Interview with Uvi Poznansky

Uvi Poznansky, Author of

Dancing with Air, Love in Times of War, and Book Bites

Congratulations, Uvi, for your new WWII romance novel!

Thank you so much Aaron. Dancing with Air is about how surmounting the obstacles posed by war shapes the character of true lovers. This is a new chapter in the lives of Lenny and Natasha. In the past Natasha wrote, with girlish infatuation, “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.” In years to come, she will begin to lose her memory, which will make Lenny see her as delicate. “I gather her gently into my arms, holding her like a breath.” But right now, during the months leading up to D-Day, she is at her peak. With solid resolve, she is ready to take charge of the course of their story.

Please share an excerpt with us:

It was a dark, cloudy sunrise. I rode my bike past the water tanks, which had been constructed in London some months ago to fight firebombs, past stacks of sandbags, which had been filled with earth from Knightsbridge Barracks, previously a scampering ground for terriers. In the wind, in the drizzle, through patches of fog, in-between cars, double-decker busses and horse-drawn carts, alongside street shelters and around newsstands, back and forth I went, as part of my military courier service, from the American Embassy to various governmental staff offices. 

The engine rattled under me, giving a raw, intense rhythm to the urban cacophony, composed of sounds of drivers, peddlers, shoppers, cops, and soldiers. This beat connected me to the throngs of people and at the same time, separated me. And yet, listening to it forced me to set aside my silence, my sense of loneliness, and take them all in.

Upon entering Piccadilly Circus I stopped. Surrounded by a small crowd, a street performer hailed me to come over, and then started singing:

Swirl in the air of daybreak, mix in a kiss

Add a blue splash of winter, ’cause you I miss

Stir it together to toast a moment apart

Back into my arms is a long way to chart

Cool it with ice, throw in a lost star

Serve it bitter, to the sound of guitar

Drink it in one gulp before you set sail

To bring me a taste of a lover’s cocktail

How did you come up with the idea of a boxed set, in which this novel is included?

I knew that my characters might die on the page, pressed between the front and back covers–unless I find ways for them to rise from the page and spring into your mind. By far the best way is forging alliances with the best and brightest authors, authors whose work is of outstanding quality and whose audience appreciates creativity. Finding such authors is a great challenge, and it takes months of research on my part, especially because this time around I was looking for stories around a shared, overarching theme: Love in times of war.

It is such a joy to forge a team and to facilitate the creativity of all members, aiming for a common goal. We invite you to the our party, to celebrate the release of this amazing collection. Please join us, Celebrate Love.

Tell us about Love in Times of War

At no other point is passion put to the test as in dire times of war. From the American Civil War to WWII, from Vietnam to the War in Afghanistan to the Persian Gulf, the stories in this boxed set summon the strength of true lovers. Written by bestselling, award-winning, and USA Today authors, the novels and novellas in this collection tell of overcoming the odds to celebrate the victory of love. 

Dancing with Air by Uvi Poznansky

In WWII London, Lenny is involved in a covert intelligence ploy. His task must remain confidential, even at the risk of Natasha becoming suspicious of him. Will their love survive the test of war?

Two Hearts Unspoken by Tamara Ferguson

Beth Bowen is a single mom of an autistic son. Zach Logan is a wounded warrior searching for a life after Iraq. Can two lonely people discover that love is that something unspoken, missing from their lives?

The Rebel's Redemption by Jacquie Biggar

When an old enemy follows him from Iraq and causes mayhem in Tidal Falls, can Jared overcome the odds to protect the woman he's always loved?

Broken Wings by D.G. Torrens

Joshua, a bomb disposal expert in Afghanistan. Angelina, an editor of a local newspaper. Both avoiding love at all costs, until they are unexpectedly thrown together. Tested beyond belief... Can their love survive?

A Soldier’s Promise by Angelica Kate

Ryker is most comfortable in the regulated world of the military. When he is sent to Darby’s doorstep to keep a promise to one of his fallen team members, every rule he holds will be challenged!

Returning Home by the Sea by Traci Hall

Brayden and Zoe wed before he went to Iraq. Once united in passion, a lot has changed in the six years he's been away. Will their love survive his homecoming?

A Weldon Family Christmas by Jennifer St. Giles

A frightening event with an uncertain outcome sends Emma and John's memory to the past, where her helicopter went down in Vietnam enemy territory, and he risked everything to save her. Can she save him now?

The Magic of Snow by Regina Puckett

When Staff Sergeant Charlie Prince’s letters stop arriving from Afghanistan, Sarah White waits in agonizing suspense to discover what has happened to the man she loves.

Mademoiselle by Suzanne Jenkins

To Philipa, working at Mademoiselle Magazine is more important than anything, even love. Her friend, Walter, hopes for a change, but not until his trip to the Persian Gulf does she begin to listen to her heart.

Genteel Secrets by S.R. Mallery

In 1861 America, can the love between a Confederate female spy and the Pinkerton detective hired to shadow her survive, or will their story become just another casualty of war?

Moving to Forever by PJ Fiala

Danny Schaefer returns from Afghanistan broken in body, battered in soul. Tammy Davis, betrayed in a most personal way, struggles against her tormentor. She and Danny must help each other heal, by the power of love.

Lovin’ Those Navy Games by Susan Jean Ricci

Michael Burke has two passions: his high-school sweetheart and baseball. When someone dear to him perishes in Vietnam, will the shock alter his future goals? Will it isolate him from Ellie or deepen their love?

See the trailer here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0x4bwu8u7A

 

Uvi Poznansky’s Bio:

Uvi Poznansky is a bestselling, award-winning author, poet and artist. “I paint with my pen,” she says, “and write with my paintbrush.” Her romance boxed set, A Touch of Passion, is the 2016 WINNER of The Romance Reviews Readers' Choice Awards.

Education and work:

Uvi earned her B. A. in Architecture and Town Planning from the Technion in Haifa, Israel and practiced with an innovative Architectural firm, taking a major part in the large-scale project, called Home for the Soldier.

Having moved to Troy, N.Y. with her husband and two children, Uvi received a Fellowship grant and a Teaching Assistantship from the Architecture department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. There, she guided teams in a variety of design projects and earned her M.A. in Architecture. Then, taking a sharp turn in her education, she earned her M.S. degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan.

She worked first as an architect, and later as a software engineer, software team leader, software manager and a software consultant (with an emphasis on user interface for medical instruments devices.) All the while, she wrote and painted constantly, and exhibited in Israel and California. In addition, she taught art appreciation classes. Her versatile body of work includes bronze and ceramic sculptures, oil and watercolor paintings, charcoal, pen and pencil drawings, and mixed media.

Books and Genres:

Her two series won great acclaim. Still Life with Memories is a family saga series with touches of romance. It includes Apart From Love, My Own Voice, The White Piano, The Music of Us, and Dancing with Air. The David Chronicles is a historical fiction series. It includes Rise to Power, A Peek at Bathsheba, and The Edge of Revolt.

Her poetry book, Home, is in tribute to her father. Her collection of dark tales, Twisted, and her Historical Fiction book, A Favorite Son, are both new age, biblically inspired books. In addition, Uvi wrote and illustrated two children books, Jess and Wiggle and Now I Am Paper. For each one of these books, she created an animation video (find them on YouTube and on her Goodreads page.)

Author Links:

Blog

Amazon

Audible

iTunes

Barnes & Noble

Facebook

Twitter

Smashwords

Kobo

SoundCloud

Buy Links:

Love in Times of War: 

Ebook: Kindle, Nook, Apple, Kobo, Smashwords

Dancing with Air

Ebook: Kindle, Nook, Apple, Kobo, Smashwords

Paperback: Amazon, Barnes&Noble

Audiobook: coming soon!

Free Through November 30th - The Seacrest: a love story

The Seacrest is free to my wonderful readers today through November 30th. Happy Holidays!

• 2015 Semi-finalist in Kindle Book Review Awards
• 2014 Best Beach Book Festival WINNER, Romance category
• 2013 ForeWord Book Awards, Romance, FINALIST

They say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. 

Finn McGraw disagrees.

He was just seventeen when he had a torrid summer affair with the girl who stole his heart—and then inexplicably turned on him. Finn may have moved on with his life, but he’s never forgotten her.

Now, ten years later, he’s got more than his lost love to worry about. A horrific accident turns his life upside down, resurrecting the ghosts of his long-dead family and taking the lives of the few people he has left. 

Finn always believed his estranged brother was responsible for the fire that killed their family—but an unexpected inheritance with a mystery attached throws everything he knows into doubt.

And on top of that, the beguiling daughter of his wealthy employer has secrets of her own. But the closer he gets, the harder she pushes him away. 

The Seacrest is a story of intrigue and betrayal, of secrets and second chances—and above all, of a love that never dies. 

Amazon link 

Aaron Paul Lazar

www.lazarbooks.com

Free Book: Devil's Lake

Devil's Lake: Bittersweet Hollow, Book 1


Two years ago, Portia Lamont disappeared from a small town in Vermont, devastating her parents and sister, who spent every waking hour searching for her. When she suddenly shows up on their horse farm in a stolen truck with a little mutt on her lap, they want to know what happened. Was she taken? Or did she run away?

·       2015 Finalist Readers’ Favorites Awards
·       2015 Semi-finalist in Kindle Book Review Awards

Aaron Paul Lazar is obsessed with writing. He's completed twenty-six books to date, and has earned nineteen literary book awards. He writes mysteries, suspense, love stories, and more. You'll usually find him writing his heart out in the early hours of the day - preferably in the dark, quiet hours when no one else is awake in his bustling household.

Using Exclamation Points in Your Novel! by Aaron Paul Lazar

Aaron Paul Lazar, copyright 2021

One of the first errors I learned as a novice writer had to do with the use of exclamation points. After penning my first novel -- fortunately before publication -- I was informed by a writing guru that exclamation points don’t belong in one’s narratives. Period.

Here’s an example of very amateurish writing where exclamation points abound. This is not okay! (I just had to put an exclamation point here to make you smile.) It’s actually very similar to several newbie manuscripts I was asked to critique.

She walked into the crystal cave and cried out. In front of her stood a giant elf! He was huge! And his eyes burned with fire!

She turned and ran as fast as her legs would carry her, and almost fell!


All right, now that you are cringing (I hope), I will stop. A few years ago, I actually edited a manuscript where there were multiple examples like this on every, single page, all throughout the book. Yup. But my young authors learned, just like we all did, and they dutifully removed those offensive punctuation marks.

Of course, there’s a difference when you use exclamation points in narrative versus dialogue. Although this example has far too many exclamation points, it’s not quite as awful as adding them in your narrative as I showed above.

    Shelby held a silver chain to the light. A heart-shaped crystal dangled below, winking in the winter sunlight. “Look what Uncle Sig bought me!” she said.

Camille jumped up to examine the necklace and Johnny roared into the room, “flying” his rubbery metallic green dragon toward me.

“My dragon flies!” he yelled, zooming it up and down in the air and finally landing it on my shoulder.

“Wow. What’s his name?” I peered down at the realistic reptile who perched on me.

“I dunno,” he said. “How ‘bout…Claws?”

I picked up the squishy critter and looked at him. He did have very distinctive claws and a rubbery mouth that opened when you pressed on the skull. “Claws is a good name, buddy. I like it.”

“Can he come to dinner with us? He’s really hungry!”

Camille fastened the necklace around Shelby’s neck.

I handed Claws back to Johnny. “Sure he can. Do you have to use the bathroom before we go?”

“Yes!” he squealed, holding two hands in front of himself and dancing in place. “I do!”

Okay, so the little boy and his sister in the above segment are really, really excited. And it’s probably okay to sparingly use exclamation points in their dialog. In the highlighted areas above, such as those with the dialog tags “yelled” and “squealed,” they are sufficiently clear to let the reader know the boy is being very loud. I would remove the exclamation marks from those segments, at minimum. Frankly, I think one or two per chapter is more than enough. You can show excitement in many other ways, especially by using action beats.

For example, you might say, “He shrieked and ran in circles, arms flapping like an airborne chicken.” Or something equally as silly. ;o)

Remember, as a general rule, avoid exclamation points in narrative, and use them very sparingly in dialog. You don’t want to get the same highbrow lecture I did when I was a newbie, do you?

Now, how do you handle someone shouting in your novel? How about when it’s an inner thought?

What if your character has just stumbled upon the dead body of the one he loves?

(As you know, all inner thoughts are generally shown in italics, except where you use, “he thought,” etc.)

I have seen at least three methods to show this:

1) No! No! No!

2) NO. NO. NO.

3) “No, no, no!” he thought.

Some folks use upper case to stand in for exclamation points. I’ve used that approach a few times in my own work. What do you think? List your comments below, and if you have any examples you’d like to discuss, feel free to post them in the comments section.

Remember to take pleasure in the little things. And if you love to write, write like the wind!

Aaron Paul Lazar
www.lazarbooks.com

An Author's Game

 

Good morning, folks.

 

Well, I have been pretty remiss about posting this summer, and I apologize. I know you all can relate when things get crazy at home. This time our daughter moved home with her two beautiful boys (two years old and four months!) As grateful as we are to be able to help raise these sweet children, it's been hectic!

 

We have had the hottest and most parched season I ever remember. For us here in the Finger Lakes Region of NY, we normally get maybe 3-4 days over 90 degrees. This summer we've had 18 to date and hardly any rain. Our lawns were crispy brown by July 1st, which is unheard of here. But yesterday, we were blessed with some lovely, drenching showers, and if it hadn't been thundering and lightning out there, I swear I would have danced in it with arms raised in thanks to the Heavens! 

 

I thought it would be fun to play a game today. Recently, I was tagged by Anita Stewart on Facebook for an authors' game. To play, one is asked to quote about seven lines from page seven of their current work in progress, and then tag seven other fellow authors.

Here are lines from my current WIP, DEVIL'S SPRING, book 3 in the Bittersweet Hollow series. 

 

I've tagged seven (okay, eight!) authors at the bottom. Please post your WIP lines in the comments section. 

This is from the prologue of DEVIL'S SPRING:

Grace’s face twisted and she moaned. “Oh my God. I’m having another one.”

 

Dr. Rosenthal nodded. “Good, they’re coming regularly now. Let’s get her up there.” She backed out of the room and gave a little wave. “See you soon.”

 

“Good?” Grace screamed. “This hurts!” She doubled over and yelled for Anderson. “Anderson, make it stop!”

 

He glanced helplessly at the nurse, who smiled and shrugged. “Nothing you can do, sweetie. Just move back so we can get her up to the third floor. We’ll probably get her some pain meds when it gets really bad.”

 

Grace’s face reddened. “When it gets really bad? Are you kidding me?”

I tag: Jane Firebaugh, Viv Drewa, Anna del MarJoan H. Young, Joan Hall Hovey, Holly Jacobs, Sonya Bateman, and Kim Smith.

 

Thanks to all who play along, and have a great rest of your Sunday!

 

Aaron Lazar

www.lazarbooks.com

 

Aaron Paul Lazar is obsessed with writing. He's completed twenty-five books to date, and has earned nineteen literary book awards. He writes mysteries, suspense, love stories, and more. You'll usually find him writing his heart out in the early hours of the day - preferably in the dark, quiet hours when no one else is awake in his bustling household. 

Protect Your Manuscript: 5 Tips for Securing Your Computer by Cassie Phillips

Protect Your Manuscript: 5 Tips for Securing Your Computer

Technology has made it easier for writers to keep their manuscripts on hand and edit them from just about anywhere. Handwritten manuscripts seem to be becoming a thing of the past for many writers, as the ease of typing and storing documents on a computer can be much more convenient. Although it can seem like a better choice than writing your manuscript by hand, there are some risks involved that could put all of your efforts to waste.

It's not common to find a computer that isn't connected to the internet, and hackers and cyberattacks are plentiful online. Whether you're writing from your favorite café on an unsecured network or just at home checking your email, malware could be making its way onto your computer. Fortunately, internet security tips can help keep all of your documents protected and are simple to utilize.

Implement the following tips to secure your computer and protect both your manuscript and identity online.

1.    Scan Your Computer

One of the largest threats online is malware, but as you might already know, an anti-virus program can prevent your computer from acquiring it. Anti-virus programs will allow you to scan your computer, tablet or smartphone for malware and assist you in removing most viruses. Basic level protection provided by a free anti-virus program is usually enough to protect you, but it's also important to be aware that you can still be at risk for cyberattacks even with internet security software on board.

You’ll still need to do your part by avoiding suspicious websites, emails and the like while connected to the internet. Sometimes you may come across content on the web that appears to be legitimate but is actually malware in disguise. Look for subtle hints to avoid these threats, such as frequent grammatical errors on pages or in messages where proper English is often used.

It’s a wise idea to learn more about what common internet scams look like so you can know how to spot them. If you do come across anything online that appears to be suspicious, be sure to open up your anti-virus program to run a complete scan immediately afterward. By doing so, you may be able to remove the threat before it becomes a real issue.

2.    Encrypt Your Connection

Another way you can keep malware at bay (and hackers in general) is by encrypting your internet connection. It’s not uncommon to connect to public WiFi, especially when you’re a writer who may travel somewhat often or enjoy writing over coffee at a café in town. While seemingly safe, the unfortunate issue with using public WiFi is that the connection isn’t encrypted and is open for anyone to use to their liking.

A hacker could easily access your device (whether it be a smartphone, tablet or computer) over an unsecured connection and do everything from deleting your files to spying on your activities and more. With all the work you've put into your manuscript, it's especially important to keep your connection properly secured because not only could you be at risk of losing your documents, but someone could potentially steal your work and publish it as their own.

In my experience, the best tool to use to prevent this from occurring is a Virtual Private Network (VPN). With a VPN on hand, you’ll have the ability to connect to a remote server that is already encrypted. When you do so, your internet traffic is routed through the server, masking your IP address and securing your connection.

Like an anti-virus program, a VPN service is generally subscription-based, and there are many to choose from. For a great comparison, this VPN review by Secure Thoughts is helpful. Overall, using both an anti-virus program and a VPN service provides optimal protection against cyberattacks.

3.    Keep Backups

Since you're investing a lot of time and hard work into your manuscripts, it's foolish not to keep a backup. If anything were to happen to your computer, you might not have any way to restore your files. There are several ways this could happen, and not all are caused by hackers or malware (for example, you could have faulty hardware).

Backing up your files can be simple and should be done on a regular basis regardless of how much effort you put into protecting yourself online. Perhaps one of the most popular ways of keeping backups is by using a cloud-based service such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Those methods are certainly convenient since you can then access your manuscript from any device quite easily, but there are some people who aren’t very comfortable with them (since your files are in the hands of each company who offers the service).

Another way you can back up your files is by using hardware like SD cards, flash drives and external hard drives. With these, you basically will need to copy your files onto the devices for safe keeping. However, like anything else, it's not a guarantee, and these devices can fail just as any others.

Perhaps the most secure method of backing up your files is to keep more than one copy across multiple devices and/or services. For example, you may prefer to keep a copy on more than one computer, a flash drive and an SD card. However you choose to keep your backups, remember that you'll still need to safeguard them by storing them in a secure place.

4.    Create Strong Passwords

Passwords, whether used to log on to your operating system on your computer or your online accounts, are particularly important. When you have files to protect, it's a good idea to keep your PC password protected at the very least. And if you happen to upload any of them to an online account, these tips will help you as well.

To create a strong password, you need to adhere to the following:

·      Use a combination of numbers and uppercase and lowercase letters

·      Use symbols whenever possible

·      Exclude any personal information

You should also avoid using the same password for multiple accounts and of course never share them with others (even with close friends). Another good way to keep your accounts protected is to always log out when you’re done using them so anyone who may get their hands on your device won’t have easy access to any of them.

5.    Avoid Sharing Your Devices

This tip may not be very realistic for some people, but it’s still a wise idea. Not only can someone accidentally delete your manuscript, but potentially and inadvertently leave your device wide open to cyberattacks as well. Writers should consider keeping a computer for their use only so that it’s less likely for anyone to interfere with their work or flood their hard drive with excess files.

If you certainly must share your device, it’s best to encrypt your files for safe keeping. By doing so, your manuscript will be much more protected overall.

Do you have any additional tips for protecting manuscripts? If so, please share them with us in the comments below.

About the Author: Cassie Phillips is a writer and internet security specialist who takes an interest in helping out fellow writers online. Through her experiences on the net, she's found some of the most effective methods of safeguarding her own documents and enjoys being able to share her knowledge with others so they too can protect their work. 

Follow Cassie on Twitter: @cassie_culture

The Silence of Writing

I know I’ve been really quiet lately. That’s because I’ve been following Aaron Paul Lazar’s recommendation and writing like the wind. I’ve spent every waking moment of my time lately writing. It’s sort of like an extended writing retreat and I’m loving it. But I’ll admit that these long creative periods put a damper on my blogging. 

Writing is a silent pursuit. The deeper we go into the creative trance, the quieter we authors become. In fact, writing might be the only craft where silence means presence, hard work and absolute commitment. The louder the silence, the more intense the author is at work. In my case, I’m working hard on my next installment, and my creative process has hijacked the majority of my time.

Meanwhile, I’d like to thank all of you who’ve made The Curse Giver such an astounding success. With over 170 awesome reviews on Amazon, I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you so much for choosing to read and review my novels. I really appreciate your support. More is coming, I promise.

***

Dora Machado is the award-winning author of the epic fantasy Stonewiser series and The Curse Giver, available from Twilight Times Books. She grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she developed a fascination for writing and a taste for Merengue. After a lifetime of straddling such compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories.

To learn more about Dora Machado and her award winning novels, visit her at www.doramachado.com , email her at Dora@doramachado.com, find her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

The Curse Giver's Amazon's Link: http://amzn.to/1szECCn