So, who's really getting money from the Canada Council for the Arts?

I recently recorded a video where I talked about the Canada Council for the Arts. At that time, I stated that I was by no means an expert on the council, nor had I done deep, investigative research on the group; however, I did question why I was seeing their logo on almost every book published in Canada. I thought it was an interesting topic to ponder. 

In my limited research, I did see that there were questions surrounding the money spent (or misspent) within the organization, which seemed to favor urban areas, while not so much a fan of indie authors. As an indie author, I wasn't surprised; these kinds of organizations have poo poo indie authors for as long as I have been one, something I would've fought in my earlier writing years, but now see them as nothing more than another elitist organization. If you aren't a writer, you probably aren't aware that there's a general snobbery toward indie authors, supposedly because we are 'less than' the traditionally published lot. And if you know me, you also know I couldn't care less. 

But getting back to the topic at hand, I simply questioned how Canadians felt about more of their tax-paying dollars, in the tune of millions, being pissed away  distributed to particular Canadian artists. Knowing how most of our tax dollars are misspent, I'm guessing that most citizens are simply in a constant state of shell shock and really can't process it at this point. Our government spends like a billionaire on a minimum wage salary. 

Personally, as an author, I think it's only my responsibility to fund my writing projects and expenses, not the government. And definitely not the taxpayers. And if publishers in Canada can't stand on their own two feet, perhaps they should look inward and ask why, or, like most good businesses, start making cuts or changes. 

I know, what a strange concept. To learn more, check out my video.

The videos are up! 📺

Check out What are my books about - both part 1 and 2!!

Video 1

Video 2

Thanks for checking them out! Learn more at mimaonfire.com

Mima

It's Chaos out there! 😱

 From a recent newsletter...

I am so honored to be a part of the second edition of a NEW Canadian magazine, Articulated Chaos! The issue will be available (both print and digitally) on October 24, 2025. Check out their website and also find them on social media. 

I have plans for some new videos and blogs in the near future. Please stay tuned. Thanks for your support!

Mima

PS. If you're looking for a spooky Halloween read, check out House of Hernandez

Can writers predict the future?

We've all heard about the comparisons to the book 1984 and our current life, but was that a creepy prediction that came true, or simply an educated guess? Can writers predict the future, or is it much deeper than that? Is it intuition or just a fluke? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

What's with the cartoonish book covers for women?

It's interesting how a reader can browse the books in a second-hand store and usually tell the period most fiction was published simply by looking at the cover. There's a different vibe for each decade, especially those 30-40 years ago. Book cover art changes, but is it always for the better? And more interestingly, how does it reflect on society?     

    If you've ever seen book covers from 100 years ago, they were often classy, sophisticated, and had a touch of elegance that made them as much a pretty addition to the room as well as a great piece of literature. Fast-forward to the current times, and it's doubtful that the cover of a book, or even the contents inside, come close to the expectations of those days. But then again, can't we say that about a lot of things?

Not to suggest my books or my book covers are outstanding. I'm hardly a great writer of our times, and my covers are not necessarily works of art, but at the same time, I do put effort into choosing what I want for the cover image. It may not always be precisely what I had in mind, but I do ponder it for much longer than people realize. With each book cover, I could tell you a story of the process of choosing it.

What I never wanted for my book covers was anything that looked cheap, tacky, or as if my book was not to be taken seriously. Unfortunately, that puts me against the grain when it comes to modern fiction. I don't want to pinpoint any specific author because I generally blame the publishers and marketing people behind the scenes, but many books directed at women these days tend to have cartoonish-looking covers. It's something that started a few years ago and has never grown on me. The stories between the covers could be outstanding, but I generally avoid a book cover that looks like it may be directed at a child as much as a woman. Maybe to these big publishing houses, there's no difference, I'm not sure.

Again, I don't necessarily blame the authors. I'm sure they have a hand in choosing their covers, but I think there's a lot of pressure for them to go with what's considered the current trend, which appears to be book covers that mock the intellect of women. It's condescending and insulting. And perhaps I'm being too harsh, but I've talked to many avid readers who tell me they feel the same way. They want serious covers, not bubblegum-smacking, hair-twirling, ditzy covers. 

And hey, I could just be a bitch. I accept and acknowledge that fact. But there's something very disappointing about the fact that walking into a bookstore, specifically a section directed at women, has the same color scheme as a candy store. It's ridiculous. If you don't believe me, go check out some of the authors who's books are more directed at men. Nothing cartoonish going on there, is there? Can you imagine James Patterson's next book being bright blue with a cartoon man running down the street? Not likely. So, how come it's different for books mainly directed toward women? 

A gangster who controls the prime minister...is it fiction or reality? 🫣

If you are familiar with my Hernandez series, you already know it centers on a former Mexican cartel boss who comes to Canada with intentions of being a 'legit' businessman. Despite all that, he continues to demonstrate the same violent methods he used in the cartel, not to mention finding a way to control the police, the government, and, of course, the prime minister. 

When I originally added these details to my series very early on, it kind of gave me a moment of pause. Although I had no doubts there was corruption in Canada, would it really go that far up the chain? 

Then this year, I read some articles by Canadian journalist, Sam Cooper, and I discovered that perhaps, I wasn't so off track after all. I highly recommend his Substack or his book, Wilful Blindness. 

Have your book tastes changed?

"Who's that?" An older lady with blue eyeshadow awkwardly pointed at the back cover of a novel. We were standing in the middle of a yard sale, and as usual, I was looking at the used books. "She looks familiar."

"It's the back of the book, so I assume it's the author," I suggested, what I thought would be obvious. 

"Oh, I never read," She replied and walked away. 

I've had this conversation so many times. Knowing I'm an author, people often share their reading habits with me. Even though I'm interested, I rarely ask because I don't want to seem as though I'm about to launch into a marketing campaign for my latest book. But I always listen when people want to share.

The next most common explanation people give is that they don't have time to read. We all understand that reason. After all, we live in a social media, fast food world that doesn't have much use for anything that requires focus or commitment. And let's face it, books require both. Of course, in a world where the same people spend hours scrolling, I recognize it's also a choice made, and books aren't likely to create the same dopamine hit as short videos and easy-to-digest content. This is a reality most authors are faced with.

Of course, for other people, their book tastes change over the years. Mine have. What about yours?

I've gone through a Beverly Cleary and Sweet Valley High stage as a child, later to move on to VC Andrews books.  Celebrity and rock star memoirs are one of my favorite categories throughout the years. I also dove headfirst into the self-help genre to discover that much of it is empathy and connection more than actual help. I've also read most genres of fiction and non-fiction over the years. I've realized that different phases of your life create different interests. We require a book that fills a gap, whether that's in knowledge or a specific form of entertainment. There's a reason, if you really want to look into it. 

What are you reading now? How have your tastes changed? If you're a writer, how have your genres changed? I'd love to hear!