Thursday, December 29, 2022

A day in the life of (this) author 🤪

Although I hardly have a glamorous life, it is a busy one. Between working a full-time, casual job and maintaining my writing, I don't tend to have a lot of extra time to spare.

I usually only write when I have a day off. And even that varies depending on my appointments and other things going on in my life. But ideally, I get up early (6-7 a.m.) to write a chapter for the specific book I'm working on during that time. I then write notes for the chapter I just finished and jot down some notes for the one I will do the next time. If I have time, I sometimes go back and edit the previous chapter, but I often wait and do a few chapters on a day when I'm not feeling energetic or motivated to create.

Whether or not I have the day off, I almost always am on social media to promote my work. This entails preparing social media in advance, checking comments and results on items already posted, and sometimes writing blogs or posting videos. Even though I'm not on many social media sites, I find it time-consuming to keep up with the ones I have, but it's a great way to connect with people. Of course, I sometimes record videos for my YouTube and Rumble channels, but this also depends on when I have time. I tend to schedule and organize these things in advance to get everything done.

Of course, life is busy. Things come up, and sometimes it isn't possible to keep all my ducks in line. Aspiring authors often don't realize that writing a book is the easy part. Keeping up with everything else and getting your writing to your potential audience, is another story. 




Monday, December 26, 2022

2022 - My year in review 🎉

Another year has ended and it's time to review what happened in 2022! 

New Book!

House of Hernandez (August 16, 2022) 

Check out the synopsis and read the first chapter! Go to your favorite online retailer to learn more. Here's a few:  


Videos and Blogs

Christmas themes in my books 🎄🎄🎄

     Video
     Blog

Why I don't write warm and fuzzy books 🧸

     Video
     Blog 

Loyalty Above All (There are no exceptions) ☠️

     Video
     Blog 

Why my books are so political 🤥
      Blog 

     Video 

Why my readers love Jorge Hernandez ♥️

       Blog 

       Video 

My two main objectives as a writer 🧐

       Blog
       Video 

Why Loyalty Above All isn't just a title 🐺

Blog

A quick read from Loyalty Above All (there are no exceptions) 📖


Blog
Video 


The protagonist's point of view 👀

Video
Blog

Why we need to connect with characters

    Blog
    Video

Relationship ups and downs between characters 😍🤬

    Rumble
    YouTube
    Blogger

Why Jorge Hernandez goes to extremes to protect his family 🏠

     Blog
     YouTube
     Rumble

Everybody's got a story (including children) 

     Blogger
     YouTube
     Rumble 

Check out my latest writing blog - Start in one place and end up in another 😯

    YouTube                           

    Rumble                           

    Blog 

How do you introduce new characters? 🤝

YouTube
Rumble
Blog

House of Hernandez 🎃

YouTube
Rumble 
Blog 


A quick preview of House of Hernandez 🎃


     YouTube
     Rumble
     Blog
 

Every character has a purpose 🤪

     YouTube

     Rumble

     Blog 

A different kind of crime series   
    Blog
    YouTube
    Rumble

I need your help (and tips on how to help other authors)
    Blog
    YouTube
    Rumble


Thank you for all your support! See you in 2023 😘


🇨🇦Canadian author Mima (aka Michelle M. Arsenault) is known for complicated and diverse characters, dark style, and never shying away from controversial topics. 


📚Author of The Hernandez series - loyalty above all. There are no exceptions. https://mimaonfire.com/the-series/


👩🏼‍💻Find me -


Twitter - https://twitter.com/MimaonFire

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mima/271461381835

Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-1204603

Blogger - https://mimaonfire.blogspot.com/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4122390.Mima_


🔪Hernandez series playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNMrBPeLoQWnVfF3-e0UrBbtotu4NfTl2



📬Sign up for my newsletter: https://mimaonfire.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e4b9bfddd7901619af4c3fb91&id=a6a6466b83


☕️Buy me a coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/q8pGi4VYn

Saturday, December 24, 2022

January 2023 newsletter 🥳

We've come to the end of another year, and I don't know about you, but I'm relieved to have 2022 behind me. It's a time to tie up loose ends, make new choices for 2023, and create new goals. Will one of those goals be to write a book? 

If so, check out my latest blog about why you should write your own book. Check it out 👇🏼

Blog

Rumble

YouTube

I only uploaded one new video in December because I'm still working on adding all my videos to Rumble. I'm getting close to finishing so want to focus on that before posting new content. I have a handful of videos to upload to Rumble and YouTube soon, so stay tuned! Sign up for the newsletter, and don't miss a thing! 

Coming soon will be my year-end newsletter, where I review all the news from 2022! Check out last year's HERE.

Thank you for all your support! 😊




Saturday, December 10, 2022

Why you should write your own book 🤓

Throughout the years, I've had a lot of people inquire if I could potentially help them write a book. Sometimes it's fiction, but usually non-fiction, and most of the time, a memoir. I'm sincerely flattered, but I always decline. And I will tell you why.

Although there are the most logical reasons (not enough time being the top of the list) it's always more about feeling like I'm not best suited to tell someone else's story. Now I know what you're thinking. Many people have ghostwriters (sadly, much more common than you realize), but I'm not convinced that someone else writing your stories is the best solution. The truth is that only you can most effectively communicate the narrative. You know the highlights and where the emphasis should be, not to mention the overall theme you wish to convey. Sadly if someone else tells your story, even with the best intentions, it will be difficult for them to align with what is going through your heart and mind.

A perfect example would be if you had a picture in your mind. You can find the best artist in the world, but simply describing it won't give you the final image you had hoped for because some things are hard to communicate. And sometimes artists are only sure once you're working on their art. How many times have authors admitted that the book they started to write quickly became something completely different? I know it's happened to me.

I always encourage people to write their own stories. If they need help along the way or advice, I can certainly try to help them, but it's their story to tell. It's cathartic and necessary for some people to tell the story they feel passionate about and want to share with the world. 

Do you have a story in you?





Wednesday, November 30, 2022

December 2022 newsletter 🎄

We're heading toward the end of another year. It's hard to believe because I feel like not too long ago, I was sunning in the backyard (and I sure as hell wouldn't do that today 🥶) The good news is that the holidays are coming up! 🎄


Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? 🎁


Are you looking to buy someone a book? Are you looking to buy yourself a book? 🙈


May I make a few suggestions? Check out my list HERE.


I have some GREAT news!! I started writing my 18th book, the 13th in the Hernandez series (remember, you don't have to read the entire series to enjoy any of the books!) I still have a long road ahead of me, but I've made the first couple of steps. 


In other news, here are the latest blogs and videos:



A different kind of crime series

    
    Blog
    YouTube
    Rumble

I need your help (and tips on how to help other authors)

    Blog
    YouTube
    Rumble

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for all your support. Keep an eye out for my annual newsletter that will give you the breakdown of everything you have to know from 2022. ❤️

Check out some year-end roundups from the past:








Friday, November 18, 2022

I need your help (and tips on how to help other authors)

Today's blog is just a short one. I'm looking for ideas on how to get more eyes on my books and also how I can help other authors.

Now, first of all, I don't have a great deal of time. I work full-time plus write, but I do everything I can to get my books out there. I've created videos, and blogs, I'm on social media, (I will post all links at the end of this blog) and I do my best to connect with potential readers. The truth is that it's hard. It's hard to find readers when you have a niche genre that doesn't smoothly fit into a category. Also, not having a multi-million dollar publisher behind me leaves me with other challenges, but let's face it, most writers out there are in the same boat as me. Whether you are traditionally published or self-published, unless you're a best-seller that's a household name, chances are you're not making your entire income on selling books. 

I want to increase attention to my books, but I want to do the same for other writers. There has to be a simple way to support each other that doesn't take much time. What about committing to sharing 5 book posts (other authors, obviously 😊) on Twitter every day? On Facebook? Are there any other ideas? I'm all ears! 




Canadian author Mima (aka Michelle M. Arsenault) is known for complicated and diverse characters, dark style, and never shying away from controversial topics. 


Author of The Hernandez series - loyalty above all. There are no exceptions. https://mimaonfire.com/the-series/


Find me -


Twitter - https://twitter.com/MimaonFire

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mima/271461381835

Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-1204603

Blogger - https://mimaonfire.blogspot.com/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4122390.Mima_


Hernandez series playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNMrBPeLoQWnVfF3-e0UrBbtotu4NfTl2


Sign up for my newsletter: https://mimaonfire.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e4b9bfddd7901619af4c3fb91&id=a6a6466b83


Buy me a coffee ☕️ https://www.buymeacoffee.com/q8pGi4VYn


Sunday, November 6, 2022

A different kind of crime series

Summing up my Hernandez series has never been easy. It's about criminals, but it's not the kind of criminals that will steal your car. It's about gangsters, but not the kind of gangsters that will take over an area and demand fees from local businesses. It's about a former cartel boss but not the cartel boss currently involved in illegal activities like transporting drugs. The crimes involved in my series are more vigilante justice than anything else. 

The thing is that Jorge Hernandez started in criminal activity and moved on the legal businesses in Canada. How he goes about doing so, however, often isn't so legal. His method of dealing with those who get in his way or cause issues for his family is very much in step with what he would've done in his cartel days. Things can get very bloody. 

Jorge Hernandez is all about control. He controls people and situations and intimidates those who try to go up against him. Hernandez knows this is the key to owning an empire. All the money in the world won't make people do what he wants, but fear is a powerful influence. 




Saturday, October 29, 2022

November 2022 newsletter ♥️

 Thanks for checking out my latest newsletter. I'm going to keep it short and sweet this month!

To begin with, I'm getting lots of meaningful reports on my books lately, not just the latest (House of Hernandez) but some that were penned years ago. Always great to hear feedback.   

Throughout October, I continue to gather notes for my next book, which I plan to potentially start in November. I've also still working on uploading all my videos on Rumble. Internet speeds are pathetically slow here in rural PEI, so it is taking some time, but I'm getting there.

I had a couple new videos and blogs released in October:

A quick preview of House of Hernandez 🎃


     YouTube
     Rumble
     Blog


Every character has a purpose 🤪

     YouTube

     Rumble

     Blog 


I also did a personal blog, if this interests you. 

     The Shame Game


Thank you again for your support and do keep in touch!

Rumble

Blogger

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Instagram.

Amazon Author Page.

TikTok

Pinterest

Locals

Saturday, October 15, 2022

A quick preview of House of Hernandez 🎃

House of Hernandez is the 12th book in the Hernandez series. Here's a quick summary of what it's about:


When House of Hernandez hits the shelves, readers are unaware that Jorge Hernandez’s memoir is little more than a fictional fairy tale. Then again, when you are a former cartel boss with a murderous streak and a criminal history, it’s best to keep some secrets close to your heart. 

The brash businessman has bigger things to worry about as he swims in the political waters. He has his work cut out for him when trying to get the bleeding heart Alec Athas reelected, but some days his biggest challenge is keeping the Canadian prime minister alive. While evil forces attempt to push Jorge’s political puppet out of office, they have no idea who they’re going up against in this battle. How can you fight against a man with no scruples?

With all the politics and usual drama aside, Jorge struggles as his crime family starts falling apart. Are the walls caving in the House of Hernandez, or had things already been slipping away without him being aware?

Read chapter one now! 




Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Every character has a purpose 🤪

Although our focus tends to be on the protagonist of a book, the truth is that secondary characters often tell you a lot about the main character. This can come out in conversations and various situations or in the rare chapter where we see the story through a secondary character's eyes. This is important because it allows you to get to know that character much better and connect with them on a deeper level. It's like when you meet someone; the more they reveal about themselves, the more you feel a bond or at least an understanding of their personality and values.

Why is that important? Think about it in terms of real life. Suppose you meet someone online. That person will show you the images that flatter them, tell you stories that make them sound interesting and tell you how they see themselves. When you meet them in person, you'll notice different aspects of their personality. This could be good or bad, but the point is that you see a fuller picture in person. If you then throw another person into the mix, say one of their friends or a family member, you'll once again see them more clearly just through their conversations, body language, and the general vibe you get when they are together. This is how we learn about people. Characters are similar in that we learn more about them through their interaction with other characters. 

One great example from the Hernandez series is how Chase Jacobs changes throughout the series. In the first book, We're All Animals, Chase is very much the boy next door, probably a little naive especially compared to other characters in the book. Jorge recognizes this aspect, but on the flip side, Chase shows us how Jorge is intimidating, strong, and dangerous. However, if you only heard the story from Jorge's viewpoint, you'd probably be left thinking that he's justified in many of his actions because that's the story he wants to tell you. 

I find it a little unsettling when I read a book that focuses only on the protagonist and where they are coming from because I don't feel like I'm hearing all sides of the story. In turn, it sometimes hides the main character's flaws, which isn't realistic and tends to paint the picture of a saint who's the victim. Real-life and realistic characters are much more complex. 





Friday, September 30, 2022

October 2022 Newsletter 🎃

One of my biggest struggles as an independent author is not only creating an audience but finding a way to let people know that I'm out there at all. Over the years, I've tried new ways to do so, whether it be to branch out to different social media platforms, create bookmarks, contact the media, and libraries, and even create this newsletter you're now reading. Unfortunately, it often feels like an uphill struggle. If you would like to help, share a post, follow me online, like, share, subscribe, or even ask your local library to order some of my books! Everything is a help. Here are some of my social media links where you can find me:

Find me -


YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/MsMissinggirl13/videos

Twitter - https://twitter.com/MimaonFire

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mima/271461381835

Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-1204603

Blogger - https://mimaonfire.blogspot.com/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4122390.Mima_


Hernandez series YouTube playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNMrBPeLoQWnVfF3-e0UrBbtotu4NfTl2


Sign up for my newsletter: https://mimaonfire.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e4b9bfddd7901619af4c3fb91&id=a6a6466b83



So, what's new for October? 


My new book, House of Hernandez was featured in The Buzz


Speaking of House of Hernandez, have you checked out the first chapter yet? 🎃.  


Finally, check out the latest blogs and videos! Would you believe I still have a few more waiting to be posted? Due to a power outage after Hurricane Fiona, I've fallen a bit behind, but I hope to post more in October!


House of Hernandez 🎃




Thank you to all my supporters! I appreciate everyone who checks out this newsletter. Have a wonderful October! 👻



Saturday, September 17, 2022

House of Hernandez 🎃

House of Hernandez is the 12th book in the Hernandez series; but don't worry, you don't have to read the entire series to enjoy the book! Learn about it here:

When House of Hernandez hits the shelves, readers are unaware that Jorge Hernandez’s memoir is little more than a fictional fairy tale. Then again, when you are a former cartel boss with a murderous streak and a criminal history, it’s best to keep some secrets close to your heart. 

The brash businessman has bigger things to worry about as he swims in the political waters. He has his work cut out for him when trying to get the bleeding heart Alec Athas reelected, but some days his biggest challenge is keeping the Canadian prime minister alive. While evil forces attempt to push Jorge’s political puppet out of office, they have no idea who they’re going up against in this battle. How can you fight against a man with no scruples?

With all the politics and usual drama aside, Jorge struggles as his crime family starts falling apart. Are the walls caving in the House of Hernandez, or had things already been slipping away without him being aware?







Sunday, September 4, 2022

How do you introduce new characters? 🤝

New characters keep a series fresh, even if their appearance is short-lived. And in the case of the Hernandez series, short-lived could be literal. 

When a new character comes along in my series, I usually assume it's for a short time to play a role in the plot. Occasionally these characters catch on and stick around, but that's if they're somehow connecting with someone else in the series. For example, I introduced a character named Sonny McTea a few books back with no intention of keeping him around. However, I later discovered that he filled a necessary role to balance out a couple of other characters, so I kept him on. 

The actual introduction of the new character should be smooth. Remember that the story is through the protagonist's eyes, so you're meeting that person along with your main character. What is his/her impression? This depends on what matters to that person. If it's Jorge in my Hernandez series, he's sizing up the new character; are they strong? Powerless? Trustworthy? Do they seem nervous? A different protagonist may notice other things, depending on what they value. 

The important thing is that new characters show up when needed. They have a role. When that role is fulfilled, there's no need to keep them any longer. Too many characters confuse readers and writers. Think of it like an episode of your favorite show. Some characters are only on for an episode, while others stick around for the entire season or series. But if they do stick around, there has to be a reason. 



Sunday, August 28, 2022

September 2022 newsletter 🍁

Thanks for checking out my latest newsletter. To watch the video version, go HERE

Big news! My 17th book is out! House of Hernandez is the 12th book in the Hernandez series. Here's a quick synopsis.   


When House of Hernandez hits the shelves, readers are unaware that Jorge Hernandez’s memoir is little more than a fictional fairy tale. Then again, when you are a former cartel boss with a murderous streak and a criminal history, it’s best to keep some secrets close to your heart. 

The brash businessman has bigger things to worry about as he swims in the political waters. He has his work cut out for him when trying to get the bleeding heart Alec Athas reelected, but some days his biggest challenge is keeping the Canadian prime minister alive. While evil forces attempt to push Jorge’s political puppet out of office, they have no idea who they’re going up against in this battle. How can you fight against a man with no scruples?

With all the politics and usual drama aside, Jorge struggles as his crime family starts falling apart. Are the walls caving in the House of Hernandez, or had things already been slipping away without him being aware?

Check out my latest writing blog - Start in one place and end up in another 😯

YouTube                           Rumble                           Blog 

I also had some time to work on my personal blog again. I hope to get around to writing more posts in the near future. Here's what I got so far. 

And of course, I have to mention the September Book Birthday🥳  The Devil is Smooth Like Honey was published on September 11, 2017. 

That's about it for this month! To keep up to date, check out the following links:

Canadian author Mima (aka Michelle M. Arsenault) is known for complicated and diverse characters, dark style, and never shying away from controversial topics. 


Author of The Hernandez series - loyalty above all. There are no exceptions. https://mimaonfire.com/the-series/


Find me -


Twitter - https://twitter.com/MimaonFire

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mima/271461381835

Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-1204603

Blogger - https://mimaonfire.blogspot.com/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4122390.Mima_


Hernandez series playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNMrBPeLoQWnVfF3-e0UrBbtotu4NfTl2


Sign up for my newsletter: https://mimaonfire.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e4b9bfddd7901619af4c3fb91&id=a6a6466b83


Buy me a coffee ☕️ https://www.buymeacoffee.com/q8pGi4VYn