Norman L. Miller
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Norman L. Miller, author of IceSpy and its sequel Inside the Cold War, two gripping Cold War spy thrillers rooted in real-life events. Miller’s background is as extraordinary as the story itself — he served as a U.S. Olympic Bobsled Coach and a career member of the U.S. Air Force, and he found himself at the heart of an international incident that helped unravel the Soviet grip on Latvia.
IceSpy tells the story of a covert mission masked as a cultural exchange, where sports and politics collided in the most unexpected ways. The novel is a blend of firsthand experience and fiction carefully crafted to protect those involved. Measuring 6 x 0.78 x 9 inches in its latest hardcover edition, IceSpy is available in print, eBook, and audiobook formats through major retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
To explore the true story behind the fiction, readers can visit NormMillerAuthor.com or watch the official book trailer on YouTube.
We spoke about the origins of the book, the dangers of real-world espionage, and the message he hopes readers walk away with.
Jack: What inspired you to write IceSpy? Was there a specific event or personal experience that sparked the idea?
Norman: The IceSpy experience was extraordinarily precarious. I believed it would be extremely difficult for readers to understand that two people would be actually be the center of an international incident that became the ACTUAL START OF THE SOVIET UNION BREAKUP! When the Professor and the Author actually returned and landed in America, the Professor turned to the Author and said: “No one will ever believe us, no one!”
Jack: How much of IceSpy draws from real historical or political contexts, and how much is fiction?
Norman: The main theme of the story is based on actual experience and political events that were part of the Latvian Socialist Slate’s strategy to separate from the Soviet Union. Latvia had actually filed legal papers in the international courts to legally separate from the former Soviet Union.
It was this situation that the Author assumed if Latvia was successful, the Russians would stop all bobsled funding. The Author believed that if he was able to engage with a cultural invitation, the Latvians would provide the Author with secrets rather than allow the Russians from obtaining them. This allowed the Author to obtain secrets for the US government!
A press conference in Riga, Latvia, was scheduled to announce that the author and the Soviet Union Minister of Sports had reached an agreement for the Soviet Union Bobsled team to visit America for the 10th anniversary of the 1980 Olympic Games at Lake Placid, NY.
A Russian TV personality from Moscow made this statement: “Mr. Miller, since 1940 when Russia occupied Latvia, the Latvian Socialist State has never conducted business on their own without first seeking permission from Moscow! My question to you is this: Mr. Miller, as an American did it bother you that the Latvian Socialist State invited you to Latvia with a Diplomatic Visa without first seeking permission from Moscow?”
The Author replied: “Anytime I work with a foreign government I must report to the American Government my activities, which I did.” The Author then stated that he was not familiar with the Soviet requirements and left that for the Soviet Union Bobsled organization to do!
The question was repeated to the Minister of Sports of the Soviet Union who was actually Latvian and Russian. He responded: “I did not invite the Americans. The Latvian Socialist State debated for three months on how to handle the invitation and decided the time had come for Latvia to handle their own affairs and not Moscow!”
Fiction was interwoven to protect Latvian and American people who were actually involved with the incident!
Jack: How would you describe your main character? What challenges does he face in the story, and how do they reflect broader themes in the book?
Norman: The main character, Shawn Murphy, was a career member of the US Air Force and serving as the US Olympic Bobsled Coach. His background provided the CIA the opportunity to use his position to obtain strategic high-level secrets for the US Navy.
Working with the Author was a Design Professor from Syracuse University, who was helping the Author to develop more aerodynamic bobsled designs. Professor Malinowski’s background when working for Ford Motors was his design of the original Ford Mustang.
The third character was the Minister of Sports who made the astonishing international statement with the Author and was arrested the next morning then executed for crimes against the former Soviet Union.
The Author and the professor were smuggled out of Latvia and hidden in the Communist Party Hotel in Tallinn, Estonia for five days, then taken by boat to Helsinki, Finland. The Author successfully smuggled written secrets for the US Government. These are actual events with only names changed to protect them.
Jack: What message or feeling do you hope readers walk away with after finishing IceSpy?
Norman: I would like readers to get a small glimpse of what actually happens behind the scenes in the real world! In the espionage world people are often put into hazardous positions and cut off from the rest of the world. Their military training and desire to stay alive allows them to make instant extremely important life-saving decisions.
I want readers to read the story and actually “feel” like they are physically involved or watching a movie. They should be so emersed in the story that it is extremely difficult to put the novel down without turning the next page!
Jack: You’ve had experience with self-publishing and navigating the publishing world. What advice would you give to other authors trying to stay true to their vision while reaching an audience?
Norman: Self-publishing is extremely difficult and can be very expensive due to the corrupt people in the publishing world. Perhaps patience is the best advice to give authors. Instead of self-publishing a novel, be patient and spend your efforts on reaching an agreement with an authentic Literary Agent.
Jack: If IceSpy were to be adapted into a film or series, do you already have a vision for who might play key roles or how the tone should be captured on screen?
Norman: The film world has many excellent actors who are capable of representing the characters in the story. The tone should be about true history and brave characters who courageously and successfully accomplished extremely dangerous missions for their government.
Jack: Are there any upcoming projects, sequels, or companion works in progress that readers should look out for?
Norman: A sequel has been produced to complete the story. The majority of this novel is fiction, but Inside The Cold War completes the original story, IceSpy. A third novel is currently in the works and will also be a sequel to IceSpy.
Intrigued by Corruption actually expands the involvement of the Mafia’s take over of the US Bobsled Federation which athletes suspected was done to transfer Mafia cash to Swiss Banks!
Jack: Where can readers follow you online or learn more about your work?
Norman: To provide readers who are interested in learning more about the Author, should view his website: NormMillerAuthor.com, or visit Norm Miller Author on YouTube.
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