Let's talk about Chase Jacobs 🥊 (Updated)

Chase Jacobs is a fan favorite because he is gentle, kind, and very much the boy next door. He tries to do the right thing in most situations and is known overall as a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy. However, as the series moves forward, this changes. 

Chase came along in the first book for the Hernandez series, We're All Animals, and has stuck around ever since. When we first met him, Chase is 18 years old and just graduating high school. Suddenly dumped by his high school sweetheart, he's hanging out at a house party, confused and depressed. When party guest Audrey sets her sights on him, she slips something in his drink to 'loosen him up', and the two end up hitting the sheets. Although it was automatically a regrettable mistake for Chase, it becomes more so weeks later when he learns that she is pregnant. From this point on Chase's life starts to spin out of control.

We continue to follow along with Chase as the protagonist in Always be a Wolf, and we later switch gears when Jorge Hernandez jumps in the driver's seat from that point on. But don't worry, Chase continues to go on for the ride. 

Let's Help One Another! (Updated)

Independent artists and small business owners have a lot in common. They both work hard to get noticed (often as a side project along with a job) and don't have much money to invest in advertising. It's a struggle - but it's a struggle that's filled with passion. Anyone who has a side project probably isn't doing it for money alone because any new business owner or indie artist will tell you, it takes time to show a profit. They'll probably also tell you that they wouldn't be doing it if they didn't love it.

Somewhere between the time I published my first and second book, I had a friend insist I was crazy. Not to suggest she wasn't completely wrong, but her specific reason was that I invested in a book and advertising and wasn't making stacks of cash back. To her, I was wasting my time. Here's a spoiler alert; we weren't friends much longer. 😄

We have to follow our passion. It's not just for potential financial gains but the personal growth stemming from the challenges and the many learning opportunities along the way. Had I never written a book, would I be the same person? Where would I be now? Would I still be friends with that imbecile I mentioned in the last paragraph? I can't even imagine.

Artists and small business owners need to work together and help one another out. Be open-minded and know that by helping someone else, you're indirectly helping yourself too. It's an unselfish act that makes you feel pretty good about giving a hand to someone you know has been working hard to get ahead. Always be open to new ideas. Maybe you never considered (or wanted to) having a YouTube channel, but another artist suggests you start a project together. Maybe another business owner wants to collaborate on a promotion. Hear people out and consider their ideas. You never know where it might lead.

Follow your dreams because without them, what do we really have?

What are my books about? 🤔 (Updated)

One of the most difficult questions for me to answer is what my books are about because there's no simple answer. If I had to give an overview, I'd lean toward dark fiction or counterculture, but there's so much going on in my books that it's difficult to pinpoint. 

As it turns out, there are a lot of subjects that I cover in each book. For example, my first two books are about rock stars, but they're about much more. For example, Fire is about the commercialization of the music industry, the unexpected stress and pressures of fame, and the reality of our obsession with celebrities.

Jumping ahead to my Hernandez series that centers on criminals, you might be surprised to learn that the series is as much about family, loyalty, and political issues. It involves murder and violence, but there's also a close unity within the group, a strong bond that might seem unexpected in such a series. 

No book is ever just about one thing, and in fact, most books are vastly complex when you try to break them down. Overall most of my books contain dark humor and even darker topics. You'll be left with something to think about when you finish the book. 

Always be a Wolf 🐺 (Updated)

Always be a Wolf is the follow-up to We're All Animals and is the second book in Mima's current suspense/thriller series following the dark world of organized crime.

In the gripping sequel to We're All Animals, Chase Jacobs moves to Toronto with his Colombian bosses, Diego, and Jolene Silva, where they expand their elite sex party business. The underground's best-kept secret is going legit, but just as Chase starts a brand new life, tragedy strikes.

The heartbreaking lessons ahead of him are the most difficult he's ever had to face, and Chase must rely on his new family to help him through. But will his blind faith in Diego and Jolene prove to be a mistake, and has he underestimated just how far they are willing to go to prove their loyalty?

He learns there are times when passion and anger cause you to throw away the rule book even in the face of deadly consequences. He learns that words have a great deal of power but not as much power as silence. But most of all, Chase learns that in a world full of sheep, one should always be a wolf. 

Go here to learn about the Hernandez series. Remember, you don't have to read the entire series to enjoy the book! 

It's all about energy! ⚡️ (Updated)

How important is the balance of energy between characters in a book?

Some characters have a high energy level, and others are more low energy. The key is to have the right mix to balance everything out. 

Some characters have a high energy level, and others are more low energy. The key is to have the right mix to balance everything out. I learned this lesson after writing my first book, Fire, in 2009. The story was about a rock band in the 90s, and I immediately recognized the power difference between characters. The protagonist Tarah appeared to be alone against two other band members. A fourth band member wouldn't get involved in the dispute. In comes a fifth character that automatically jumps on Tarah's side and causes a more even playing field within the book. With this, the energy level changed for the protagonist. She had more power, which enhanced her character and the feel of the book. 

Another example would be the couple in my Hernandez series. Married couple Jorge and Paige Hernandez are very similar in some ways, yet vastly different in others. Personality-wise, they are worlds apart. Jorge is loud, blunt, abrupt, and aggressive. Paige is quiet, soft, calm, and fair. The two balance each other out in many ways, which work in their various scenes together.

When you think about it, real life isn't so different. There is always an energy dynamic.

Passion and Writing 😍 (Updated)

Why are we drawn to explosive arguments, passionate scenes, and violence in books and on the big screen? Why do we love a bar fight or a good old bitch slap on our favorite series? What is it about passion in books and on the screen that excites an audience?

We love it because it's in our nature. Something is exciting about people who are passionate about love or anger. We love a character that isn't afraid to show their emotions. This is because we're often encouraged to hide our feelings, especially those that make other people uncomfortable. So watching others express themselves gives us a bit of satisfaction.

Human nature is fascinating. As much as we hate it when a fight breaks out in the middle of a wedding or during a family event, don't we also kind of move a little closer to the action? It's because we get a little jolt of energy watching people when they show such intense emotions. Why do you think dramas and thrillers are such popular genres?

A great example would be watching a hockey game, and your team is losing. You're kind of discouraged, and suddenly, a fight breaks out! Someone on your team is giving it to an opponent; doesn't this pique your interest? This is because even though your team is losing the game, at least you see that they are passionate about it. And there's something about it that makes you feel a little bit better. 

How did I get started writing? 💻 (Updated)

People often ask me how I started writing. My story probably isn't that original, but here it is.

I was an avid reader as a child. Growing up, some of my fondest memories was going to the bookmobile and requesting books from my favorite authors. I eventually began to jot down some of my own stories, letting my creative side out because I thought it was fun. I also started to write little 'newspapers' called 'M News', which featured cutout images from magazines and various flyers to accompany some zany story that I would throw together. I also created little dramas with my Barbie dolls, stories about their lives and interactions.

I would later start writing longer stories but just dabbled in writing. My imagination was pretty big, but I wasn't great at putting it all together yet. I think I just enjoyed daydreaming.

At 16, I wrote my first full-length manuscript, a teenage drama that seemed more scandalous and fun than anything I was reading at the time. I think I sent it off to publishers, but I don't recall if I had a reply. If I did, it was a rejection. 

I stopped writing after that point for several years. I started again while I was in college studying business. I grew so bored with the course material that it dawned on me that this wasn't my passion. I took a creative writing course and published my first book, Fire, in 2010. 

I've published over 10 books since that time including the Hernandez series.