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.
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.
Connect with
the Author
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 21st 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.
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