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, June 8, 2016
More Time to Write
I don't plan on beginning any new novels, or new projects, but I do plan on polishing up Second Chance as much as possible, getting it ready for its August release. I'm not sure how a book about football will be received by readers. I think only people interested in football will want to read it. The problem is how many people who are interested in football actually read books? That is a scary thought. My guess is not many. Which doesn't bode well for sales.
However, there are places that live for football. The southern states in particular, like Texas, Alabama, and Georgia. And speaking of Georgia, that's the state where my publisher, Knox Robinson is now established. And they are going to be present at a Book Fair in that state this August. So with the release of Second Chance, a Football Story, I'm hoping those football fans over there will be interested in buying and reading the book.
Which makes me think maybe I should have made the story's setting in a southern state. I didn't. The story is set in New Jersey. And it was only by chance. I used what I thought was a fictional name for the setting. I came up with the name Middletown. So I had the story take place in a town called Middletown. Then it occurred to me to Google that name to be sure it was a fictional town. I discovered there really is a place called Middletown. It's in New Jersey. So I went with it. I just decided, OK, so the story will take place in Middletown, New Jersey. They like football over there, too.
So that's how I came up with the setting. Random at first, and then I settled with it. It seemed to work. But will the people in Atlanta be interested in reading about football in New Jersey? We'll see.
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