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, January 6, 2016

Knox Robinson Publishing Schedule Coming Soon

My newest publisher, Knox Robinson Publishing has sent word that their 2016 publishing schedule will be released soon. And I'm looking forward to that because my fourth novel, John Dunn-Heart of a Zulu will be among those publications.

I'm looking forward to this book, perhaps more so than any of my others. And that's because Knox Robinson Publishing is a step up for me. My first three books were published by POD publishers, meaning no hard covers and no bookstore placement. All orders for those books must be made online through the publisher's website, or Amazon, etc.

But Knox Robinson Publishing is closer to the Big Six publishers, insofar as they are a print run publisher, meaning they will publish hardcovers and place books in bookstores. As soon as the schedule comes out, I'll post the projected publication date for John Dunn-Heart of a Zulu.

It's a longer book too, with over 120,000 words. That makes it more suited to a hardbound copy. It's a great story, featuring the true story of John Dunn in Zululand between the years 1856 and 1879. Lovers of Historical Fiction will be interested in this book, as will anyone who's interested in British history and/or African history. The entire story takes place in South Africa, but before it was called South Africa. It was called the Cape Colony, Natal, Zululand, and the Transvaal Republic.

The events in this story directly result in what eventually becomes South Africa. It includes a lot of fascinating events. It was fun writing it. I even have a strong female character. Dunn's first wife, Catherine Pierce. Sure I had to fictionalize some of her scenes, but those scenes did not affect any of the real historical events, which culminate in the Anglo-Zulu War.

Stay tuned.

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