Minus One Virtual Book Tour with Norwood Holland

About the Book

 Minus One the Drew Smith Series prequel takes us back when the attorney launches his legal career.  Before the ink is dry on his license to practice law Drew Smith finds himself at the center of a murder mystery.  The recent law school graduate works as a hotel concierge and befriends two bellmen an Arab and a Latino, Medhat and Julio.  Like the three musketeers they bond in a fraternal friendship put to the test when Medhat is kidnapped after running up a drug tab he can't pay.  Rescued by Drew and Julio, Medhat then becomes the prime suspect in a string of murders.  Driven by their romantic entanglements the attorney is captivated with a pretty Latina whose father objects to her dating a Black man. Julio and his Filipina love find themselves expecting, and Medhat’s passion for blondes gets him snared in a femme fatale's net. Minus One captures Drew Smith's evolution from youthful indiscretion to a professional burdened with seriousness of purpose.

About The Author

Norwood Holland is a freelance writer, lawyer, and author of the Drew Smith legal thriller series based on the capers of an urban trial attorney.  He is a graduate of Howard University School of Law with a bachelor’s degree in English from Fisk University where he studied under the renowned Harlem Renaissance author Arna Bontemps.  Holland favors D.C.'s local color in his fiction and currently writes the blog editorialindependence.com devoted to promoting independent authors among other things. 

He has served in several government agencies including the National Labor Relations Board and a number of Washington’s top national law firms.  In the mid 90s Holland began freelancing for the local media.  Some of his credits include The Writer Magazine, the Examiner, and Black Literature Magazine.  Minus One follows up on the success of Sleepless Nights, the first in the Drew Smith Series.

Book Excerpt

Chapter 1

Caught Red-Handed

HE OFFICERS WERE dispatched on a possible domestic dispute. They didn’t know what to expect when Mrs. Oliphant met the two at the elevator, one Latino the other African- American, both towering over the blue haired dowager. Nervous and animated, she spoke as rapidly as she stepped, guiding them to the apartment door.

“Are you related?” asked the stocky dark haired Latino. “No. I'm Carol's next door neighbor. There was a fight and I heard the disturbance,” Mrs. Oliphant sighed and shook her head as though shaking off a secret annoyance. “Mind you, I don't eavesdrop but I couldn't help hearing—you know thin walls and vents carry conversations. This is her apartment.”

They stopped in front of the corner apartment at the end of the hall. “I have the key,” she said. Mrs. Oliphant's tiny trembling liver spotted hand offered it up between the thumb and forefinger. With a nod the Latino urged her to open the door. “Hard to make sense of it all,” she continued her prattle fumbling to get the key in the keyhole, “I could only piece things together. She's so distraught almost hysterical—it had to be something traumatic. I gave her a sedative.” She relaxed with the key finally in.

“Did you go in?” the Latino asked. He reached over her shoulder, turned the knob and pushed the door open. “No, she told me to call the police.” Mrs. Oliphant followed the two in.

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Intimate Coversation with Norwood Holland

 Welcome Norwood, Take us into the main character of Minus One?

My main character is the protagonist Drew Smith.  He’s an urban criminal law attorney and though he is my favorite he is not the most popular among my readers.  Most prefer his sidekick Julio.  I like Drew because he so complex.  Sometimes even though I created him I can’t even explain him.  In my latest release Minus One, readers or often frustrated and confused at why Drew let’s himself be manipulated by his new buddies Medhat and Julio, but Drew wants to accepted.  And Medhat is by nature a manipulator.  Readers expect Drew an alpha male to be in complete control but the book starts out with Julio and Medhat playing him for a fool.  But the situation evolves and reader has to move on and accept Drew’s behavior.  In the end, we see Drew is no fool and allowing himself to being manipulated is all part of his continuing education. 

Drew is by far the smartest and as suave and charismatic as his two wingmen, Julio and Medhat.  Truthfully I love them all like a father I can’t favor one son over another. 

Norwood, What Inspired you to write Minus One?

What inspired the story was a fierce argument I witnessed between the real life Medhat and Julio.  Even back then I knew their relationship had the makings of good story.  So I would say the characters of Julio and Medhat were inspired by a real life buddies Medhat and Julio, but that’s as far as the comparison goes.  I can’t emphasize enough that this is a work of fiction.  The novel has some unrestrained and indulgent sexual scenes all of which are a figment of my imagination.  I don’t want readers to get the wrong idea.  All the romantic relationships are mixed, racially and culturally, but the only one, Drew’s relationship with Nina is affected by racism.  The Latina’s father objects to her dating a black man.  The multicultural setting provides the book’s background yet at the dawn of 21^st century race remains a major obstacle only for the Black man.  In addition to the suspense of solving the murder I think the reader will find interest in Drew’s reaction to and coping with the situation.

Tell us about your next release.

Snakehead is a story that deals with human trafficing and a corrupt F.B.I. agent.  The story was inspired by the headlines of two actual events (1) the sinking of Golden Venture, a ship loaded with human cargo that ran aground near New York City in 1993. Passengers had paid at least $30,000 each to be brought to the U.S. from China's Fujian Province, expecting to arrive indebted but unnoticed.  The second event was the murder of Eric Robert Wone.  A young American attorney of Chinese descent who was mysterious murdered in DC.  The two real life events are unrelated but both involve the Chinese immigrant community.  I got creative in linking the two with a corrupt F.B.I. agent who has his own agenda.  When Drew Smith’s law school pal the Chinese-American is mysteriously kill his efforts to track down the killer are thwarted by the F.B.I. agent manipulating the legal system.   

Did something capture your attention while reading the interview or book excerpt?  Scroll down and share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Featuring Author Julie Cosgrove

Welcome Julie to the Spotlight

 About the Author

At thirteen, Julie dedicated her life to Christ.  As a religion major at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, she received the American Bible Society’s Religion Major of the Year Award. She then studied for three semesters in seminary. She is a member of Advanced Writers & Speakers Association, American Christian Fiction Writers, North Texas Christian Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, DiAnn Mill’s Ripplers Group, The Christians Writers Group, and Christian Writers Fellowship International. A freelance writer and speaker, Julie has published hundreds of web content and articles with secular and Christian themes, led retreats, workshops, and Bible studies, and writes regularly for several Christian websites and publications. In the past three years alone, she has been published in Devozine and Alive Now Magazines published by the Upper Room, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Happiness to be released October 2011, Good News Daily, The Secret Place, Light from the Word, and has been commissioned to write a month long commentary on Philippians and Colossians for The Journey.

How did you become a Christian writer? When my husband was alive, we moved a lot for his job - so much that I soon became unemployable. We relocated to seven cities during the last ten years of his life. In one week, three people in three states suggested I try writing for a living. I figured that was a God thing because He always has to tell me more than once. I took a quick online freelance course, joined a writers' group, and began to submit articles. Within a few weeks I had contracts. So, I promised God I would tithe my writing day each morning to Him first. He has honored that. I write regularly for two Christian women's websites and have been published in the past three years in two Upper Room magazines, Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Secret Place, Good News Daily and The Journey, amongst others. I am also eking out a living as a freelance writer, author and public speaker even though I am now widowed.

What is your passion? Speaking to Christian women - leading workshops and retreats. All four of my non-fiction books came out of retreats I led. They are -

P.R.A.Y.I.N.G:Bringing Power and Purpose to Your Prayers in which I show how each letter is a form of prayer.

What Can She Tell Us?- A Bible study on the unnamed women in the New Testament.

Song Notes- a collection of devotionals on the Psalms.

Between the Window and the Door, a study which looks at why God places us in the in-between times through both life experiences and Biblical examples.

What is your fiction novel called? Focused. It was released earlier this year.

What is it about? Jen is in middle age maliase. Her parents have passed, her son has flown nest, and her husband, Jeff, is often absent, even when he is in his beloved recliner. Will her new trifocals help her focus on her faith and her fidelity once her newly divorced high school beau resurfaces in her life?

What do you hope this book accomplishes? I read a statistic that claimed if a marriage survives the first seven years, 80% of divorces will occur within a year after the death of a parent or the children leaving home. I wanted to address this, but in a fiction format so people could follow both Jeff and Christina's story. I hope readers will begin to see why a marriage gone stale is worth fighting for. Even if you have a good marriage or are not currently married, it will make you smile, and perhaps cry a bit. It is a heart warming, and at times an honest and humorous, look at real people in real life. So far, the women, and a few men, who have read it says it is a very good, realistic read without being preachy. 

Any tips for upcoming authors? No pun intended, but stay focused on what God is calling you to write. Also, be patient in His timing and definition of what will be your success. 

Continue to grow in your craft by graciously accepting positive critiques from authors who have been published as well as attending conferences, workshops, and becoming an active member in mentoring groups either online or over someone's dining room table. 

If you feel this is your passion and God's calling, do not give up. In the course of writing over the past four years, I lost my husband and lost the use of my right hand. Praise God, through surgery, I can now type with three fingers on that hand again, though often my letters get jumbled up because I cannot feel the keys. 

How can readers contact you? Go to my website www.juliebcosgrove.com. There is a contact tab to click on which takes you to a form you can fill in. Also, they can make comments on my blog - Where Did You Find God Today? and follow me on either Twiter@JulieBCosgrove or through Goodreads.

Book Giveaway

I will offer a giveaway, today. The winner will receive in the mail a softcover copy of Focused free of charge AND a coupon for 15% off plus free shipping and handling on their choice of one of my nonfiction books if ordered through me. To be eligible, you must leave a comment with your email address on this blog, or on mine over the next three days. The winner will be chosen at random.