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, February 23, 2012

Never Did Writing Groups

I never got around to the writing group thing. Once, a publisher that I was submitting to required their writers to be members of writer groups, so I joined a local one. But even though they have emailed me about their meetings, I never made it to one.

The reason I'm bringing it up right now is because I just received another email advising me of another meeting that's taking place. But I don't suppose I'll go to that one either.

Maybe if I was younger, single and had no kids I would go to them. But when I was younger, single, and had no kids, I wasn't writing books. I was writing music. I was drawing, painting, and sculpting. I had a great time at San Jose State's Art Department.

It seems to me that even though they are probably good things to do for aspiring writers, I just don't have the time. No, I'd rather just write, and when that's done, revise.

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