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.




Saturday, March 12, 2016

Revisiting Second Chance

I finished with the read through of John Dunn - Heart of a Zulu, and needless to say, it's better than ever. I found very few typos, maybe one or two, but I did improve the prose somewhat, which is inevitable whenever you read through a manuscript with the intent to make it better. Most importantly, I added those two elements to make the story more believable. (The rifle scope and the reference to Shepstone being knighted.) So I'm with the mind that it's ready for publication after the editing takes place with Knox Robinson.

As for Second Chance - A Football Story, which is scheduled to be published first, I'm revisiting that one again. Meaning I'm reading through it page by page, word by word, like I did for John Dunn, Heart of a Zulu. What is surprising is that I am finding typos. I thought I had those corrected last time I read through it. But again, those pesky typos...they have a way of hiding. I won't be surprised as careful as I am, that there are some I'm missing this time too.

But it will be the fourth time I send a corrected manuscript to Dana, which is better to do it now, than after she's got it on the publishing rack. I'm making the most of my time, that's for sure. I'll just tell her that while I'm waiting, I'm making it better. Who could argue with that? I've already learned from experience, you make it better while you have the chance. And that's what I'm doing. Going by experience. The more experience you have at something, the better you get at doing it.

No comments:

Post a Comment