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, July 10, 2012

Killer of Killers - August 26th

And the days are counting. August 26th is the big day. That's when Nancy at Melange has said it will be released. And I'm looking forward to the second round of edits that Sherry said will arrive this week. That could be today. Or tomorrow. And when they do, I'll pounce on them, and get them back to Sherry within a week. And that just might be it. It will be Sherry's call, but I won't be surprised if she sends the manuscipt to Nancy at that point as being ready for publication.

If she wants a third round, that's okay, too. I'm game. Keep improving it until the last minute. But I'm glad I went through it again, even after applying the edits from the first round. I found stuff to improve and I did.

So the second round will actually be a third round for me. But still it will technically be the second round, and it's further than I got with the other two publishers in regards to THE VASE.

And speaking of THE VASE, I'm even going over that one again. Like for the umpteenth time, even though it's been twice professionally edited. But like I said, it didn't reach the second round by either of its two prior editors.

But hey, I know plenty enough about edits by now. And I am applying them to THE VASE. Specifically, the use of italics, em dashes, and exclamation points. You gotta use them sparingly. I mean very sparingly. Editors don't like those things. They say that they slow down the reader. I, myself, don't see it. They don't slow me down. But I guess other readers are slowed by them. Well, they're the editors, so you just go with it. You go with the flow.

And get rid of the all caps thing. I used to use all caps to denote yelling or screaming. But for that, italics will do. I did use italics for emphasis, and they work for screaming, too. My editor said that using all caps is a thing of the past. You know, the days of typewriters. But in today's computer age, italics is preferred, and I agree.

So keep revising everyone. That is if you've got a book you wrote. Don't let it sit. If I could ever give any advice, it's keep revising. Your writing will get better, and that's what you want. It's why KILLER OF KILLERS is so good now. And THE VASE, too.

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