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, June 22, 2012

Just About Done

Just finished going over all of the edits. I applied most of them all right. Some a little differently, like I had been talking about. And to be sure, I fixed all the head-hopping. That was paramount. It seemed hard at first, but I got the hang of it. So now, only when a hard scene break appears, does the POV change. And I got rid of some scene breaks, too. I'm telling you this is one well-written story.

ButI still have to rewrite the very beginning. Not the Prologue. That stands. But the start of Chapter One. Only about three paragraphs or so. Like I mentioned in a prior post, I have to do something about those other people waiting in the Gate area.

I guess they can't be there unless they're awaiting a stopover like Trent is doing. And that's why I can have him in there. But I have to write it. I'll do that today. Right now it's time for some shut-eye. But I feel good right now. The manuscript is better than ever. I mean it's so polished I'll have to read it with sunglasses from now on. Can't wait to send it back. I hope to do that this afternoon. But we'll see.

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