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.




Thursday, October 27, 2011

WIP at 82,000 words

82,000 words for my WIP right now and I'm not even close to done yet. THE VASE is 88,000 words, and KILLER OF KILLERS is 89,000. It''s looking like JOHN DUNN will exceed 90,000 and might even reach 100,000 by the time it's finished. That's OK for historical fiction, I think. Right now in the story the Dunn clan has just crossed over into Natal to sit out the war.

After that, Lord Chelmsford's third column will cross into Zululand. Colonel Wood has already invaded, and Colonel Pearson goes the next day. Then I'll put in the scene where the Zulu king Cetshwayo is planning his counterattack. The Battle of Isandlwana will come after that. It's a fast ride and it's picking up speed right about now.
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