Spider Green Series by Norm Harris

GENRE: Mystery/Thriller Legal Military

I love the cover for Fruit of the Poisonous Tree by Norm Harris. And, sometimes the characters are to die for, so let’s check out what Norm has in store for us.

* Fierce Female Lead Characters: How to Create Strong Role Models in fiction.

I will begin with a recent review from the second book in the Spider Green Mystery Thriller Series. Arid Sea. The review validates in my mind that I am on the right track with regards to the craft of creating strong, if not fierce, women.

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong female Protagonist.

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2022

This was my first Spider Green mystery thriller. She has many names. I enjoy reading a tale about a strong woman. This one has an equally powerful sister. Yes, there are charming and evil men in their lives. An intriguing and interesting story that kept me turning the pages. I am eager to read more of her adventures. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

Fierce females can be found easily in the movies. The Marvel series alone has many of the badass ladies. And not to forget Wonder Woman. Over the top ladies, the characters in our stories do not have to be extraordinary to be authoritative, credible, or notable.

It may be easier for me, a man, to write fierce women because I add male traits to their fiber. I cannot see the world as a woman does, so I rely on editors to put my ladies in the proper light. I will list each character from my four books Spider Green Mystery Thriller Series, with a bio. It may help to understand how this was done. Keep in mind that all of these characters are military females. A male-dominated career choice.

Faydra Green is a Navy lawyer, a JAG, of Judge Advocate General. Her central conflict is that her dad was President of the United States. Fay wonders if any of her achievements were of her own making or if those doors opened to her because of her celbrity status? She proves to be not only intelligent but fearless as well. The female version of James Bond or Clancy’s Jack Ryan. Not superhuman like a superhero, but the no surrender desire is there.

JP is Faydra’s half-sister. Her half ethnicity is native American. J.P. is smart, she is witty, but she has low self-esteem. It is up to her sister to hold up J.P.’s sense of self-worth. Faydra knows it, and the reader can see it as well. J.P. is tall, a kickboxer, and would like to be a fighter pilot. 

Irishka is fierce simply because she is a Russian espionage agent. 

Yet, when I asked the editor which her favorite series character was, she said Irishka is the most interesting in her opinion. Irishka is a no-nonsense woman who will do what she has to do, including assassination, if it serves to realize her goal.

Katrinka is Irishka’s twenty-three-year-old softer protege. She is a spy who began her career out of necessity at age thirteen. This in itself served to shape Katrinka’s mental and physical fortitude. 

Azrael is a twenty-three-year-old Latino from East LA. And she is a Marine. By nature, Marines are exemplary of mental and physical strength.  Where Azrael grew up sets the stage for her strong female bearing.

When I place these fierce women into their respective scenes they have what is required to accomplish goals that the average man, or woman, would have difficult if not impossible to complete.

All fierce women have to be qualified in the storyline you have set up for them to be believable. For example, Faydra is put in a scene where she must scuba dive on a dangerous op with a SEAL team. As a set up earlier in the story, the reader is told of her passion for scuba diving, so when it comes time for her to dive with the SEALs, we know she has the skill. Still, she must find the courage to complete the mission.  

As I write these scenes, I recall what may well be the single greatest and fierce strength in any female animal. The mother protecting her young. Find that fierceness and then place it into the heart of your powerful female character. If you have read your female-centered scene and if she brings a tear to your eye or if you feel proud of her accomplishment, you have created the character you set out to create.

As a guide, I recommend studying Faydra, who you will find in all four books. J.P. in books one and two. Irishka and Katrinka in books three and four. Or Azrael, the Marine, in book four. I assure you these are fierce women who all have a feminine side.

This is an example of two strong women having a fierce exchange from Fruit of a Poisonous Tree. Senator de la Croix has ordered “Spider” Green to meet with her. To set this up de la Croix wishes to cover up the death Green is investigating. Under normal circumstances, one would expect a military officer to be submissive to a powerful U.S. Senator. Yet Fadra is a fierce warrior, so she deals with the Senator in her own way. 

     “Seaman Rodman’s death, while unfortunate,” de la Croix said, “was accidental and nothin’ more.”

     So, the old bat knew all about this and had decided that an accident was what it was.

    “You’re a bright woman,” de la Croix continued. “In fact, I’ve heard that you’re on a fast track to becomin’ one of the youngest lady admirals in the history of the U.S. Navy. I would hate for your illustrious career path to take an unfortunate wrong turn somewhere along the way.”

     Threaten me!? A basic white girl who has not had her Starbucks fix today!? She nodded and remained silent. She had not liked de la Croix from the first time she met her. She enjoyed her even less now. Ah, what the hell, may as well fire one across the old scow’s bow. “Senator de la Croix, career path or no, I must investigate this incident, regardless of whose toes I may step on.” Something her dad would have said at a time like this.

     Her impertinent response quickly drew the ire of de la Croix. Her nostrils flared; her eyebrows arched. “You listen to me, little lady, and you listen well.” Her open palm smacked the surface of the conference table as she demonstratively drove her point home.

     This woman comes to anger quickly. Maybe this is where she bellows, “Off with her head.” Something the Queen of Hearts would have said at a time like this.

     “I don’t need to hear of your platitudes on duty to God and country. I know duty. I began servin’ your country while you were still in diapers, Missy.”

     One more time with this little lady/Missy bull crap and de la Croix will be missin’ her own damn head, Fay thought. At times, it is hard to remain respectful with one whom you have so much disrespect for.

Thanks so much for diving into the guest post and sharing your thoughts, Norm.

BLURBS

FRUIT OF THE POISONOUS TREE (Book One):

A female lawyer must prove a war hero’s innocence. Navy SEALs hijack a Russian warship to stop a North Korean missile crisis.

“A great read with a stunning finish.” – Advocate, Narayan. “Picturing Justice,” published by the Faculty of Law, University of San Francisco.

Every now and again, a unique story comes our way, a story unlike any we may have read before. Such is “Fruit of the Poisonous Tree,” author Norm Harris’s first critically acclaimed mystery/thriller. The story’s focal point is Faydra “Spider” Green, a dedicated Navy lawyer who has lived her life in the shadows of a great and powerful man: her father, former President of the United States William Green. Green cannot heal the wound in his relationship with his daughter. His former power and influence curse Faydra and cause her to wonder if her accomplishments were her own doing.

Faydra is anxious and excited as she undertakes her first homicide investigation: the murder of a Navy SEAL. She reasons a successful investigation will provide her the opportunity to validate her sense of self-worth. Thanks to her remarkable deductive abilities, Faydra soon realizes the accused man, a Special Ops Marine war hero, may be innocent and the Navy is using her as a pawn in a complex cover-up.

“A sharp, crackling military thriller…, Norm Harris’s ‘Fruit of the Poisonous Tree’ offers a labyrinth of military cover-ups, surprise twists, and insider techno knowledge. Good, exciting, inventive read.” – Wendell Wellman, actor, producer, and screenwriter for Clint Eastwood’s “Firefox” and Producer of “Top Hat,” “Sail Away”, and “House in the Canyon.”

Meanwhile, a seasoned Navy Sea Captain, Egan Fletcher, a single parent, struggles to balance his Navy career with raising a son. When the Navy purposefully pairs him with Faydra in a meeting, the two Navy officers embark on an adrenaline-pumping adventure. It is a top-secret mission-impossible taking them around the world in an attempt to avert a catastrophic act of terrorism in the form of a biological war.

“Norm Harris’s book grabs the reader with its first sentence and holds the reader throughout with its fast-paced action. Dialogue is always the hardest to write, but Harris has captured the art and, with his writing, keeps the reader turning pages. His ability to heighten the intrigue keeps the reader on the edge of his or her seat throughout the story. Strongly recommend the book…” – CAPT David E. Meadows, US Navy, author of numerous (15) military thrillers, such as “Sixth Fleet,” “Seawolf,” and “Tomcat.”

Set against the dramatic backdrop of Washington State’s Puget Sound and the mystique of East Asia, Fadra’s story revolves around a woman who appears to be as pure as the driven snow—yet, she is driven by an insatiable need to complete any assignment, no matter how dangerous. Along the way, she transforms into a symbol of hope, perseverance, and a woman’s ability to overcome life-threatening events.

“This story is complex and well crafted, and you’ll immediately invest your emotions in these vivid characters. The dialogue is some of the freshest I’ve encountered in some time…. As a reader, and as a novelist myself, and now as a fan, my hat goes off to this guy. A wonderful debut.” – Larry Brooks, critically acclaimed author of psychological thrillers (including “Darkness Bound,” “Pressure Points,” “Serpents Dance,” and others), in addition to his work as a freelance writer and writing instructor.

The first novel, “Fruit of the Poisonous Tree,” begins the riveting Spider Green Mystery Thriller series. If you enjoy the razor-sharp dialogue, strong-willed people, twists, and high-octane action, then “Spider” Green, the intrepid female sleuth and unpretentious hero in this taut, fast-paced adventure, will appeal to you.

EXCERPT

Spider Green Series by Norm Harris

 Mystery/Thriller Legal Military

Fay turned and descended the ladder to the waiting boat. She dug deep into her soul to gather what courage she now carried with her to the dark and foreboding place known to all seafarers as “Davy Jones’ Locker.”

The frigid night air slapped her face as the small boat raced across the flat surface of the night water; sea spray soaked her face and hands. She squinted and fixed her gaze on the wall of black now standing before her. I’m going to need severe beauty salon time when I get back to civilization, she thought.

Shortly after, the boat arrived at the prescribed dive location. The dive team donned their facemasks and tested their gear—then, one by one, the divers rolled backward from the boat and into the water. Fay was last to leave the safety of the small boat.

The cold salt water stung her skin momentarily, until the thin layer of water between her skin and her wetsuit warmed to a tolerable temperature. She bobbed on the surface for a moment, then flicked on her underwater torch. Fay then slipped beneath the water’s surface and began her descent toward the bottom.

The wreck was ninety feet below. The Carr came to rest upright on the edge of a reef. The ship had not completely settled and was subject to shifting with each tide change. All good reasons for her to exercise extreme caution.

Nothing could have prepared Fay for the frightening feeling she experienced as she struggled to see and gain some sense of direction. She could tell she was sinking, but only because the luminous dial of her depth gauge so indicated. Following the eerie flickering lights of the three torches preceding her, she suppressed her fear and the feeling of claustrophobia by thinking of those people nearest to her heart.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Norm Harris’ first novel debuted on an Amazon bestseller list in 2002. It was a one-and-done, but now he’s back with a plan to publish a couple of sequels to that first mystery/thriller of days gone by. Except for time spent in military service, he is a second-generation Seattleite (that’s what they call those who dwell in the shadow of Mt. Rainier), with his legal beagle son, K-K, and five giant tropical fish. His upcoming release, Arid Sea, is the third book in what he hopes to be an award-winning Spider Green Mystery Story series.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/780557.Norm_Harris

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