Shut Up & Read discussion

What is the working title of your story?
The title of my story is A Favorite Son. Sounds familiar? Maybe because its Kindle edition has been published a couple of months ago. To my surprise, the story was received with great acclaim. So now there are two great developments which I would like to share with you: first, the story just about to come out as a paperback book! And the second--even better!--it is just about to come out as an audiobook!

Where did the idea come from for the story?
I have long been fascinated with the story of Jacob and Esav, which to me, captures several layers of emotions which we all go through in our families: a rivalry between brothers, the way a mother’s love, unevenly divided, can spur them to action, to crime, even; and how in time, even in the absence of regret, a punishment eventually ripens.

What genre does your story fall under?
The best definition I can offer for a genre is this: it is a new-age-biblical-twist genre, set in the twenty-first century, in a primitive camp of tents at the frontier of the desert in Canaan, in what seems, at first, to be an innocent fable.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I am going to change the question... Why, you ask? Because when your book is picked up for a major movie deal, this success--incredible as it may be--usually comes with a caveat: your work will be used by the screen writers merely as a suggestion, so it remains to be seen how much of the original text is retained in the final cut... However, when your book is picked up for narration, every sentence, every turn-of-a-phrase, every breath and pause in the original text is not only retained, but comes to life in the voice of the narrator.

So let me rephrase the question as follows: which actors would you choose to play your characters in a narrated rendition? Ah! What a great question! I would choose an actor with a great literary skill, one that can interpret the layers of meanings in my story, and one that has versatile voices in him. In short: David Kudler, and I had my heart set on him the moment I heard his audition.

David has been a voice and stage actor, a writer, and a book editor for over twenty years. Since 1999, he has been in charge of publications for the Joseph Campbell Foundation. As you can see, he is a man for all seasons... As a narrator, he has a warm, versatile voice, and a great ear for character and dialect. For A Favorite Son, he plays Yankle, Esav (Yankle’s brother), Isaac (Yankle’s father), Becky (Yankle’s mother) and Eliezer (Becky’s butler.) For each one of these characters, there is a distinct voice!

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your story?
This is a present-day twist on the biblical story of Jacob and his mother Rebecca plotting together against the elderly father Isaac, who is lying on his deathbed, in order to get their hands on the inheritance, and on the power in the family.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
My book--in its paperback and ebook editions--will be self-published. I enjoy every aspect of the publishing process: the cover design most of all, as well as the interior design. Once my book is written and edited, I have an quick turnaround time to having it published--usually within a week. The audiobook edition, obviously, takes longer, because it involves a creative exchange of ideas between the narrator and me.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Start to finish, this book took me six weeks. But it had been brewing in me for several years before that. Being an artist, I expressed it through sculpture. So here you can see Yankle and his mother Becky, plotting to cheat the father, and unable to look each other in the eye as they are doing so.

For three days--April 24 through 26, I have reduced the price of my Kindle ebooks to 99 cents.

They are:
Apart From Love (a novel: romantic suspense/family saga)
A Favorite Son (a story: biblical fiction)
Home (poetry)



Oh! Almost forgot: while you're on Amazon to download A Favorite Son, check out the audiobook edition! You can even listen to a voice clip...Here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/A-Favorite-Son/...

"I knew it the very next morning, and I still know it now: My brother hates me. He has removed me from his mind, stricken away any thought, any memory about me. I am dead to him. The scary part is, that being dead will not stand in the way of him killing me, if ever he lays eyes on me again.
It is an odd feeling. Have you ever faced it? Being dead to someone you envy; someone you miss, too; someone who knows you intimately and, even worse, has the chutzpa to occupy your thoughts day in, day out. It grinds down on your nerves; doesn’t it?
Trust me, being dead to your brother is not all that it is cracked up to be, but it does set you free—oh, don’t act so surprised! It frees you from any lingering sense of obligation. Brother, you say to yourself. What does it mean, Brother? Nothing more than a pang, a dull pang in your heart.
You have betrayed him. Accept his hate."

Yankle, in A Favorite Son



My retelling of the biblical story of Jacob and Esau takes the time to concentrate on two things: the contemplation of the crime, and the mental anguish afterwards. Here is another view of my Ceramic sculpture of the character. It is called "What if my father touches me."

Ode to the Great Kudler

Springing out of my mind, out of this cage
His words but a whisper, right here on this page
Jacob trembles in shame--not because of his sin
But because he wears nothing but a sleeve of goatskin

Lonely and naked, how can he rejoice
Wishing to be wrapped by the warmth of voice
While back in the camp, Eliezer the butler
Croaks out of the throat of the Great Kuddler

Oh please, trust me now, this is no spelling mistake
For his voice can cuddle--but it can also shake
Yes, Kuddler lets you hear the subtle clipclop
Of a camel approaching, Becky perched at the top

And so at long last, by hook and by crook
Jacob speaks loud and clear in this audiobook



The gifted narrator of my audiobook, David Kudler is an author, editor and performer. Since 1999, he has overseen the publications program of the Joseph Campbell Foundation, where he has served as the managing editor of the Collected Works of Joseph Campbell series. He lives in Mill Valley, California (the next town north from Sausalito) with his wife, teacher and author Maura Vaughn, their two author-to-be daughters, and their non-literary cat.

New! Print edition of A Favorite Son

New! audiobook of A Favorite Son

Aniruddha Sastikar authored two poetry books entitled “Maiden Musings – Vol. 1” published in October 2012 and Vol. 2 in January 2013. He credits learning Haiku Poetry to his dear friend & former Lt. Col Shyam Kumar Sharma, who resides in New Delhi, India. Aniruddha authored a short story book for children – “Once upon a time...” published and released through good friend & Publisher - Brian Wrixon, Burlington, Canada and Blurb Inc., in December 2012 and is working toward writing a fiction. I am honored that he has posted this ★★★★★ review on Goodreads for A Favorite Son:

Writing a review on a book authored by a talented and skillful artist, writer, and poet - Uvi Poznansky, is in itself an honor and privilege for an amateur poet and writer like me.

I am incapable to review work of such an educated, elegant, and accomplished artist, but I’ll try to do so.

“A Favorite Son” by Uvi Poznansky is a wonderful combination and presentation of love, sacrifice, jealousy, fear, hate, hopes, wistfulness, and much more to it. Images through out the book are excellent. They really are captivating and transports the reader to that location, literally; as if the reader is observing the characters, live. I haven’t had read any Biblical tales till date, but “A Favorite Son” introduced them to me. It is noteworthy how a mother (portrayed in “A Favorite Son”) plays a significant role in bringing up her children. Her sacrifices, her love, and her plans. Aren’t all these found in a Mother? Yes. They are an inbuilt characteristics of a Mother anywhere on earth.

There’s no doubt Uvi carries a strong vocabulary and has that ability to create a picture using them, which keeps the reader gripped till the last page. Apart from being an outstanding writer, she’s a first-class artist and sculptor, which is noticeable from the cover art of this book and visiting her blog site.

For those who are looking to read on strong family ties, I highly recommend “A Favorite Son”.

This review can be seen here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

"At that second it dawns on me—I understand, in its entirety, my mother’s plan; which nearly brings me to split my sides and roar with laughter—but at a single hint from her, I hold it in. No need for other people to hear us.
Intoxicated, I marvel in her plan; and in my mind I shout: My God, this is so clever! So deceitful! This costume, I think, is so much fun! Designed for the pleasure, so to speak, of a blind man... Ha! What does he know! That damn blessing may yet be mine, after all.
In my excitement I stumble across a thought, which is so outlandish that immediately, it makes me sober up. “What if he suspects something,” I ask, in a whisper. I hate to admit it, but it is not love for my father, nor respect for his age, that drive me to such hesitation. Rather, it is fear: The fear to be found out.
She lowers her eyes, thinking intensely, searching for an answer.
So I press on: “What if he touches me? He will guess, perhaps, that I am not the son I pretend to be; and so, instead of a blessing, I will end up, God forbid, being cursed!”
What can she say, I wonder. True, my mother is close to me. We could always think alike. But for the life of me, I cannot understand her right now. She is the mother of twins, so in my mind, she should love us both, in fairly equal measures. In the years to come I would often wonder: Why would a woman do this, why would she pit one son against another?"

This is how Yankle describes the plot, which his mother Becky (Rebecca) conceives to cheat both Esav, her other son, and her husband Isaac who is lying on his deathbed. Her plan is for Yankle to fool his blind father, and wear a costume, pretending to be his twin brother. When she tells Yankle, "On me your sin, my son," it is not love for him that drives her.

In A Favorite Son, this is the moment depicted in my sculpture of Rebecca: her hand gesture is meant to wave away his fears--but at the same time, it is only herself that she hugs. You can see nother view of this piece here.

Like the ebook cover of A Favorite Son, the cover of the audiobook edition is based on my own mixed media painting. The main difference between the two covers is the proportions (square instead of rectangle.) In the original art I floated various paints on the paper, letting them drizzle and mix, to create an intricate, fiery flow of color. Then when they dried out I came in with a black pen, and drew just a few lines to suggest the figure.

To me, this is what this image means: looking directly at yourself, facing the pain and the ugly imperfections within, without any attempt to mask who you are—even if you find yourself on the verge of a meltdown. Which is the process the protagonist, Yankle, is going through in this story. He finds himself coming to terms with his core being, with how the tension between his emotions and needs has driven him over a lifetime. In a most profound sense, this is a story of crime and punishment.



As in my previous book cover designs for Apart From Love and Home, the title and the author name cast a subtle shadow over the image. However, one detail is different here: two of the letters of the author name cast a shadow like all the other letters, but the two glyphs themselves—U and P--are intentionally missing. Why? For two reasons.

First, because often in my art I discover that the eye is drawn to the unexpected, and the brain rises to the challenge when there is a missing link to resolve. The observer, then, becomes engaged with the art, and in a sense, becomes its creator. And second, because this missing detail is a symbol, an indication of the flawed character in this story.

As with the U and P, the narrator's name appears in shadow form only. This extends the graphical concept of the missing glyphs, and it is also symbolic, because the voice is a soul. It fills our mind and heart without having a visual, physical existence.

★★★★★ Skilled Masterpiece!
By Dolores Ayotte (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
This review is from: A Favorite Son

I am an author. Once again, after reading a book penned by gifted Author Uvi Poznansky, I am able to dream of my possible potential should I follow in her footsteps and continue in my endeavors to stretch my talents like she so adeptly manages to do. Her astonishing knack of expertly drawing from her creative and artistic abilities never ceases to amaze me.

Most of us are familiar with the well-known Bible story of Jacob and Esau. Twin sons born to Rebecca and Isaac in their later years, are at odds and in competition to inherit the much coveted blessing from their father on his deathbed. The collaboration that takes place between mother and her favorite son, Yankle, in order to dupe Isaac effectively demonstrates the length some parents will go to in their unfairness, or what I refer to as, the "division" of their love. According to the main thread skillfully woven into this novel, the phenomenon of favoring one child over another may be a curse not only for the favored child but for the rejected one as well. I purposely use the word "division" of love to describe the favoritism both Rebecca and Isaac displayed for opposite sons in this story in order to stress what I consider to be a poignant point.

In my opinion, neither parent expresses true love. True love does not divide families nor does it create ugly competitiveness, sibling rivalry, jealously, hatred, anger and all the other undesirable, negative traits expressed between these two sons. Neither parent shows love for their offspring nor toward each other. It has been said that true love multiplies...it never divides. When one discovers this definition of love and fully embraces this concept, the negative emotions experienced by this family and many others, will no longer exist. To me, that is the true moral to this Bible story.

Ms. Poznansky takes an age old story and gives it a modern twist. The reader is invited into the tortured psyche of Yankle and the grief, guilt, and full knowledge of the consequence of his deception in order to demonstrate what a living hell is all about. Yankle is haunted by his choice, that of manipulating his father's deteriorating physical condition along with his mother, in order to steal his brother, Esav's birthright. He does not want to repeat history in his own life and continue with this kind of favoritism in his relationship with his own sons. This author shows not only by the cover she has so beautifully painted, but also by the words she has so carefully chosen to depict the results of such a past and present dilemma...the consequences of such a devious act.

To quote Ms. Poznansky when describing her book cover, she states, "To me, this is what this image means: looking directly at yourself, facing the pain and the ugly imperfections within, without any attempt to mask who you are--even if you find yourself on the verge of a meltdown." I think each of us will eventually reach this point in life, and regardless of what path we take to get there, we must face ourselves, our actions, our lives and learn what true love is all about...I think this is the genuine motive and goal behind the work of this talented artist and author. Her writing is meant to provoke, prod, persuade, and push us to the limits of our inner selves in order to tie it all together. In my opinion, she is not only showing us a part of herself, her every desire is for us to see our own reflection in her work and see what personal message it holds. She has certainly succeeded with me...

"I hear the slight rustle of her skirt, and her soft voice saying, “Wait, Isaac—” just before it becomes muffled. So sharply, so unexpectedly does it happen, that it makes me giddy with curiosity; and so, I do what I have to do: I lift the flap of the tent, allowing light in, to peek in on them; and what I see leaves me dumbfounded.
There she is, kneeling down before him amidst ripples of silk. She wraps her arms around his frail shoulders, draws closely and kisses him, long and full, on his mouth. And then, when she rises up, you can see that his face is confused, and his hand is trembling a little."

In this excerpt Yankle describes his mother Becky, modeled after the biblical figure of Rebecca. Her husband Isaac is lying on his deathbed. He is blind, and waiting for his firstborn son Esav to come back from the hunt, so he can give him the blessing. Becky plots to deceive the old man. In my story, A Favorite Son, she goes into his tent to say her last farewell, and just before sending Jacob in to execute her criminal plan, she kisses her husband. Watching this from a distance, Yankle says:

"I have to wonder: What was that kiss? Her way to say farewell? Was it inspired by some old memory, some image of their younger days—or else, was it designed to make him vulnerable, make him ready for me, just in time for my entrance? I agonize, I puzzle over that kiss. Was it act of love—or of deceit?"



Yankle, in A Favorite Son

Two Amazon reviews for my ebook A Favorite Son coming in on the same day! Now that's a first... Brilliant? Compelling? You Decide!

★★★★★ stars Brilliant., February 14, 2013
By Wendy Scott (New Zealand)

This review is from: A Favorite Son (Kindle Edition)
I loved the descrptive writing, so flavourful it was almost as if I was inhaling and tasting the story. The story flowed well and the narrative voice rang true. Just wondeful!

★★★★★ Compelling., February 14, 2013
By Sara Alexi - The Greek Village Series

As the reviewer above says this is a modern retelling of the Bible story of Esau and Jacob and the rivalry between brothers and it does translate well into a modern context. Beside all stories have been written before, good against evil, a right of passage etc. What made me read on was the way it had been written, direct and compelling.

Marsha Casper Cook is the author of six published books and eleven feature-length screenplays, a literary agent with fifteen years experience, and the host of the blog talk radio show A Good Story is a Good Story. So I am thrilled that Marsha invited me to be appear on her show.

A Good Story Is A Good Story

★★★★★ review: "Dysfunctional families aren’t reserved just for the modern day, and this story retells what must be one of the most classic cases in history. The fact that it’s Biblical history just adds to the mystique."

Review by Sheila Deeth

Just found a new review for A Favorite Son!

★★★★ A Must Read, May 11, 2013
By Cynthia Hamilton "Cindy" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase
This review is from: A Favorite Son (Kindle Edition)

This book is a superb modern day version of the biblical story of Isaac and Rebecca and their twin sons. It tells of how deceitful and greedy people can be within their own families.

The author also writes poetry and it shows in her beautiful flowing way with words. It's a book to remember!

Check it out! This news flash, put together by Erika Goodkin of Literati Consulting PR, has just been released:

Israeli-American Author Releases New Book of Biblical Fiction

Among other things, this news flash reveals who wrote the praise on the back cover of the print edition of my novel, Apart From Love. Hint: guess who wrote the screenplays for the blockbuster movies 'Every Which Way But Loose', 'Any Which Way You Can' (with Clint Eastwood in the title role), and 'Going Ape' (with Tony Danza in the title role.)

What is the Author Alliance? It is founded to promote good books and authors, and to unite good authors and books with avid readers. Their collection of professional editors, graphic artists, web designers, promoters and teachers within the business provide authors virtually everything they need to get a book published.

I am so thrilled that my interview with the Author Alliance (focusing on A Favorite Son) has gone live! Check it out:

Author Alliance Interview with Uvi Poznansky

Highly praised ★★★★★ new-age twist on an old yarn, 18 reviews!

"The first time he saw her face was, of course, the morning after. The veil removed, she fainted upon seeing him."

Take a listen to★ A FAVORITE SON ★

We have not been camping close to a well for nearly three days now—but I happen to know where water can be found, because in her tent, under her bed, my mother keeps a full jug, for no one else but me. And so, I bring it to him, catching myself in an unexpectedly generous mood. He takes a long gulp. Then he has to catch his breath.
“Yankle?” he says.
“Yes, Esav?”
“What is this smell? So good...”
“It’s my new recipe! I call it a stew.”
“Give me. Give me now!”
“Well, no,” I say. “There are limits to my generosity.”
“You be sorry,” says he.
“Well, what’s in it for me?”
“Huh?”
“Do I really have to explain? What will you give me in return?”
“Give you?” he flares up. “A big smack.”
“Oh well,” I laugh in his face. “Forget it, then.”
He falls to some deep thoughts, by the end of which he throws his hands up in the air. “I give you something,” he offers. “Anything.”
I smile. “You know what I want.”
Then he hesitates. “No. Not that.”
Well, by now you know me: I can find a way, some way to convince him. So I go over to my big pot and, as theatrically as I can, raise the iron lid.
Out comes a puff of steam, escaping high into the air and carrying with it the most tempting, most delectable scent. Then, using my brother’s arrow as a skewer, I pierce through the juiciest, most succulent piece of meat, and bring it right under his nose.

Take a listen to the voice sample!

Yoo-hoo! Just got this note from the Reference Services in Santa Monica Public Library, regarding A Favorite Son:

"Our materials selection staff has decided to add this title to the collection. Please be aware it can take several weeks before added items are available for checkout. In this case, since the book is not available through the Library's usual vendor, Baker & Taylor, there may be an additional delay."

My work relies entirely on word-of-mouth. Your word-of-mouth. So if you wish to help me spread the word, please bring this book to the attention of your own library. Tell the librarian to order this ★★★★★ book--18 Amazon reviews so far--so you and other readers may read it.

Now that two of my books have come out in audiobook edition, is this the time to rest on my laurels? The answer--you guessed it!--is this: absolutely not!

So what I am working on now?

First of all, my poetry and prose book Home is about to enter production, so I am listening to auditions, enjoying both the voices and the interpretations of the writing.

And second, a new book will soon be coming out... I will announce its name and unveil the cover next week. Stay tuned!

Treat yourself to a gift!
Download the highly praised audiobooks
★ A Favorite Son ★ Apart From Love ★

Wow, this morning I am at the top of the list ★ Most Viewed Authors ★ on AUTHORSdB!

Check it out! Also, I have added the image of my just released book, Twisted, to my AUTHORSdB author page. My work relies on word-of-mouth... So, if you like what you see, please go to the bottom of that page, and tweet it!

"You may have heard those rumors about me: How I escaped by moonlight; how I hid inside each one of the seven wells of Beersheba, with nothing in my possession but the shirt on my back; how I eluded my enemy, my brother; and then, how frightened I was, how alone. I’m afraid you have been, at best, misinformed; or, more probably, mislead by some romantic foolery, some fiction and lies, the kind of which can easily be found, and in abundance I might add, in the holy scriptures.

I insist: It was not moonlight but rather, high noon; I was wearing no shirt whatsoever—nothing, really, but a goatskin sleeve. There was only one well in which I could hide, not seven. And most importantly, I was hardly alone; for the entire camp—all the maidservants, the shepherds, the guards—stood aghast all around me. So now, you must see that I could not, despite my best intentions, escape stealthily out of there; nor could I elude anyone.

Instead I was flung out, kicking and screaming, with tugs and pulls loosening the remaining shreds of my clothes, and whacks and smacks coming at my bare back from all directions. My left eye swelled up to such a degree that out of necessity, I resorted to use the right one—only to discover, once I raised my head from the dirt, that my brother was standing right over me. His foot could be seen coming straight at me, at an easygoing, unhurried pace, until it turned into a full blown kick."

Yankle in A Favorite Son



"Compelling", "Entertaining", "Like a kaleidoscope"
Download the highly praised story
A Favorite Son

The moment I have dreaded for quite some time is upon me... I have been charged, and with words none too kind: "Awful. Abysmal blasphemy."

It was a risk I took when choosing a character from the bible for my story A Favorite Son. I knew I would be in trouble when I chose to portray Yankle not as a hero, and not as a patriarch of multiple religions, but rather as a flesh-and-blood, cunning young man, at the point when he is about to commit a sin. As you can imagine, his thoughts at this point are far from being holy.

I take the charge seriously. I do understand where it is coming from. Perhaps it is hard to see your idol being handled by a stranger in a precarious manner...



Now, I thought it would be a sensitive moment for me, because for the most part, I have been spoiled: my work has been embraced and loved by so many of you. Strangely, I find this moment thought provoking. So let me ask you, do you this is blasphemy? Perhaps so... I could get away with it if I said that it is my character who thinks these appalling thoughts. I will not. He is my responsibility, because it was my pen who wrote his words:

"I admit, mine is a strange family. You might call it dysfunctional. How it became the cornerstone of multiple religions is quite beyond me. If all those believers out there are as obnoxious as I am, they should take those scriptures with a grain of salt.
And another thing: How my name became the cornerstone of that notorious chain of restaurants, which we here call, with great fondness, the Yankle-in-the-Box establishment, is a complete mystery to me. I guess it happened in honor of my stew. Here in the wilderness, every edible nugget—regardless of where it came from—is considered a delicacy."

Yankle in A Favorite Son

Lia London, the author of full-length novels in a variety of genres, is a woman on a mission. On her website, she is building up collection of Clean Indie Reads, opening the doors for independent authors who write books can be considered "clean." I am thrilled that she has invited me for a third mini-interview on her site. This time, the interview focused on A Favorite Son. First, she quoted three of the reviews:

"Uvi Poznansky has that enviable ability to push paint and words into that category of combining reality with fantasy, myth with story, tradition with contemporary sidebars. She has ably accomplished that in The Favorite Son, drawing upon the Biblical tale of Isaac and his twin sons by his late birthing wife Rebecca--Jacob and Esau."
--Grady Harp (Hall of Fame Top 50 Reviewervine Voice)

"Her ability to reconfigure one of the most indomitable tales is simply genius. Written with a mild hand, but with a punch to the gut simultaneously-is intense, and will provide discussion and thought long after the close of the final page."
--Amazon reviewer

"This story is like a kaleidoscope - with every turn of the page the focus changes and we shift our concentration on a different aspect of the tale."
--Amazon reviewer

Then, the interview:
How did this retelling of a famous story come about? What was the process?
I wrote a short story called "Lentil Soup", in which Yankle gives voice to the bitter rivalry between him and his brother. By the end of the story, he manages to score a minor victory, which--on the flip side--costs both of them their former friendship. Unlike other characters I have written, this one would not let go, so the story turned into a first chapter; by the end of the second chapter, he insisted he had more to say...And being stubborn, he demanded more attention after the third chapter. So what could I do but keep on going?

What do you hope people will get out of your version of the story?
I hope we will reflect on the emotional forces at work in our own families. This story holds up a mirror, in which we can see the truth about greed, love, and the bond we have with our fathers and brothers.

The interview can be read here.

Submitted by the dedicated (and tireless) Erika Goodkin Domingue of Literati Consulting, here is a new, just published press release:

May 15, 2013, Los Angeles (FPRC /LiteratiConsulting/) --- Acclaimed American-Jewish author Uvi Poznansky has released a new book! The work, entitled A Favorite Son, retells the biblical story of Jacob and his mother Rebecca as they come to terms with the passing of the elderly Isaac. The story reflects a modern-day version of the characters as they plot to take control of their family’s power and inheritance...

Read the entire press release:
Israeli-American Releases New Book of Biblical Fiction

Bob Dunbar is the author of The Holy Sabbath Morning: A Novel of the Alamo. What can I tell you--he has just made my day! I have just found his review for A Favorite Son:

★★★★★ Biblical themes given modern relevance., June 26, 2013
By R. Dunbar - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase
Where were Bible stories like this when I was in Sunday school? Uvi Poznansky blows the dust off the Biblical tale of the conflict between Jacob and Esau in a highly entertaining fashion, making it relevant to a contemporary audience. The story is, of course, a morality play, but in Ms. Poznansky's hands, it comes across without sermonizing. Instead, the story plays out in a matter of fact, often humorous fashion.
This story, even though its prototype is thousands of years old, has all the elements necessary to appeal to a modern audience: greed, deceit, brothers in conflict, and manipulating parents. Ms. Poznansky's handling of these age old themes brings the story up to date and gives it relevance for a modern audience. I would be interested to see more along this line from this author.

M.C.V. Egan (Maria Catalina Vergara Egan) is the author of The Bridge of Deaths. The story came about through a lifelong obsession to solve the mystery of her maternal grandfather's death in faraway Denmark. She has a particular interest in historical fiction, so I was greatly honored when she purchased my book, A Favorite Son, and then posted this wonderful review for it:

★★★★★ A masterfully built story with a most colorful narrative, June 26, 2013
By Maria Catalina Egan "M.C.V. Egan" (Delray Beach, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase
This review is from: A Favorite Son (Paperback)
There is so much I enjoyed about this book, that I do not quite know where to begin. I read somewhere that Uvi Poznansky "paints with her words" and that she has a background in architecture. FAVORITE SON shows these with a strong building technique in her story and the colorful play with her words.
In my Favorite Son the author takes the Biblical story of Rebecca and her two sons Jacob and Essau and in a masterful manner she built and decorated the story through the voice of Yankle. As entertaining as the story is, it is also very thought provoking. The array of emotions is so palpable, the reader feels the hate, the jealousy as surely as the characters do. To be honest my heart beat a bit faster in some scenes and I did perspire in others...the author's magnificent writing grabbed me as a reader and I simply could not let go.
The flow of the story made for a fast read which I have earmarked for a re-read in the near future, it was simply that enjoyable, and I seldom read a book twice

This week I have the incredible honor of being featured on Mcv Egan's blog, for an entire week! Here is the first installment in a succession of brief articles, titled Why History is the Agreed Upon Lie:

History is written by the winners. They make sure to remove that version of history that belongs to the losers. David, the young entertainer coming to play his lyre in king Saul’s court, makes this point in my upcoming book:

“Hung on the wall is an shiny iron shield. I brush my fingers over the sharp ridges of the engraved inscription, trying to figure it out by my touch. It says, The House of Saul.

To a naive observer it may seem like an emblem of a highly respected ancestry—but as everyone around the country knows, Saul has no royal blood in his veins. He is the son of Kish, a lowly farmer who owns but a few asses. In his youth Saul used to tend to these stubborn animals. He may long for those carefree days, but word on the street is that he did a lousy job, because the asses got lost more often than not. Everyone hopes and prays that he will do better as a king. The worst part is, his family comes from a tribe of ill-repute. The tribe of Benjamin is known to be nothing but a rowdy mob, notorious for an insatiable appetite for rape and murder, for which it was severely punished. In a fierce civil war, it was nearly wiped out —not so long ago—by the other tribes.

For the life of me I cannot figure why the first king of Israel should be picked from the poor, the downtrodden. It is a questionable political decision, but perhaps it is better this way. In the back of his mind, Saul should know his humble beginnings. All of which makes this emblem quite pretentious. But who cares? By instinct I get it, I understand his need to display the thing, because this is the way to create history, when none is available.”

Even when the winner’s version of history makes it to the books, it is modified by later generations, adding layers upon layers of interpretation. So when I select old yarn to give it a new twist, I always focus on the human aspect: my biblically-inspired characters are no heroes. They are modern man and women, who at times find the courage to do heroic acts; at times they are besieged by emotions of grief, jealousy, or overwhelming passion; and always, they ponder who they are with the doubts and hesitations that are familiar to all of us.

So here, for example, is what Yankle--the main character in my book A Favorite Son, inspired by the biblical figure of Jacob--says about who he is.

“I like to think of myself as a modern man. A confused one. One left to his own devices, because of one thing: The silence of God. When Isaac, my father, laid on his deathbed, waiting for me, or rather, for his favorite son to come in, he suspected, somehow, that he was about to be fooled. And yet, God kept silent. Now, all these years later, I wonder about it. God did not help the old man. He gave no warning to him; not one whisper in his ear, not a single clue. Now as then, He is utterly still, and will not alert me when my time comes; when they, my sons, flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood, are ready to face me; to fool their old man.

Christoph Fischer is a high-ranking reviewer on Goodreads: #46 best reviewers #9 top reviewers. Just as importantly he is the author of two historical fiction books, Sebastian and The Luck of the Weissensteiners. I am greatly honored that he posted this wonderful review on Goodreads and Amazon for my book, A Favorite Son:

★★★★★ Brilliant, July 4, 2013
By diebus - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Favorite Son (Kindle Edition)

"A Favorite Son" by Uvi Poznansky is a well crafted and superbly written re-telling of a Biblical story. The rivalry between Jacob and Esav about who is the favorite son. The competition between the two is an old theme and Poznansky does a brilliant job at bringing it into modern day experience and sensitivity. It is a tale of greed, betrayal and twisted family relations.
Told from the perspective of the second born twin brother Yankle (Jacob) it shows his hate, insecurities, envy and desperation, yet we also see the mother;'s favoritism and scheming nature and the father's real thought as revealed on the death bed.
This story is as valid now as it was back then. On a personal level the story worked incredibly well for me. I had been taught the story in Catholic Religious Education, which paid little respect to the Jewishness of the family and their culture. Poznansky seems to play with both ancient and modern themes, none of which are completely favoured, so there are references to kosher as a future concept as well as a present one.
It also achieves to bring relevance to an old story, a wonderful illustration of what the story did and does tell us about families.
The format of a novella was well chosen, the writing flows smoothly and comes to a perfectly timed end. I don't know if any biblical and theological sensitivities are being offended by this particular reworking of this story but on a moral and ethical level the novel had a powerful impact on me and I look forward to more of the same.

The Perils of Biblical Inspirarion
Published on writerchristophfischer

Would you believe that writing biblically inspired books is a risky proposition?
Let me suggest to you that it is. Why?

Because some of your readers may have only a vague recollection of the reference material, back from their days in Sunday school. Others may be totally unfamiliar with it, because they may come from a different culture altogether. So you have to introduce enough of the original story to the readers, and you better do it in a fresh way, one that highlights the immediacy of its meaning. Here, for example, is the voice of Yankle (based on the biblical Jacob) in my book A Favorite Son:

“When I sprinkle my secret blend of spices; here, take a sniff, can you smell it? When I chop these mouthwatering sun-dried tomatoes, add a few cloves of garlic for good measure, and let it all sizzle with lentils and meat—it becomes so scrumptious, so lipsmacking, finger-licking, melt-in-your-mouth good!
There is a certain ratio of flavors, a balance that creates a feast for the tongue and a delight for the mind; and having mastered that balance, with a pinch of imported cumin from the north of Persia, a dash of Saffron from the south of Egypt, I can tell you one thing: When the pot comes to a full bubbling point, and the aroma of the stew rises up in the air—it would make you dribble! Drive you to madness! For a single bite, you would sell your brother, if only you had one!”

By design, his voice is a direct and intimate one, letting you get close enough to taste, or at least to smell the aroma of his lentil soup. Not only that, but the ‘you’ in this passage is not just the preverbial you.
Rather (as is revealed later) it is a character with a complex emotional relationship to the main character: his firstborn, who at the conclusion of the story is just about to fool Yankle in a most devastating way, by letting him believe that Joseph, his favorite son, has been devoured by a wild beast.

No wonder Yankle has a dark side. Here he is, pondering the bitterness of sibling rivalry, and the abuse of an elderly father by his son, which perpetuate themselves here from one generation to the next:

“It is an odd feeling. Have you ever faced it? Being dead to someone you envy; someone you miss, too; someone who knows you intimately and, even worse, has the chutzpa to occupy your thoughts day in, day out. It grinds down on your nerves; doesn’t it? Trust me, being dead to your brother is not all that it is cracked up to be, but it does set you free—oh, don’t act so surprised! It frees you from any lingering sense of obligation. Brother, you say to yourself. What does it mean, Brother? Nothing more than a pang, a dull pang in your heart.
You have betrayed him. Accept his hate. You need not talk to him ever again. For the rest of your life, you are free! A stranger— that is what you are. A stranger, visited from time to time by dreams: Dreams about the mother you will never see again, and the father you left behind, on his deathbed. Dreams of waiting, waiting so eagerly for the next day, to meet your brother at the end of an endless exile. Dreams of grappling with him all night long, until the crack of dawn. Until your ankles give way. Until you lose your footing on the ground.
Then, rising up to take you is the darkness of the earth; which is where you wake up at sunrise to find yourself alone.”

Some of your readers may be well versed with the reference material, and for them, you better offer an extra layer of meaning. For example, in the passage above, the sentence “Dreams of grappling with him all night long, until the crack of dawn. Until your ankles give way“ is an allusion to Jacob grappling with the angel, the night before he meets his brother after years of estrangement. In the biblical story, this is symbolic of Jacob struggling with God. But in my modern interpretation, this is symbolic of Yankle struggling with his curse, the loneliness in which is he is stranded, now that his brother is his enemy.

A Favorite Son does not amplify what the bible says. In fact, it offers a secular point of view, and a mirror to our souls. To me, the bible is rife with drama, sex, and violence, which makes it a rich source, a place to explore the truth about ourselves, about our struggle between the angels and demons inside all of us. My Yankle is no hero, no one you might want to revere. Instead, he is a rebellious teenager, a sly smart-ass about to cheat his father. Which may well offend some readers, especially those who make the mistake to expect nothing more that an expansion of the original story. To such readers, my book may be seen as nothing less than blasphemy.

So? What do you think? Is writing biblically inspired books is a risky proposition?

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They are inexpensive. Of course, that's not the reason to get them--the reviews are!

★★★★★ Check them out:
★ Twisted ★ A Favorite Son ★ Home ★ Apart From Love ★

This morning find me in the chat chair, opposite Nikki Walker, author of In Search of a Healing Place (Redemptive Series) and many other books. I am so honored that she give me a great opportunity here. Her first question (three in one, actually) is this: Who is Uvi Poznansky? What are your passions outside of writing? Where are you from?

Want to know more? Please check out my interview at Nikki's place:

Uvi Poznansky Is In My Chat Chair!

He is waiting for me

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.”
After that, my mother attends to the cooking. I can hear the hiss, the slight hiss of the pot as it comes to a boil. I can smell the aroma. Somewhat bland to my taste; but then again, this is the way my father likes his meat. At any rate, he can barely swallow food nowadays.
She ladles a steaming hot portion onto a platter and sets it upon a large tray, so I can carry it over there, to his bedside. Then she gives me the slightest of hints. It is all set up. The time is now.
My arm covered with the hide of a kid, I stand up. Pretending to be that which I am not, I am ready, at long last, to do her bidding. Ready for my defining moment with my father: The old man is on his deathbed. He is waiting for me. Waiting there, in his tent, for his trusty, favorite son.

Yankle in A Favorite Son

A brand new, short and sweet review for A Favorite Son:

★★★★★ Biblical story with a psychological edge, August 2, 2013
By Jaxon

Uvi Poznansky retells a well-know biblical story, making it relevant in today's world. The book has a lot of insight into the psychology of families and sibling relationships. Poznansky manages to add touches of humor at just the right time which added to my over-all enjoyment of the book. It's a good read!

Oh what a day! This is one more review from the pen of Wanda "Panda" Hartzenberg, a top rated reviewer ranking #3 top readers, #10 best reviewers , #1 top reviewers on Goodreads. I am so happy that she posted this review, on Amazon and Goodreads, for A Favorite Son:

★★★★★ So which is worse. The betrayal of a son or of a mother?, August 11, 2013
By Wanda "Wandah Panda" (Pretoria, South Africa) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: A Favorite Son (Kindle Edition)
A biblical fan fic with the emphasis on the dysfunctionality of a family.
A brothers betrayel. A mothers mental dissociative disorder and above all greed.
Lentil soup never tempted me though the kosher -- oops not yet a firm concept -- stew sounds far more appealing.

When a woman faints the first time she sees her husband you know something will go wrong.
Written with a very dry sense of humor using facts of a medley of the Christian and Jewish faith to confuse and lay upon the table the discrepancies of blind faith.

A unique story of human frailty and insecurities which is expressed in greed and deception. A true treasure.
WaAr

Born and raised in Russia, Julia Gousseva is the author of several books such as Moscow Dreams and Twelve Months of Soviet Childhood, in which she brings a taste of the literary heritage of her homeland to the American reader. I am greatly honored that she posted this lovely review for A Favorite Son

★★★★★ Powerful and Compelling, August 15, 2013
By Julia Gousseva "Author of 'Moscow Dreams'
(REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase
This review is from: A Favorite Son (Kindle Edition)

One of the most unforgettable images in "A Favorite Son" is the long-sleeved goatskin coat of the narrator's mother. At the beginning, the coat is described as "kept safely in her chest, hidden from the eyes of the world." As the story unfolds, in an effort to protect, conceal, and betray, this treasured coat is ripped to shreds, becoming a vivid symbol of the power struggle tearing this family apart.

In "A Favorite Son," Uvi Poznansky engages the readers with the eternal themes that have occupied people's minds since times immemorial. It is a story of complicated family relationships, love, death, vengeance, and betrayal.

The first person narrator of the story mesmerizes the readers with his authentic, sincere, and honest voice. Honest despite the ultimate act of deceit he is about to commit. In his own words, "I am bold, fierce, adventurous. I am my father's favorite son." And that is indeed true, just not in the way it seems on the surface.

The narrator's relationships with his blind father, with his twin brother, and with the mother are all complicated in different ways. His love and admiration for the mother is evident at many points in the story, but especially when he describes the mother's treacherous journey from her homeland to the place where they live now, "their wasteland." As the story unfolds, the flawed nature of the first-person narrator becomes more and more evident to the readers. Even his love for his mother acquires new and frightening dimensions.

"My path was slippery, for a torrent of rain poured down mercilessly upon the earth," says the narrator at one point, and he is not only referring to the physical terrain, but to the state of his mind and his soul. This book encourages the reader to "look directly at yourself facing the pain and the ugly imperfections within."

Highly recommended.



★★★★★
★ Twisted ★ A Favorite Son ★ Home ★ Apart From Love ★

Are you an Audible member? Addicted to audiobooks? Love historical fiction? Then this raffle is just the thing for you!

Win a FREE DOWNLOAD of the audiobook edition of A Favorite Son!

Here's how:

Raffle: Win a FREE Audiobook Download of A Favorite Son

Wow! So happy! Just got this messsage, about the fourth one of my books to go audio:

Congratulations, Home is now on sale at audible.com. And we plan to make it available on iTunes and Amazon.com within the next few days.

Check out the list of audiobooks, and don't forget to play the voice clip for each one! Take a listen, here:

It is an odd feeling. Have you ever faced it? Being dead to someone you envy; someone you miss, too; someone who knows you intimately and, even worse, has the chutzpa to occupy your thoughts day in, day out. It grinds down on your nerves; doesn’t it?
Trust me, being dead to your brother is not all that it is cracked up to be, but it does set you free—oh, don’t act so surprised! It frees you from any lingering sense of obligation. Brother, you say to yourself. What does it mean, Brother? Nothing more than a pang, a dull pang in your heart.
You have betrayed him. Accept his hate.

Yankle in A Favorite Son

Kelly Samarah is an indie author, painter, and music lover who writes Horror, Supernatural and Fantasy. Currently has published Thorns of Glass and Beneath the Blood Moon. I am honored that she invited me to her website for a spotlight feature. Check it out here:

Author Spotlight--Uvi Poznansky

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/ \    Looking for a great read? 
Check these out: $.99 each (a third of the original price) today only, but that's not the reason to get them--the reviews are!

Check them out:
★★★★★
★ Twisted ★ A Favorite Son ★ Home ★ Apart From Love ★

Just discovered a new review for A Favorite Son:

★★★★★ Great, September 5, 2013
By Terina Killings - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: A Favorite Son (Paperback)
I am very satisfied.
This book reminds me of my love of words. The mastery of sculpture in every emotion let me the reader see that I am the words of the Arthur as I remembered my humanity blowing freely from this artistes every stroke.
I have related and smiled at a dimension of perspective. I finished satisfied as though I dined with the Arthur and the characters realizing we all have dined here before. Uvi is a special Artist and she is leading the way into the art of thought. May her trail blaze ever more until the end of night is meet.

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:

★★★★★ Beautiful and Haunting, September 11, 2013
By James Dibenedetto "starkllr"
Amazon Verified Purchase

(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.

Get ★★★★★ A FAVORITE SON:
★ Audio ★ Print ★ Ebook ★

Wow what an amazing review! Thank you Debra!

★★★★★ A Shining Light!, September 11, 2013
By debra (WILSON, NC, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

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!

Get ★★★★★ A FAVORITE SON:
★ Audio ★ Print ★ Ebook ★

★★★★★ Powerful and Compelling, August 15, 2013
By Warrior Princess (Karmoy, Norway)
Amazon Verified Purchase

One of the most unforgettable images in "A Favorite Son" is the long-sleeved goatskin coat of the narrator's mother. At the beginning, the coat is described as "kept safely in her chest, hidden from the eyes of the world." As the story unfolds, in an effort to protect, conceal, and betray, this treasured coat is ripped to shreds, becoming a vivid symbol of the power struggle tearing this family apart.

In "A Favorite Son," Uvi Poznansky engages the readers with the eternal themes that have occupied people's minds since times immemorial. It is a story of complicated family relationships, love, death, vengeance, and betrayal.

The first person narrator of the story mesmerizes the readers with his authentic, sincere, and honest voice. Honest despite the ultimate act of deceit he is about to commit. In his own words, "I am bold, fierce, adventurous. I am my father's favorite son." And that is indeed true, just not in the way it seems on the surface.

The narrator's relationships with his blind father, with his twin brother, and with the mother are all complicated in different ways. His love and admiration for the mother is evident at many points in the story, but especially when he describes the mother's treacherous journey from her homeland to the place where they live now, "their wasteland." As the story unfolds, the flawed nature of the first-person narrator becomes more and more evident to the readers. Even his love for his mother acquires new and frightening dimensions.

"My path was slippery, for a torrent of rain poured down mercilessly upon the earth," says the narrator at one point, and he is not only referring to the physical terrain, but to the state of his mind and his soul. This book encourages the reader to "look directly at yourself facing the pain and the ugly imperfections within."

Highly recommended.

Get A FAVORITE SON:
★ Audio ★ Print ★ Ebook ★

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

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 biblical fiction?
Treat yourself to a gift:
A Favorite Son
★ Audiobook ★ Ebook ★ Print ★

A great audiobook review by the author of Dream Student, James DiBenedetto


★★★★★ 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.

Audible page for A Favorite Son

A First Glimpse into The David Chronicles

So, you may ask. What now? Having published four books in a year and a half, are you working on something new?

It's a good thing you asked, and yes, I am! My new novel is halfway done. It explores the life of one of the most fascinating characters in our culture: David. Here he is, pondering how to become larger than life:

I often wonder, what was it in Saul, what quality brought people to their knees in his presence, even in the early years, before he was anointed? What was it that made so many of them follow him, to the point of risking their lives? I have turned this question over and over in my mind, and the more ways I look at it, the more I find it baffling. There must be more to leadership than wearing a crown.
For now, this is what I have come to believe: people will follow, if they perceive that their leader is larger than life.
For Saul, this is easy. He is so damn tall!
But stature is only a part of his power. To make his authority even more visible to his subjects—and discourage anyone from doubting it—he adopted some manners, some symbols of high ranking. Which he must have learned from the hieroglyphic stone carvings of foreign war memorials.
These symbols include not just this court, but the walled gardens, too. Looking at the waterfalls pumping here continuously I have to remind myself that it is not the stronghold of some royal dynasty, dominating the Nile delta or the Babylonian Tigris and Euphrates. Set against the view of the poorest sun-stricken desert in Canaan, where water is scarce, this palace seems like a foreign place.
And looking at the center of all this, at the King himself, I have to pinch myself. He is a striking figure, and not just because of his royal garb. Just like painted icons—those of the god-kings of Egypt, and of the high priests of Akkadian empire—he has a magnificent beard, the likes of which I have never seen on another man before.
It is carefully groomed, oiled and dressed using tongs and curling irons to create elaborate ringlets and tiered patterns. Often dyed reddish brown with Henna, it is plaited with an interwoven gold thread. And in place of the ornamental scepter of the Egyptian monarchs, Saul holds the next best thing: his weapon. A spear.
I collect these details in my mind and examine them at length, all the while growing more restless. It is hunger for success, hunger for what he has, that turns in my guts.
No longer do I ask, what was it in him that allowed him to become who he is. Instead I wonder, whatever it might be, is it in me? Do I have what it takes to become a leader? A King, even?
And on my way up, how do I overcome my shortcomings? How does a kid like me—who is too young to grow even a single hair on his chin, let alone a fancy beard like his—find a way to project himself into an iconic role, a role that will become memorable for ages to come?
In short: how do I become larger than life?

The David Chronicles: Reach for Power


Here is my pencil doodle of the word Larger

The First Born son! It came to mean everything for me: The upper hand in life! The inheritance in full: Herds, camels, women, gold coins! And above all—taking over my father’s position and, in time, becoming the leader, the rightful head of the family. I had to win it all—or else be left with nothing.
If not the First Born son, I might as well be a bastard. And so, in my quest for legitimacy, I knew I had to betray my brother. I had to fool my father. What I failed to predict was the formation of a hole in my life. How could I expect loneliness.
I underestimated its weight; to my astonishment, it grows heavier and more burdensome now, with every passing year.

Yankle in A Favorite Son

We have not been camping close to a well for nearly three days now—but I happen to know where water can be found, because in her tent, under her bed, my mother keeps a full jug, for no one else but me. And so, I bring it to him, catching myself in an unexpectedly generous mood. He takes a long gulp. Then he has to catch his breath.
“Yankle?” he says.
“Yes, Esav?”
“What is this smell? So good...”
“It’s my new recipe! I call it a stew.”
“Give me. Give me now!”
“Well, no,” I say. “There are limits to my generosity.”
“You be sorry,” says he.
“Well, what’s in it for me?”
“Huh?”
“Do I really have to explain? What will you give me in return?”
“Give you?” he flares up. “A big smack.”
“Oh well,” I laugh in his face. “Forget it, then.”
He falls to some deep thoughts, by the end of which he throws his hands up in the air. “I give you something,” he offers. “Anything.”
I smile. “You know what I want.”
Then he hesitates. “No. Not that.”
Well, by now you know me: I can find a way, some way to convince him. So I go over to my big pot and, as theatrically as I can, raise the iron lid.
Out comes a puff of steam, escaping high into the air and carrying with it the most tempting, most delectable scent. Then, using my brother’s arrow as a skewer, I pierce through the juiciest, most succulent piece of meat, and bring it right under his nose.

Yankle in A Favorite Son



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