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.




Friday, April 29, 2011

Who Has Time to Write All day?

It would be great to write all day. I read so many blogs by people who can do that. They don’t have to work because they are married to someone who supports them. Sometimes they have kids, sometimes they don’t, but can you imagine having all day to write? I can only wish.

Sure people like me who work full time still get their writing done. But it amazes me how some people can just get up and go right to their writing and have nothing else to do. I hope they realize how lucky they are. I have two sons and a wife who need a lot of my time. So it’s not like I can come home from my job and get to writing. It doesn’t work like that.

Still, I get it done, although it’s not easy squeezing the time in to do it. I spent the better part of last night helping the little son with homework again. What about my wife? She watches her Spanish novellas, and you better not do anything to distract her. I think those novellas are just as important to her as my writing is to me. And it's a good thing! I get a good window to write.

It occurred to me once to try writing one of those novellas. Maybe she would like it. Hhmmnn…

No comments:

Post a Comment