Why I won't be putting THIS in my next book 🙀🦠(Updated)

With the recent pandemic fresh on people's minds, many have suggested that I might want to incorporate this scenario in a future book. Not a chance.

Of course, I completely understand why people would feel this way. It's not as if I have ever shrunk back from exploring controversial subjects, and I'm all for potential conspiracy theories. However, we are already living in Covid-19 hell 24/7, so I suspect that people want to read about it as much as I want to write about it. Even publishers have expressed little interest in taking on any dystopian nightmare story at present. It's just a little too real, folks.

This isn't to suggest that it's impossible. I'm sure there's a crafty author out there who can do it in such a way that people find it appealing, maybe even exciting. And who knows what we will want to read in the future, once this is all over. 

I doubt it. 

Everything goes in cycles, and the truth be told, what's going on in the world affects creativity and what we find enjoyable. However, sometimes it has the opposite effect, kind of like reading a Christmas book in July.

I will continue to write my twisted series because regardless of the state of the world, raw human emotions are always in style.

She Was His Angel ☠️(Updated)

From my press releases: 

The Canadian author known as Mima published her 13th book (9th in the Hernandez series). The book is titled, She Was His Angel. 

A former Mexican narco transitions into Canadian life with family, politics, and business while holding tight to his ruthless, criminal ways. Meet Jorge Hernandez.

Power-hungry CEO of Our House of Pot, Jorge Hernandez, holds tight to his ruthless ways in the 8th book in the Hernandez series when he decides to take down the pharmaceutical industry in one powerful swoop. The man once known as the Mexican cartel leader El Diablo isn’t satisfied controlling the monopoly in the Canadian marijuana industry but wants to make Big Pharma squirm under his thumb. Using his political influence to cripple his nemesis, while simultaneously backing the incriminating docuseries Eat the Rich Before the Rich Eat You, Jorge might win the battle, but can he win the war? 

Recognizing that he’s started a bloodthirsty game of cat and mouse with a sinister opponent, Jorge enlists the help of the only person that he considers his equal. Former assassin Paige Hernandez, one of the most dangerous women in the world, takes on her husband’s advice to do her worst. But when an unexpected adversary forces her hand in a no-win situation, Paige is left with a heart-wrenching decision of who will live…and who will die.

When the couple unites forces, they discover a bloodbath overflowing in deception and disloyalty that shakes them to the core. Together with Paige, Jorge fights their enemy to the end because he is the devil and she was his angel.

This book centers on celebrating strong, powerful women who can take on the world. I also use this platform to resurface many stereotypes that women encounter throughout their lives, as well as the struggle of balancing family and work....and of course, in Paige's case, murder.

How do you keep track of everything?? 🤔 (updated from original)

After watching one of my recent blogs about how I have 10 different lives, (characters, I mean, just so you don't think I have a split personality....at least, nothing diagnosed 😜) a friend asked me how I kept track of everything. Not only do I have a lot of characters, but I also have a lot of books in my current series. I thought I had addressed this in a previous blog, but then, I wasn't sure if I covered the bases, so I thought I would dive into this question.

To begin with, I have a lot of stray notes that get stuck on a clipboard. These are comments in a specific character's voice, ideas, scenes, various things that I want to bring to light at some point in my book. Eventually, I take all these little notes and add them to a long list of things that are there as reminders of events and plot points coming up in the future. I don't necessarily use everything, and sometimes, these thoughts carry on to another book in the series. Sometimes they aren't used at all.

My most valuable writing possession (outside of my laptop) is a black book where I keep my writing notes. In the first section, I have a list of characters, notes about each one (age, family, etc.), and in which books you can find them.

The second half of this notebook is the notes for each chapter of every book in the series. I'm afraid the scribblings aren't necessarily as detailed as they should be but, they give me enough information to use as a reference point. That allows me to look up whatever book and chapter I need to review some material. Sometimes, for example, I have an old character returning to the series and have to remind myself what role they played, how they spoke, and their connection to the protagonist.

My little black book isn't perfect but, it gets the job done. It's the personal journal of my characters and their story.