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, April 12, 2011

Exclusive Submission

Exclusive submissions are kind of tough. On one hand, you would think a publisher wants an exclusive submission because they really like your manuscript, and are seriously considering it. And I'm sure that's true, but on the other hand,you are tying up your manuscript with that single publisher, when the next one might be the one who will publish it. And if it's a timing thing, you don't want that door closing before you can reach it. So it's a tough decision. Still I'm glad I did it.

Virtual Tales asked for an exclusive for THE VASE, also, and then they decided to publish it. Of course we know now what happened, but that's not the point. The point is the publsher with whom I have experience with exclusive submissions, decided yes. So I hope it goes that way again. I really like this new publisher. Fingers crossed.

And speaking of submisions, I did it again. I sent my polished and edited version to the acquisitions manager of the publisher who wanted the exclusive, but I just couldn't resist the temptation to read through it yet another time, and sure enough, there I am making some improvements. Nothing major, and I even caught two or three typos that somehow slipped through the countless passes, and even the editorial pass.

So, when I got the option agreement in the mail I went ahead and sent the latest draft. I believe the acquisitions manager already read the version I sent first, but I said just in case anyone else needs to read it, to go with this one. And there probably will be other reads, so it's just as well. I'll post more info as it comes, but I don't expect to know anything new for at least a month now. Stay tuned.
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  1. Ricky BushApril 12, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    Yeah, I caught typos after several edits. Things that spell check doesn't do-like an extra comma or period, an extra space between words, a word that didn't belong, a missing word, etc...So, combing through it again was the wise thing to do.

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