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.




Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Editors

There is no question that editors are absolutely necessary for a novel. No author is an island, so to speak, and I don't just mean Beta Readers. Editors are a must. Sure Beta Readers can give feedback, and even catch typos. But an editor is more than just that. They make suggestions and make sure that you are writing your novel correctly.

And for my first novel, Killer of Killers, my editors did that. I wish they did it more than once. They only did it once because, I think, they believed the writing was already there. They liked how I addressed the issues that they brought up, (mainly POV issues,) and let it pass from there.

But there were other things, and even some POV details needed improving, but overall, as a final product Killer of Killers is a well written novel, in large part because of the editors.

And The Vase, too. Just waiting to see the publishers final comments on that one. I will keep you posted.
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