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, November 15, 2011

Genre Preference

I guess a lot of people have a genre preference. I don't really. When I was a kid I liked science fiction, but I also liked historicals. I was into the American Civil War for a long while. Didn't read a lot of books about it though. I never even read Red Badge of Courage. But I did read a few Ray Bradbury books, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and H.G. Wells. It was when I discovered Conan and Robert E. Howard did my genre preference for Sword and Sorcery develop. But only in reading. I wouldn't try writing a story like that.

My first attempt at writing was science fiction. I didn't get too far, but I was only eight. My next effort was actually an attempt at creating a science fiction graphic novel. Got two of them completed in what was supposed to be a four part series. I hope to post them on the blog one day. But I don't suppose I'll ever get the other two done. It's not where my head is at. I'm only into the writing now. And what I like writing is contemporary thrillers, and of course my WIP which is historical fiction. But I do believe, at this point anyway, that this is an exception. Too much research involved to do this again. I should have been done a month ago.

As for art, I'm just a teacher now. I'm not even sure I want to illustrate my own covers, although a few people have suggested I do. You know, they say, "Hey, you're an artist. You should do your own cover." Maybe I will. I'm thinking about it.

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