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, September 14, 2010

Neverending Revisions

Last night was Back to School night, and as I prepared my classrooms, (Two of them, one for Ceramics and one for Cartooning,) I could only think about the latest revisions I’ve made to both of my novels – KILLER OF KILLERS and THE VASE.

Yeah, my agent has KOK on submission, but I couldn’t help giving it another pass and, of course, I made wholesale changes in the prose. Not just here or there, but everywhere!

I did it for THE VASE, and found myself making drastic improvements to the prose throughout. But when I finished, I considered KOK. Since it hasn’t sold yet, I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. So I began to read it again, and even though I was still impressed with the storyline, the premise, the characters, plot and writing, I still found myself making drastic improvements everywhere. Although I am only about half way through it, I know I will continue to improve it straight to the end.

Then I’ll have to send it to my agent again. Hope she isn’t too annoyed. But I’m glad I did it.

Why not? If you can make it better, I say go for it.
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2 comments:

  1. Angela AddamsSeptember 26, 2010 at 5:49 AM

    Found your blog while searching for fellow writers going through the revision process. Great posts (I've read a few). Good luck on your submission!

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  2. Mr. DSeptember 26, 2010 at 5:12 PM

    Thank you. And good luck to you, too.

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