Why we need more strong female characters 💪🏼 (Updated)

It should be a given that we need strong female characters in our books and television shows. And to be honest, I've seen an improvement in this area since first writing this article, but are we there yet? 

It's disappointing that I still see a few cringe-worthy examples. I recently caught part of a soap opera where a woman talked about how she 'found happiness' with a new man in her life, which suggested that she couldn't be or wasn't happy before he appeared. In the same show, a woman played the whole eye-lash-batting, I-don't-like-you-but-I-do game that caused me to roll my eyes.

That was a fail. Women don't need to play games or feel less valuable when they're single, and TV shows that perpetuate this scenario need to refresh their storylines and remember it's 2022.

Not to suggest that my female characters are always strong. They have their weak moments, just as we all have but for the most part, I like to think that they are powerful, independent, and self-reliant. Paige Noël-Hernandez and Jolene Silva from my Hernandez series are excellent examples. Physically and mentally, these women can take on any situation fearlessly; no hand-holding or white knight is required.

One of the things that I think is important to mention is that I'm not just talking about adults when I insist on strong female characters. My series has a young girl, Maria Hernandez, who demonstrates a great deal of strength. I think we sometimes forget that young girls are learning how to be young women in our society, and it is important that they aren't taught to take a weak position to get attention or be accepted. Maria tends to stand her ground, and although she can get a little out of hand sometimes, for the most part, she demonstrates a strong, confident child who's an independent thinker and fearless by nature. She is smart, articulate, and bold.

I don't tend to write about the 'damsels in distress', and I'm certainly not writing a fairy tale scenario where the prince swoops up on his white horse...I will leave that book for someone else. 😒

A Devil Named Hernandez by Mima 😈 (Updated)

In the thrilling sequel to The Devil is Smooth Like Honey, Jorge Hernandez is muscling in on the Canadian marijuana industry, unleashing the same savagery that made him a big player in the Mexican drug cartel. Whether it’s controlling politicians, and government officials, or using intimidation and violence to get what he wants, few people dare stand in his way. 

  

Although he takes on his enemies with deceptive ease, it only takes a single threat to his family to bring out the demon inside of him. Fueled by blinding rage, he attacks with relentless brutality, showing no remorse and offering no mercy.

In a world tainted by racism, corruption, and greed, he proves once again there is a devil, and his name is Jorge Hernandez.

In this eye-opening look into the life of the silver-tongued Mexican fox, you find yourself rooting for society's underbelly, as sex, drugs, and death intermix with family, love, and friendship. 

Learn about the entire series HERE! 

Also, check out my latest YouTube video, where I discuss this book in more detail.

Learn about the entire series HERE! 

Also, check out my latest YouTube video where I talk about this book in a little more detail.

Why I Hate Being Stuck in a Genre 😩 (Updated)

I hate the word ‘genre’. It sounds so limiting. As if you define your book in one, single category rather than having it overlap in many areas. Then again, is that surprising since we also live in a world that wants us to define ourselves into small categories that are easily digestible, uncomplicated, and make other people comfortable?

I stopped trying to define my books. Except for The Rock Star of Vampires and its follow-up, Her Name is Mariah, I have always stuck with the genre of ‘fiction’ when checking in with my publisher and later when asked which category my books fit. For me, a great book should overlap into many genres. There should be some romance – but not too much. There should be some drama – but not to the point that it becomes unrealistic. There should be some suspense but not necessarily non-stop from chapter one. There should be some erotica but not in the Fifty Shades extreme. I think readers should get a glimpse of themselves in the story as well as a fantasy version of themselves.

When I write a book, I visualize it as if it were one of my favorite dramas on television. I like surprise twists and turns. I love strong emotions. I like diving into dark topics. I love contradictions. I like the light side of our personalities that makes us human. 

Genres tend to be suffocating. When asked for themes in my first book, I stupidly suggested ‘romance’ even though it was only a fraction of the book. My publisher immediately suggested that I change the ending and do things differently to connect with the ‘romance’ fan. I wasn’t about to make my book into a tacky, $2 trash romance book and immediately said no. Same thing with the vampire books; I was told they weren’t ‘vampiry’ enough, not what fans wanted in this kind of genre – but to me, that was the point. Who says that all vampire books have to be the same? Isn’t the point of creativity to be unique? Sometimes I think this is no longer the case.