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, July 14, 2015

Doctored the Cover Design Myself

I haven't heard from the Melange artist yet, so, being an artist myself, I took the liberty to doctor up that silhouetted figure in that Killer of  Killers design. And I must say, the figure looks a lot more heroic now. He's more muscular, and the facial profile is much more what I envisioned Trent Smith to look like. Here it is.
Design with more buffed image

You can tell the difference, by comparing  this one with the one I posted yesterday. Of course my computer tools are probably way inferior, and I couldn't get a clean edge on the silhouette, so hopefully the Melange artist can clean that up. Also extend that city skyline across the bottom. And that skull nose hole. We'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Meanwhile I'm still wrapping up the final edits. I'm including some formal kendo moves with the sword fights that take place to make it authentic. One of the things people said about Killer of Killers was that my use of real Ju Jitsu moves made it authentic. So I'm trying to keep that going in Killer Eyes, and with all the swordfights int here, I figure to use at least some of the kendo moves. It should be wrapped up by tomorrow.
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