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.




Wednesday, July 18, 2012

ARC and Reviews

Now that the ARC for KILLER OF KILLERS is the next step in my road to publication, I figure I better start thinking about reviews. At least that's what I have gathered from reading other writer's blogs. It seems that authors have a need to get their books reviewed. And of course, you want a good review. But there's going to be haters out there. There always are. And downright nasty ones, too.

Going by some of the reviews I've read out there, it's as though some people get off on being hateful and nasty to other people. Actually, the world is full of examples in every category. Even things that have nothing to do with the arts. Just people with a need to hate. And thankfully, there are the people on the opposite side of the coin, too. People who give raving reviews. And sometimes I wonder who these reviewers are. It's like, sheesh, that reviewer must be either the author's mother, or that author is the next Herman Melville.

But I know one thing. I won't be having any of my relatives or friends posting any reviews for me just to build up a collection of positive or raving reviews. That, to me, anyway, is just plain phony. No friends. No relatives. To me, a review is only legitimate if someone who doesn't know you reads your book and writes a genuinely honest review about how they really liked or didn't like your book.

So, for me, no friends or relatives to pad positive reviews, thank you very much. And I can only hope the haters and twisted perverts don't get a hold of my book, either. Just honest people who love to read and who love an actionn/adventure story about the world's greatest martial artist. And I am confident people like that will love the book. That's how I honestly feel. We'll see.

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