Once, back in Russia, I parked my car overnight near my house instead of parking it in the garage. The next morning, I was preparing to take my little daughter to the swimming pool when my next-door neighbor suddenly grabbed my attention. He was so agitated! He spoke very, very fast, pointing to the back of my vehicle. I couldn’t understand what he was saying, so I went to him and to my huge surprise, I realized that the back tires were gone. Neat, accurate rectangular red brick structures were supporting the back end of the car!

My first thought was to thank God that my Mom was not around to tell me that I should’ve parked in the garage, given the shaky economic conditions of my Soviet country, but my temporary psychological comfort was abruptly interrupted by her voice.

“Ha!” She had decided to visit us that shiny Saturday morning. This was, after all, the Soviet Union. Perhaps God was elsewhere.

My Mom’s voice proclaimed, “Janna, this is what happens when the car does not spend the night time in the garage,” but that was not the end of her thoughts. My Mom, who had endured World War II and knew that one needs to survive in any given circumstance, continued, “Janna, you can’t leave the car outside. You have to drive it in the garage… Now!

My helpful neighbor quickly installed the spare tire, but the fourth one… was still a problem…

“How can I do it now, Mom?” I asked, repeatedly counting the tires and realizing each time that there were only three. “How can I drive on three tires?” I asked facetiously.

“Janna! When you want it you do it!” was her reply.

My feelings bounced between anger and the desire to burst out laughing. Time has passed, but I still remember one thing: “Janna! When you want it you do it!”

***

This conversation took place in the days just before my country began to crumble. Life was lining up a generous supply of adversity and turnabouts.  My Mom’s words “Janna! When you want it you do it!” echoed in my memory when I needed support.  They helped me to cross the Atlantic with almost no money or help.

At that time, the Soviet government allowed emigrants to exchange only $126.00 from local currency. So I had a choice:  I could stay and keep what I had, or go…

Going wasn’t easy. A narrow window of opportunity had opened, but just barely. Bureaucracy tried to freeze the status quo with one hand and extort the last kopek from anyone who dared to leave with the other. Ethnic tensions, held in check for decades by Soviet power, found new voices and raised new threats. Not all neighbors were helping with tires. Some were stealing them. Some were trying to steal the country. Go. Definitely go. Tough choices are easy when you have no option. I took my $126.00, my mother and my daughter and dashed for the border.

Two weeks after arrival to the USA. My Mom, may daughter and me

The full story is told in my book Love Is Never Past Tense.  I never thought about writing a book.  I thought about writing a letter to my future grandkids, so they would know their background, appreciate what they have and know how they got it.  I started that letter, but it never stopped.  The story kept running and running out of my quill.  Then I realized that I could wrap this story into an inspirational second chance romance, so I did that!

Doubts crept in. Who would read all this material I produced?

A thought about publishing a book knocked on the door… Was this thought knocking on my door? I believed it, and then I did not. Who will read it? – was the next thought.  Doubt was trying to steal my tires, but in my imagination Mom’s voice repeated “Janna! When you want it you do it!”

Another pity party showed up as I flew home after a seminar. On my lap, I had a proof copy of the book. I was scanning the lines, double checking for mistakes and possible flaws. The thought ‘who will read it’ was following me even in the sky. Doubt was sharing my seat, but opportunity was in the seat next to me.

Opportunity can show up anywhere

The man in that seat wondered what I was reading. I briefly shared the story and he asked to see the manuscript. He started reading as we took off from Philadelphia and didn’t stop until we landed in Chicago.

Alex was a PhD graduate from Yale. As we parted he handed me his business card and asked me to let him know when the book would be published. He said he wanted to buy it. “No, no, no!” I protested! “I’ll send it to you!”  I was so happy that someone wanted to read it. “A man?!  Reading a love story?!” was in my head.  “Please… No need to buy it!  I’ll send it to you!” I heard my voice say.

Months later, I sent him the promised copy. After reading it, he called me and said that he could picture a great movie based on the book. A movie? I hadn’t imagined! The story for my future grandchildren was gaining traction.

Alex took on the role of my excited neighbor mounting the spare tire and eight months later the Jewish Federation of Omaha Nebraska invited me to present Love Is Never Past Tense. They flew me to Omaha, offered me a great hotel and placed an article with my picture and my biography on the front page of their newspaper! They bought, as far as I remember, two hundred books.

 In Omaha NE

Three tires on. “Janna! When you want it you do it!” Life doesn’t stop, it keeps going and going. A new idea evolves in my head and keeps disturbing my world. I imagine a book trailer would be a great reward for all my trouble.  I dial the first film maker my internet search provides and run into a guy who won an Emmy.  He makes my book trailer and more than that – he becomes a friend.

My book trailer catches the eye of a screenplay writer who decides to read the book. He falls in love with Love Is Never Past Tense and writes a screenplay. The movie Alex imagined has started materializing.

We all know that opportunity comes from within. First, you need to decide. Then, everything falls into place. Not immediately, but it does! Did someone say that thoughts are materializing? They do!

Now I am looking for a new adventure. Is it a new adventure or is it a sequel of the same one?  Is this the adventure that we call life? Is it really the case that when you want it you do it?

Do it, even when a whole set of tires is not available!

========================================================================

This article was first published for a community of 500.000 filmmakers as :

https://www.stage32.com/blog/When-You-Want-It-You-Do-It

Wishing you bunches of Love in the coming New Year!

Tags

drama, inspiration, romance, sale

I want to share a little story related to Love Is Never Past Tense. A couple of years ago, when the book was not yet published, I was flying after my seminar from Philadelphia, PA. On my lap, I had a proof copy of the book. I was scanning the lines, double checking for mistakes.

Next to me was sitting a man who asked me what I was reading and I told him. He asked me to show him the book. I gave it to him and he started reading it. He did not give it back to me until we landed in Chicago.

He was a PhD graduate from Yale. He handed me his business card and asked me to let him know when the book was published. He said he wanted to buy it.

I took the card and sent him the book as a gift. After he finished it, he called me and said that he sees a great movie created from this book and he is sharing it with his friends.

A year later they organized a huge event presenting Love Is Never Past Tense. They flew me to Omaha, offered me a great hotel and placed an article in a local newspaper!

Recently, the book was read by a screen play writer, who fell in love with it. He wrote a screen play, and now we are looking for sponsors to give life to it on the screen.

Today, for the first time, I put the book on a $.99 sale for winter holidays! It’s all over the place. Here are a couple of quick links:

Smashwords: http://ow.ly/G6yAE
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1sBrl7I
Kobo: http://ow.ly/G7lSn
Itunes: https://itun.es/us/xXn-S.l
Barnes&Noble: http://ow.ly/G7mrH

Wishing you bunches of Love in the coming New Year!

Love you all!

Janna Yeshanova.

New Smashwords Review and Interview

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drama, interview, love, review, romance, smashwords

The Second Edition of Love Is Never Past Tense is now available on Smashwords. You can find it here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/372640 

In celebration of this, Christoph Fischer has published a great new review of the book and interview with me. You can see it here: http://ow.ly/ridPP

Today, November 29, I will be stopping by the blog to answer any questions you have. I look forward to chatting with you there.

Love is Never Past Tense Book Blast and Giveaway

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Amazon, Book, Book Blast, changing, fiction, giftcard Amazon, Giveaway, Janna Yeshanova, life, love, Love is Never Past Tense, Lucy Pireel, novel, romance, win

Grab the banner and earn and sign up to earn an entry in the Giveaway

Love is Never Past Tense…

There was no place better than a Black Sea beach for them to meet and fall in love. A speedy courtship led to a quick marriage, then the world showed up. A divorce inspired by outside forces sent them on separate destinies, always wondering “what if…”

There could hardly have been a worse time for them to be in the Soviet Union. With the country on the verge of collapse, their secure lives turned into a desperate struggle for survival. He faced economic turmoil and personal demons within the country.

For her, social pressure and sectarian violence led to escape, separating them in both time and distance. Then emails stirred their memories of better times, and opportunity brought their paths together.

Could they, would they reconnect? Should they give their love, and each other, a second chance?

This novel was written in Russian and published in Russia and Ukraine in 2009. Translated to English while preserving its original style, it is now finding a new audience in America and around the English-speaking world.

The Book Blast will have a tour wide Giveaway for all blogs

From August 26th through 31st Love is Never Past Tense will Blast across the internet.

A Very Enjoyable Read

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books, drama, Literature, romance, Russian, Russian culture, Soviet Union

         A very enjoyable read,May 9, 2013

By

Mrlin13

This review is from: Love Is Never Past Tense … (Paperback)

Love Is Never Past Tense… was as much of a cultural experience for me as it was an enjoyable read. The novel did an excellent job of immersing me (an American reader) in Russian culture, through the eyes of a character experiencing extremely turbulent times for that region.
One thing I particularly enjoyed about this book was the relationship between the two love interests. This isn’t some Disney fairytale – their relationship is messy, passionate, subtle, and always complicated. In short, it feels like a real relationship between two evolving personalities. As such, I kept turning the page to see how the two love interests would end up, since it wasn’t predictable from Act 1 (like so many fairy tales are).
Also, watching the main character as she struggled to escape the Soviet Union’s collapse (with a young daughter and elderly mother in tow) was captivating. This section of the novel is written in vivid detail, and we’ve spent enough time with the characters by this point to have real concern for their outcome.
Love Is Never Past Tense… was a fun read, and I’d highly recommend it.

Article Source: amazon.com May 9, 2013 Lin Rice

Moments of Decision

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Amazon, Amazon Kindle, E-book, Goodreads, romance, Romance novel, Tony Robbins

Love Is Never Past Tense climbed to great positions on the Amazon public book lists during a promotional 3 day giveaway June 4-6. Official counts show 10,740 downloads all over the world including US thanks in part to Goodreads and Amazon.

If you among those who downloaded the book please feel free to discuss it on line in your favorite group. If you’d like me to participate, drop me a line at Janna @LoveIsNeverPastTense.com.

If you are not among those who downloaded it, the book is available in hard cover, paperback and KINDLES formats on Amazon.com @ http://ow.ly/lfSb3

You can also get a signed copy on my website at www.LoveIsNeverPastTense.com.

I am very excited to see so many downloads. It validates my decision to make the book available in ebook format.

In addition to be a touching romance, the book showed how important it can be to make a decision to pursue your goals. Tony Robbins says “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” We certainly, see that in the main characters of Love Is Never Past Tense. I’ve seen it in my life and in the lives of my Life Coaching clients.

Nothing you can do will change your life more than deciding to change it!
Love Is Never Past Tense:

• Currently, # 1 on Listopia Goodreads list Best Second Chance Romance: http://ow.ly/lOWcP

• Two days during the promotion (6.05 and 6.06) on KINDLE FREE EBOOK TOP 100

• Reached # 2 Free HISTORICAL ROMANCE NOVELS

• Reached # 4 Free CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE NOVELS

I hope you’ll enjoy the story!

Article source: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/4323348-moments-of-decision June 07, 2013

#1 on Second Chance Romance

Tags

Amazon, drama, Goodreads, Literature, romance

Hi Goodreads! Hi Amazon! Today is a rainy day here, but I see the sunshine! I realized That Love Is Never Past Tense is # 1 on Listopia’s list of Best Second Chance Romance. Hope you enjoy my book!Janna Yeshanova

 

Article source: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/4259524-1-on-second-chance-romance  May 27, 2013