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, February 3, 2012

The Art of Budo Ju Jitsu or Bu Jitsu

So we know that Trent Smith is the world's greatest martial artist who goes on a vendetta against murderers roaming free in society. But just how did he get to be the world's greatest martial artist? And which martial art is he so good at?

Well, I chose the Japanese art of Ju Jitsu for my character of Trent Smith, because that is the art that I took when I was younger. And imo, it's the single best martial art you can learn, because it encompasses just about every type of fighting. From punches to kicks, to holds and throws. You name it, Ju Jitsu has it. And the higher you rank, the more lethal it becomes.

But I didn't restrict his training to just Ju Jitsu, even though it would have been sufficient. No, I combined it with Budo. Budo is also Japanese and it's the art of killing. And it was mostly taught in the Japanese military, but Japanese police also train with Budo. And that sounds pretty cool. The art of killing. So I combined the two to get Budo Ju Jitsu. Sometimes shortened to Bu Jitsu. (Yeah, I actually came up with that. Bu Jitsu. Pretty cool, no?)

And in my story, KILLER OF KILLERS, Bu Jitsu is the deadliest art in the world. Which is why I add the text: "He was the world's greatest martial artist, a master of the world's deadliest art" on the cover. Anyone who likes martial arts stories would pick up a book off a book shelf if they read that on its cover. At least I think they would.

Next week we'll talk more about the training, and how Trent got so good at it.

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