The official blog is associated with www.mimaonfire.com. Author of 18 books including the Hernandez series 🔪
Loyalty Above All
There are no exceptions.
☠️#counterculture #villains #darkhumor #bloodthirsty #antihero #criminals #fiction #Hernandezseries #Canadianfiction #darkfiction #politicalthriller #Amazonbooks #Kindle #booksworthreading
In my new book Loyalty Above All (there are no exceptions), I further explore the wild, criminal world that is Jorge Hernandez. If you don't know who that is, this sums him up 👇🏼
A former Mexican narco transitions into Canadian life with family, politics, and business while holding tight to his ruthless, criminal ways. Meet Jorge Hernandez.
The fact that Jorge Hernandez is contemplating ‘doing good’ in the world should be enough to send a shiver down anyone’s spine. He may be living a seemingly legit lifestyle with his family in Canada, but don’t be fooled; this former Mexican cartel boss holds a powerful grip on everything from politics to media, and he’s never beyond getting a little blood on his hands.
When his daughter Maria steps up to someday head the familia, it is with great pride that Jorge breaks down the lessons that will secure her position in life. Giving her a glimpse into his daily activities, she quickly witnesses the stark view of the criminal mastermind at work. It doesn’t matter if he’s yelling at the prime minister or making plans to take someone down; Jorge does so with a powerful and unapologetic swoop. But how much is he willing to reveal? Is he ready for his daughter to learn about his brutal, murderous side?
In a world where trust is essential, Jorge teaches her the powerful lesson; Loyalty above all. There are no exceptions.
Check out the first paragraph (and me bumbling through it) 👇🏼
And the big news is I STARTED BOOK 17 THIS WEEKEND!! That will be the 12th book in the Hernandez series. Remember, you can read any of these books standalone without getting lost. I will share more information as I have it.
Love it or hate it, politics affect many aspects of your life. Unfortunately, people often don't pay attention until they are personally affected by a law or mandate. If you are Jorge from my Hernandez series, you make sure things never get to that point because you go right to the top and take control.
Jorge had barely arrived in the series when it became clear that he would be very involved in politics. Early on, he talked about how the only difference between the corruption in Mexican politics (his home country) and Canada is that Canadians hid it better. Jorge ripped the blinders off and revealed a much darker side of politics, never hiding the fact that he planned to control politicians to benefit his priorities.
When Alec Athas entered the series, talking about potentially entering politics to make positive changes from the inside, Jorge knew he had found the perfect person to control. With Jorge's manipulation, Athas was successful on a local level. When an opportunity to fill the elite position of prime minister came up, Jorge continued to push Athas forward, with the not-so-subtle warning that he owned him. As he so bluntly put it in one book, 'You gotta dance with the one who brought you'. The two men have been dancing ever since, and there's no question which one of them is leading.
In case you missed it, here's what the book is about:
The fact that Jorge Hernandez is contemplating ‘doing good’ in the world should be enough to send a shiver down anyone’s spine. He may be living a seemingly legit lifestyle with his family in Canada, but don’t be fooled; this former Mexican cartel boss holds a powerful grip on everything from politics to media, and he’s never beyond getting a little blood on his hands.
When his daughter Maria steps up to someday head the familia, it is with great pride that Jorge breaks down the lessons that will secure her position in life. Giving her a glimpse into his daily activities, she quickly witnesses the stark view of the criminal mastermind at work. It doesn’t matter if he’s yelling at the prime minister or making plans to take someone down; Jorge does so with a powerful and unapologetic swoop. But how much is he willing to reveal? Is he ready for his daughter to learn about his brutal, murderous side?
In a world where trust is essential, Jorge teaches her the powerful lesson; Loyalty above all. There are no exceptions.
You can find this book at all your favorite retailers including Amazon, Chapters, and Apple.
I also posted a few videos/blogs talking about my writing:
I will soon be sending out my year-end review newsletter, which will catch you up on everything you missed from the year. What does that include? All the videos, blogs, new books, and media attention in one newsletter. See last year's year-end HERE.
We also can't forget the book birthdays for January!
If you read the back cover description of my latest book, Loyalty Above All (There are no exceptions), you're only getting the prevalent theme in the story. Jorge Hernandez has two nemeses throughout the series; the prime minister of Canada (Alec Athas) and Big Pharma. This book is no different.
Let's check out the synopsis before I explain what I mean.
The fact that Jorge Hernandez is contemplating ‘doing good’ in the world should be enough to send a shiver down anyone’s spine. He may be living a seemingly legit lifestyle with his family in Canada, but don’t be fooled; this former Mexican cartel boss holds a powerful grip on everything from politics to media, and he’s never beyond getting a little blood on his hands.
When his daughter Maria steps up to someday head the familia, it is with great pride that Jorge breaks down the lessons that will secure her position in life. Giving her a glimpse into his daily activities, she quickly witnesses the stark view of the criminal mastermind at work. It doesn’t matter if he’s yelling at the prime minister or making plans to take someone down; Jorge does so with a powerful and unapologetic swoop. But how much is he willing to reveal? Is he ready for his daughter to learn about his brutal, murderous side?
In a world where trust is essential, Jorge teaches her the powerful lesson; Loyalty above all. There are no exceptions.
The likelihood of Jorge and Alec ever becoming best friends is highly unlikely. Jorge will always have an issue with the man who once had a relationship with his wife, even though it was probably about twenty years ago. Although he insists his frustration with the prime minister is because Canada's leader is too much of a 'pussy', deep down, we know that there's something else that incites his anger. The two men have one heated battle that takes things up a notch in this book. While behind the scenes, Jorge continues to control the Canadian prime minister.
Jorge's long-standing battle with Big Pharma is also unlikely to end anytime soon. You have to remember that Jorge started his fortune in the cartel. In his eyes, people were getting their drugs from both him and Big Pharma however, the latter didn't have any consequences to their actions, despite both were selling drugs that people used to get high. In his view, they were legalized drug dealers. When he took over the cannabis business in Canada, his battle against the pharmaceutical industry only grew more contentious and remains ongoing.
I like to keep as many irons in the fire as I can to keep things interesting. This book is no exception.
You wouldn't think that Christmas themes quite fit in with books about criminals, corruption, and murder, but I managed to do it in my 15th book, Psychopaths Rule the World. Not such a stretch when you consider how many psychopaths seem to show up during frantic moments at the mall and of course, family events (we all got at least one in our families!) at Christmas time.
As I've mentioned in previous blogs, I love contradictions in my books, and you don't get much more of a contradiction than murder at Christmas. I will admit that this is a theme I've noticed in other books (usually with a detective trying to find the person who killed the bakery shop victim or something of that nature), but my books tend to be a tad more brutal. For example, in Psychopaths Rule the World, one person is brutally murdered with a very heavy Christmas ornament. There's also a haunting scene at the end of the book that might traumatize you, but let's not get into that right now. 😉
I wanted to get some Christmas in my last book, but it wasn't always easy to work into the story. After all, this isn't exactly a family that bakes cookies, watches holiday movies, or makes snowmen on the lawn. Granted, I do love contradiction, so wouldn't it be fun to see gangster Jorge Hernandez do any of those things?
Of course, you have to give me credit because at least Psychopaths Rule the World has a festive color for the cover♥️
I can't speak for other authors, but the symbolism is a big part of my writing process. Jorge Hernandez brings a whole collection of symbols that relate to the world around me. Whether he's stabbing someone in a fit of rage or telling the Canadian prime minister what to do, my protagonist is demonstrating (in a very literal sense) what many of us think the super-powerful do in the real world.
Jorge Hernandez's approach to life may seem brutal and exaggerated to those who read my books, but this often represents the more subtle ways that someone in his position may affect the average Canadian. For example, Jorge Hernandez may kill someone (literally) in my books. In the real world, it may be the actions that someone powerful takes that cause death. Let's say they created a product that hurt people or made a decision that had a tragic effect on citizens.
Not to suggest that there aren't powerful people who murder people, but that's a whole other topic for another day.
Getting back to what I was saying, Jorge Hernandez often takes a very literal approach to what the elites may not as boldly demonstrate in the real world. For example, he openly talks about controlling the government. Although we may not doubt that the super-powerful do control the government, chances are you aren't going to get many of them admitting it. Then again, we are following his character around and are aware of his many private conversations where he talks about things we like to believe is just the arrogance of a dramatic character, but don't we kind of think this happens behind closed doors?
One of the best examples is my latest title, Psychopaths Rule the World. Although it sounds like a powerful title that may be a tad exaggerated, many people might be inclined to agree. The cover for this book has two men shaking hands with blood dripping off them which says it all, wouldn't you agree?
If you're a fiction author, you've felt the pressure to have as many book reviews as possible!
Of course, it doesn't stop there, does it? You're encouraged to have as many as possible, and they must give away enough of the plot to make it sounds mind-blowing without spoiling it for the potential reader. And of course, they must get close to five stars but not five stars because that seems suspicious, but anything under two and you may as well bury your head in the sand and perhaps, your writing career with it.
And book awards! If you won awards, then you've made it, baby!
Does this sound a tad intimidating?
This isn't to suggest that I don't enjoy having a great review thrown my way. I also wouldn't snub an award. However, much like the shameful act of not writing enough words a day, I believe this also fits under the same category of unnecessary stress that authors put on themselves.
Just write a great book. Don't fixate on the other stuff.
The truth is that having a lot of reviews give you a boost on Amazon, but most people will read your book because it captivates their attention and connects with them in some way. They're going to read your book because they checked out a free preview and found it interesting enough to continue. They're going to read your book because they saw you speaking in an interview or a video (see below) and liked what they heard. They're going to read your book cause they loved the cover or because a friend told them about it. They probably won't read your book only based on how many stars you got in a review.
I'm not an expert. I only know what's encouraged me to buy a book. It's never been because it won an award. I've also never relied on book reviews because savvy marketers offer services to write them. I also know that our tastes vary. A book I love might not be for you and vice versa.
It's not a race or even a competition. It's about finding your readers.
Most of my book titles aren't selected just because they grab attention or suit the book, but also because they sometimes make a statement that I think is relevant. It might say something about human nature, the world we live in, or be a belief that I have about the world.
I'll let you be the judge. Here are a few titles to consider:
A quote throughout the series is; in a world full of sheep, always be a wolf. That seems pretty relevant in our times.
In the end, I guess it depends on the author's style and motives. Maybe they want a silly title that shows a lighthearted side to their writing. Then again, they might want something dark that suggests murder, crime, or horror. For me, my motive as a writer is to make people think. I guess I feel that if I can't get them to read the book, maybe I can accomplish this (to some degree) by demonstrating my titles.
It's the spookiest month of the year and that fits right in with my Hernandez series which doesn't need a special occasion to play the evil card. Jorge Hernandez is pretty good at terrifying people throughout the year.
Let's check out what was new in September!
To start with, I had an awesome article about my writing in the local newspaper - check out the article here (I believe you can sign up for FREE or click on the image in this newsletter and read it from the photo). It was probably one of my favorite articles about my writing and I was very excited when I read it.
Last, but not least, I've added a new feature called BOOK BIRTHDAYS! With this, I will showcase whatever book has a 'birthday' for that particular month. For October, A Spark Before the Fire turns 10!! 🥳 This wasn't my favorite of my books, however, it was fun to write. Here's a quick review of what it's about:
Jimmy Groome never really believed that his life was worth anything. An overweight and unpopular teen, it takes a suicide attempt to bring a traumatic childhood experience into sharp focus. With some encouragement from family and a counselor, Jimmy picks up a guitar and it quickly becomes obvious that he has a natural talent. After losing weight and joining a band, Jimmy goes from being a shy and insecure child to an outgoing and self-destructive young adult. In a world where sex, drugs, and rock n' roll go hand in hand Jimmy’s future is uncertain.
In this prequel to Fire, we follow Jimmy Groome on his dark path, where he decides if he'll ignite the fire inside - or if he’ll let it burn out and fade away.
It might surprise you to learn that meeting a character isn't all that different from meeting an actual person. I mean, there are some obvious differences, but in theory, it's quite similar. What do I mean? Let me explain.
When you meet a person, it takes time to get to know them. You can make assumptions about them, get your first impression, but it tends to take time to unravel the complexities of a human being. People are complicated. They're a series of experiences, heritage, genes, and self-concepts that makes them both fascinating and at times, difficult to understand.
Characters are also complex, a product of their environment, experiences, and views of the world. And contrary to what many people might think, you can't decide ahead of time exactly who they are and fit them in a neat little box. It usually takes writing about them and seeing them in various circumstances and conversations to slowly reveal who they are and how they fit into the world.
So, in essence, I meet my characters when they come along in the story, but getting to know them is a whole other thing.
Despite his gangster ways, it may surprise you that murder is not Jorge Hernandez's automatic go-to when solving a delicate problem. But before dusting off his gun, the former cartel boss has a few tricks up his sleeve when dealing with uncooperative individuals.
The first thing you have to know is that Jorge Hernandez can quickly analyze any circumstance. Having been in many dangerous situations over the years, it's his instinct that has kept him alive. Needless to say, he can read a room fast and with accuracy, which helps him quickly figure out the best way to manipulate and intimidate anyone who gets in his way.
What can start as an unnerving conversation can quickly grow very intense. Anyone who casually writes off Jorge Hernandez as all talk should know better than to assume there will be no action. This is usually where the threats come in. Keep in mind that he has a powerful, frightening presence, which tends to bring the point home. This is a man used to going up against brutal criminals, so when dealing with the average person, who, at worst, might be an asshole, his methods tend to border on terrifying.
But make no mistake. If all else fails, Jorge Hernandez thinks nothing of murdering. You just better hope he mercifully makes it quick and painless.
Shortly after publishing my first book, Fire, in 2010, I was surprised when people started to inquire if the protagonist's story was based on my own life. This came as a bit of a surprise to me. It never would've crossed my mind that people would assume that my books were autobiographical, but apparently, that was a common belief.
As it turns out, I didn't spend my 20s in a rock band, with two of my bandmates in love with me. I didn't become famous, and most of all, my life wasn't quite as exciting as that of my protagonist, Tarah. Although, my protagonist and I did indeed have similar physical traits (petit and blonde), and that's pretty well where our similarities ended. If anything, I was living vicariously through my characters while writing the book.
I would later write about vampires in The Rock Star of Vampires, and Her Name is Mariah, which seemed to end any speculation that my characters were representative of my own life. After all, I'm pretty sure no one thinks that I'm a vampire. Of course, if there had been any uncertainty, I'm sure that ended when I started writing the Hernandez series, which centers on a man who used to be in the Mexican cartel.
Then again, one never knows what people think.
In my opinion, it's never a great idea to write about your own life or that of others you know, even if the book is technically fiction. In the end, it becomes more autobiographical, and rather than following a character and telling their story, you're telling your own. I can understand why someone might want to do this, but I would warn that this brings things a little too close to home, making it more difficult to see both sides of a story. To write a good book, I think you have to show other perspectives, not just that of your protagonist. Also, you have to consider whether or not you want people to figure out it's about you. There are things you might not want to share and books, even fiction, are deeply personal when unraveling your characters.
That's not to say that it's always a terrible idea. If you decide to write about characters based on you, my advice would be to distance yourself to get a broader view. I would switch up some details just to make sure no one catches on. 😉
As a writer, the last thing you want is for your readers to be bored, so it's important to kick things up before the story has a chance to fall flat.
Every writer is different, but for me, I like to have a lot of balls in the air throughout the entirety of my books. Having said that, there's something about that halfway point that screams at me to throw another curb ball into the game to see what happens. I feel that it's usually the perfect time to add an extra element to completely stress out the protagonist, therefore creating excitement for the reader.
Of course, this also means more of a challenge for the writer. But you're up for that. Right?
For example, in my book The Devil May Lie, I threw in a political scandal at the halfway point, causing a shift in energy for the story. This created a heavy, dark feel in the book. However, it was necessary to shift gears and move the story along. It was interesting to see what direction it took the characters and how everything unraveled.
It's important to keep readers on their toes. But of course, as a writer, it's not a bad idea to keep on your toes too.
Comedy may not be your genre, but it's still important to add a little humor to your writing. It gives characters dimension, it breaks up tension (especially in dramas), but most of all, it gives your readers an extra layer of entertainment.
Just like real people, characters have many sides to their personalities. Even the most complex personalities still have a funny side, even if it's not as prevalent. For example, in my Hernandez series, my protagonist Jorge can be described as intimidating, powerful, intense, and dangerous. Then out of nowhere, he'll make a sarcastic remark or comment that will make readers laugh. It may not be the top quality he's known for, but it's still thrown in from time to time to add a little extra flavor.
In general, humor is needed from time to time, especially if the particular story is very emotional or heavy. I know it may seem inappropriate in those situations, but again, just like in real life, we sometimes need a break when wading through difficult emotions. For example, if you're watching a movie where a character is dying, it can become very intense for the viewer to watch for a long time. However, if a child were to make an innocent (yet funny) remark or observation, it might break things up a bit for the viewer.
Comedy in writing shouldn't feel forced or overthought. Often if you follow the character's natural inclinations and personality, the humor comes out naturally and shows us their lighter side.
Often referred to as the 'bad guys' on television, movies, and books, but the truth is that something is appealing about villains that intrigues both viewers and readers. As a writer, I have a few ideas on why this might be.
1. There are no limits. Villains don't color inside the lines. They don't care about anyone's feelings and often have no conscience at all. They're impulsive, limitless and, free. They have no fear of going anywhere or doing anything. They don't play by anyone else's rules. And really, isn't that why we like them?
2. They show us the dark side of humanity. We like to think that there are good guys and bad guys in life and television, but the truth is that anyone is capable of traveling to the dark side. Think about the last time you watched the news after someone committed a violent crime. When a reporter approaches their friends, family, or coworkers, what do they usually say? "He was such a nice guy. I can't believe he would do something like this."
Exactly. We all have a dark side lurking in a dark corner. Only we can decide if it will come out.
3. They are powerful. Sinister characters are often powerful too. This power is the result of their natural, aggressive nature and, sometimes, cut-throat ways. Think of the head of a crime family or a politician with no scruples. Even if it's a small-time criminal, chances are that person has power over someone or something, and in fact, that's how we first discover that they're a villain in the first place.
Some people might like to believe that the good guy always wins, but in today's world, that's often more of a fairy tale than a reality.
Secondary or supporting characters should never be taken for granted. Without this intriguing group of friends, enemies, and acquaintances, we certainly wouldn't have as much fun with our protagonist.
One of the most obvious reasons why we need secondary characters is to make the storyline more interesting. Can you imagine your favorite book or movie with ONLY the protagonist throughout the entire story? It would have to be one hell of a character, and all the weight would fall on their shoulders to keep things interesting. Supporting characters also add some extra dimension and overall flavor to the story with their own unique stories and problems. The protagonists often get caught up in the middle of their dramas. In my Hernandez series, Jorge often finds himself trying to help his friends and family through their dilemmas. Of course, these characters also work with and against the main character to contribute to his story.
Not to mention that secondary characters have a way of showing you who our protagonist really is; the good and the bad. In fact, it's usually other characters that best bring out everything from rage to love in our main character, and it's always interesting to see how the protagonist reacts to these emotions. Of course, some characters contain themselves much better than others but aren't the erratic, crazy people more likely to capture our attention?
Sometimes we find ourselves falling for the secondary characters as much or more than our protagonist. That's fine too. Just because someone is the main character doesn't mean they also have to be our favorite.
If you follow the Hernandez series, you already know that Jorge does everything he can to protect his children from his dangerous lifestyle. The last thing he wants is for Miguel and Maria to follow along in his footsteps, but is it inevitable?
When Maria Hernandez made an appearance in the series, we immediately realized that she was very observant. Despite Jorge's efforts to hide the truth from her, she noticed things from a very early age, and much to his heartbreak learns about her crime boss father. Even then, Jorge continues to hide as much as possible from his daughter. It's when she gets caught up in a dangerous situation Maria quickly is brought up to speed.
As for Miguel, he's still a baby. I'm currently working on a book where he's approaching his 3rd birthday, but like his sister, he's observing everything going on around him. Jorge often says and does things in front of the child, assuming the baby is too young to understand. However, readers will begin to see the Hernandez coming out in him in my next book. And yes, he's just a baby but don't we always exhibit clues to our future while still children? For example, as a child, I wrote stories and acted out dramatic events with my Barbie dolls. and well, here I am.
Of course, the Hernandez children could go either way. They could become completely legit and 'normal' in comparison to their parents, but there's also a strong possibility that they could go the dark side too. They could become the most dangerous members of the crime family. We have to wait and see.
It might surprise people to learn that Jorge Hernandez wasn't always part of the Hernandez series. When I wrote the book We're All Animals (book 1), I hadn't planned a series, but merely a second book to finish the story of Chase Jacobs. However, when Jorge came along in Always be a Wolf (book 2), it was clear that I was only starting to tell his story.
Before Chase met Jorge, Diego told him that the Mexican was a 'silent investor' in their company. Up until this point, Chase had some suspicions that something sinister was taking place behind the scenes. However, being so young and inexperienced, he hadn't pinpointed the clues that he was working for criminals.
I introduced Jorge to my readers as charming, handsome (with 'movie star looks'), and very charismatic. The first impression was that he was likable, not the intimidating mob boss that we're used to seeing on television, in movies, and in books. I purposely demonstrated that he was very friendly to lure Chase in and make him feel comfortable. If this were in a fairy tale, Jorge would've been the big, bad wolf dressed up like grandma because this was how he played the game. He was a sophisticated businessman dressed in expensive suits and spoke in a polite, dignified manner. Therefore, few would think he was a bloodthirsty criminal.
There was just something about Jorge Hernandez that compelled me to continue writing. Now, ten books into the series, I can't seem to stop.
The first paragraph of a book should be inviting and yet give the reader a sense of the theme ahead. It should be catchy and provoke thought. Most of all, it should invite the reader to keep reading.
If I pick up a book and find myself confused, bored, or talked down to in the first paragraph, it is unlikely I will continuing reading. I find it very annoying when authors demonstrate themselves as writing elitists in the first paragraph, forgetting that they are trying to impress the average reader, not their university professor. Does that mean that everyday readers want books dumbed down? Of course not. However, they also want a comfortable read that is smooth and welcoming.
As an example, this is the first paragraph of my book, We're All Criminals.
Freedom is the trademark of humanity. To those in a prison cell, confined
to a hospital bed, or trapped in their figurative coffin, there is nothing
more beautiful than freedom. We’re all animals, and as such, it’s in our
nature to claw our way out of any trap we feel locked in because the light
of freedom shines much brighter after it has been lost. We will fight for it.
We will beg for it, and if we have to, we will kill for it.
No one appreciated freedom more than Jorge Hernandez. As a former
Mexican cartel leader, he had managed to escape both death and prison,
something he recognized as a rarity for his kind. Now in his 40s, he
was blessed with a beautiful family and lived in Canada. As the CEO of
Our House of Pot, Jorge had the monopoly in the legalized marijuana
industry. To the outside world, he was a charismatic Mexican-Canadian
businessman who is relatable and brought jobs to communities throughout
the country. But to those who knew him, Jorge Hernandez was one of
the most dangerous men in the world and did whatever he needed to get
what he wanted.
