‘ABRAHAM, THE DREAMER: AN EROTIC AND SACRED LOVE STORY’ EXPLORES TURBULENT LOVE TRIANGLE Written by Rolf Gompertz
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The book has received high praise from religious and lay leaders. “…A powerful, modern midrash (commentary) on life of Abraham, giving it a contemporary ring …The Biblical characters come alive and become very human. It has been meticulously researched and bears mark of a master storyteller” -- Rabbi Moshe J. Rothblum of Adat Ari El, a Conservative synagogue in North Hollywood, CA “…Simply stunningly brilliant and plausible, in every way…A lovely, powerful and important book.” --Rev. Alla Renée Bozarth, Ph.D., Episcopal priest, Sandy, Oregon, author of “The Book of Bliss” and “At Foot of Mountain.” Gompertz is author of seven previous books, including his acclaimed biblical novel, “My Jewish Brother Jesus,” written from a Jewish point of view. Gompertz and his parents came to America in 1939, as refugees from Nazi Germany. He has his B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from UCLA. He was on staff with NBC and teaches at UCLA Extension. He created, produced, wrote and hosted a local TV series, “ADAT ARI EL PRESENTS: Journeys into Judaism.” He and his wife, Carol, live in North Hollywood, California. They have three adult children and four grandchildren.
Rolf Gompertz is the author of eight books, including, “Abraham, The Dreamer/An Erotic and Sacred Love Story,” a biblical paperback novel about the turbulent relationship between Abraham, his wife, Sarah, and “the other woman,” Hagar. It may be browsed and ordered online at www.iUniverse.com, at www.amazon.com or ordered from any bookstore or at iUniverse’s toll free number 1/877/823-9235. Author contact: mailto rolfgompertz@yahoo.com
| | A DEAD-END BOOK COVER, A LAPIS LAZULI MOMENT, A SACRED SUNRISEWritten by Rolf Gompertz
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The first thought that came this way was “lapis lazuli.” I had used lapis lazuli jewelry in book on several significant occasions. The gold-speckled, deep-blue gemstone was highly prized in those times. In book, it is presented as a gift to Sarah, high priestess, during Sacred Marriage Rite. Elsewhere, I have Abraham giving Hagar a lapis lazuli necklace and matching earrings upon consummating their love. A lapis lazuli-colored scarf also figures meaningfully in story. “Yes,” I thought to myself. “That’s it! That’s my cover. A lapis lazuli necklace and earrings and a lapis lazuli scarf. A perfect metaphor for full story.” I was elated, exhilarated. I loved simplicity of idea, richness of deep-blue color, poetic symbolism. But there was only one problem: I could not locate images of scarf and jewelry. I even had trouble locating an image of a lapis lazuli gemstone. Though I still had a couple of days left to find right image, I now feared that my book would be canceled since I had nothing for cover. I paced nervously through house that evening, going back and forth between bedroom and study. I paused before my nature pictures which cover walls, photographs that I had taken of sunrises and sunsets, lakes and oceans, trees, flowers and clouds. I don’t know why I turned to these images -- perhaps to relax me, to comfort me, to inspire me, which they have always done. Suddenly, my eyes fixed on a blazing red sunrise, with a white cloud spiraling into sky, hovering over a dark lake. Whenever I looked at that spectacular image, in past, it always left me awed and breathless. This time, however, sunrise addressed me in a new way — its blazing colors spoke to me of erotic passions, its cloud spiraling upwards spoke to me of sacred and heavenly, of dreams and dreamers, fiery pillar emerging out of darkness spoke to me of immanent and transcendent God, great Mystery, awesome Mystery, holy Mystery, loving Mystery in which we move and live and have our being. Yes, this was cover! This was my cover! It had emerged from wondrous mystery of creative process. It reminded me, once more, to stay loose, remain flexible and trust that process, that Mystery, in all its creative variations. Copyright 2002 Rolf Gompertz. All rights reserved.
Rolf Gompertz is the author of eight books, including, “Abraham, The Dreamer/An Erotic and Sacred Love Story,” a biblical paperback novel about the turbulent relationship between Abraham, his wife, Sarah, and “the other woman,” Hagar. It may be browsed and ordered online at www.iUniverse.com, www.amazon.com, from any bookstore or iUniverse’s toll free number 1/877/823-9235. Author contact: mailto rolfgompertz@yahoo.com
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