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.




Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Did It Again

Well, I did it again. THE VASE is improved even more. I know I said I was going to read through KILLER OF KILLERS before I got back to THE VASE, but I couldn't help it. Here's the way I'm looking at it. THE VASE is being considered RIGHT NOW. And with a good publisher. I just couldn't resist the temptation to go over it yet again last weekend, so I did, and sure enough, I made a bunch of improvements. Even more than I did the last time I sent in an improved version.

I've talked about this so many times because it just seems like revisions are never ending. Or will it finally end once it's been published? I mean once it's in print, I won't be trying to change it any more. Not unless I want to make a recall of all books sold and send out the newer version.

So, I figure the time is now or never. Get it done now. Don't wait. Just do it, man. Just do it. How can a publisher mind if an author they are considering wants to keep making the manuscript better? If they already liked what they read, and then they know it's even better now, then you would think they would like that, right?

Or is my prior worry the case? Will they think I'm an obsessive perfectionist? And if I am... is that a bad thing?
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)