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.




Monday, April 25, 2016

Game of Thrones is Back

So Game of Thrones season 6 premiered last night. I like the series overall, but individual episodes really are not self contained shows. Meaning if you were to watch a single episode, it wouldn't be very enjoyable. It's the conglomerate of shows, adding up to one episodic experience that makes Game of Thrones something to be watched. So if I had only seen last night's episode, it wouldn't have been something that made me think, "Wow, what a show. I've got to see all of those shows."

But as a continuing story, it is just another show. A lot of shows seem to be following that pattern. Not all shows. Walking Dead, for example, continues to make each individual show interesting unto itself. Banshee, too. But not Game of Thrones.

Many of the shows today continue to take their stories to places I don't agree with, and it is bothersome. But what are you going to do? Write your own story? That's a good idea. Write your own story. That way, the story will go the way you want it to go.

And talking about writing your own stories, I'm still improving Second Chance, and will continue to do so until it's published in August. Same thing with my John Dunn story. I'll keep improving that one until it's published in November. As for my other WIPs, they are pretty much on hold until the other two are done. Because now is the time to do it. Not later.

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