Will iconic images recorded in the grooves of an ancient vase unite the Holy Land or rip it further apart?

THE VASE

A novel by Mark M. DeRobertis

Muhsin Muhabi is a Palestinian potter, descended from a long line of potters. His business is run from the same shop owned by his ancestors since the day his forebears moved to Nazareth. The region's conflict saw the death of his oldest son, and rogue terrorists are in the process of recruiting his youngest in their plot to assassinate the Pope and Israeli prime minister.

Professor Hiram Weiss is an art historian at Nazareth’s Bethel University. He is also a Shin Bet operative on special assignment. With the help of fellow agent, Captain Benny Mathias, he plans to destroy the gang responsible for the death of his wife and only child. He puts a bomb in the ancient vase he takes on loan from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.

Mary Levin, the charming assistant to the director of Shin Bet, has lost a husband and most of her extended family to recurring wars and never-ending terrorism. She dedicates her life to the preservation of Israel, but to whom will she dedicate her heart? The brilliant professor from Bethel University? Or the gallant captain who now leads Kidon?

Harvey Holmes, the Sherlock of Haunted Houses, is a Hollywood TV host whose reality show just flopped. When a Lebanese restaurant owner requests his ghost-hunting services, he believes the opportunity will resurrect his career. All he has to do is exorcise the ghosts that are haunting the restaurant. It happens to be located right across the street from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.




Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Keep Characters True

While revising the last portions of THE VASE last night, I came across a part where one of the main characters, the professor, made a statement that, when I first wrote it, I thought was an attempt on his part to be sarcastic. But when I reread it last night, I came to realize that it was really out of character for him, and especially during that moment, which was a pretty heavy duty moment.

As such, it would have been a time for seriousness, as the story was building to its climax, and so I rewrote it without the sarcasm. Besides, this guy was never sarcastic before, so why would he be sarcastic at that point, when the soberness of the situation called for crystal clear focus?

Just goes to show how important revisions are, and like I've said a million times already, every time you reread your work, it's going to result in a better story.

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