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, March 16, 2016

Inside the Outhouse over 25,000 words

Just thought I'd chime in with a word count for my WIP, Inside the Outhouse. It's over 25,000 words at this point, and I figure it's over half way done. My students are glad to hear I'm finally writing a book they can read. I've made it clear that my current published books really aren't for them. The Vase is a book they can read, but it's really not for kids. The two Killer books are certainly not for kids.

But being a Middle School teacher, I thought I would go ahead and write a Middle Grade book. As for Second Chance - a Football Story, I'd classify that one as a YA book. Meaning for young adults. Stress the word "adults" on that. There's no sex scenes and no killing, but there are a lot of swear words in there, which would be labeled as profanity. I included the profanity, because on a football field, or in a young man's apartment, there is profanity. Young men swear a lot, while playing football on a football field and in a living room drinking beer watching a football game. It's what they do.

So because of that I would not recommend Second Chance for a Middle School reading list. High School, perhaps, but not Middle School. Which is where Inside the Outhouse comes in. No swearing in that one. No sex scenes and no graphic violence. There might be some scary scenes in there, but not violence. And no blood, other than a scene in a blood bank. But there is no blood being spilled.

So, yeah. Inside the Outhouse is definitely an MG book. Not sure how I'll conclude it yet. Not even I know how it's going to end. That's why you write the book. you get to the end and you end it. Until then...

No comments:

Post a Comment