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 19, 2011

Trent Smith, the Ninja Killer

Finished my second draft of KILLER EYES last night. I’ve always thought it was a great story, but after working so hard on THE VASE, I had forgotten just how great it was. It’s not just a sequel to KILLER OF KILLERS; it’s really a continuation of it. It picks up maybe a half-year after the story in KOK ends. And it fills in some holes and answers the questions left over in KOK.

One of the great things about the main character, Trent Smith, in KOK, is that he never used a weapon other than his bare hands. I had no plans to change that in KILLER EYES. But you have to go with the flow. The way things happened in KE is that Trent is forced to use weapons. Japanese Samurai swords – or katanas to be specific. But I did make it clear in KOK that Trent was an expert in the use of several different weapons, so it’s not like I’m suddenly casting him out of character.

And like I said, the events that take place force him to use swords. The fact that he remains a bare handed fighter throughout KOK, I believe, is a credit to both my writing and the way the character handles himself. But when you’re fighting dozens of sword-wielding ninjas, (or the Chinese equivalent,) then you’d better get with the program. And it’s no less of a great story for it, either.

Heck, a good alternative title for KILLER EYES might have been, Trent Smith, the Killer of Ninjas. Let’s just say that even though ninjas are supposed to be elite fighters, to Trent Smith, they are mere fodder. That’s just how great a fighter he is. It's got some new characters, some of the old ones, too, and it's action-packed. Even more action than KOK! Hopefully you can read it one day and find out for yourself.

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