Let's talk about Jolene Silva 👄(Updated)

Jolene Silva first popped up in this series in the latter part of We're All Animals and has continued to be part of the cast of characters throughout the Hernandez series. 

An interesting aspect of this character is how difficult it is to learn anything about her. She was always a mystery and even as the writer, I was having difficulty pulling anything out of her secret world. As it turns out, she had a lot of surprises that would come out as the series grew. We would eventually learn about some of her vices and vulnerable side.

What I love about Jolene is her strength. Even when she hits some low points, she's a character that always rises above everything and comes back stronger. Jolene is very passionate about what she believes in, and she always does what she perceives as the right thing even though, many times, she chooses to do so in secret rather than share with her tribe. I think that many of us can hide within ourselves and try to avoid sharing our fears and struggles, but in the end, just like Jolene, we discover that there's more support for us than we believed.

Jolene creates a nice balance within the group. Although she certainly makes a lot of mistakes along the way and risks her own life, there's just something about Jolene Silva, a strength that always makes her rise back to the top.

We're All Animals 🥊 (Updated)

We’re all animals: led by our desires, ready to fight in the light of fear yet with a soul that leads us on a path to wherever we must go.

It started with a broken heart, and it took no time for Chase Jacob’s world to spin out of control. An unwanted pregnancy allows his mother and obsessive future bride to manipulate and control his life, turning him bitter and resentful. His destiny becomes a dark road to misery and whenever he tries to take the wheel, temptation only leads him further astray.

When a provocative and sinister side of life introduces itself, Chase discovers an animal is lurking inside each of us: a powerful creature that wants to take over. But will he let it win?

It became the series that wasn’t meant to be a series! Starting with We’re All Animals we follow Chase Jacobs from his days in small-town Alberta to the big city, where he connects with a group of sinister characters in the follow-up, Always be a Wolf.  

Jorge Hernandez comes blazing in The Devil is Smooth Like Honey and takes over the narrative. From that point on, the Hernandez series continues on with Hernandez battling with Big Pharma, the police, as he slowly starts to control the government and media. 

Always be a Wolf 🐺 (Updated)

Always be a Wolf is my seventh book and the second in my Hernandez series. It follows We're All Animals. Here's a quick synopsis of the book:

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.

The series continues. Learn more about all the books HERE.

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. 

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! 

The Devil is Smooth Like Honey 😈 (Updated)

The Devil is Smooth Like Honey is the 3rd book in the current series by Mima. It follows We're All Animals and Always be a Wolf. Here's a quick overview of the book:

El narco. A monster. Un diablo. Jorge Hernandez had been called many things, and it always made him laugh. If there was one word that could be used to describe him, it would be untouchable. Corrupt politicians combined with his charming disposition had contributed to Jorge’s success, but it was often the underlying threats behind his handsome smile that sealed the deal. He was unstoppable.

In Paige Noël, he had met his match. She was a woman as dangerous and sadistic as she was soft and gentle. The last thing he expected was to propose after an explosive first meeting, but the intense fire between them was as addictive as the thrill of violence and power.

When some of his personal enemies turn up dead, Jorge shuffles his daughter into a Canadian school, deciding that things are getting a little too hot in Mexico; but does life ever slow down in this dark underground world? 

Check out ALL the books in the Hernandez series. 

Check out the CBC interviews, local articles, and more at www.mimaonfire.com

Do I need to read the entire series to understand the new book? 🧐 (Updated)

People often ask me if they need to read my entire Hernandez series to understand my latest book. The answer is no. 

To begin with, I attempt to write each novel as standalone as possible. I want people to be able to pick up the most recent book and read it with ease and no confusion. For this reason, I often refer to previous events from other books, in short, digestible descriptions. This gives the reader what they need to know without too much detail.


Essentially, I want the reader to understand the context of the book without having to wade through the previous storyline. I've done this many times and find it's the best method to keep everyone happy. It also gives them some clues to older books and maybe entices them to check them out too.  

The interesting thing about this series is that the first couple of books (We're All Animals and Always be a Wolf) center on the character Chase Jacobs, who tends to be slightly naive about what kind of world he is entering. A young man from rural Canada, his eyes are slowly opened up to the crime world he has joined.

All my books since have Jorge Hernandez as the protagonist, and while Chase is trusting and gentle, Jorge is strong and defiant. It's interesting because you get to discover the contrast between the two characters, but you can finally see the flip side of the story as you enter the criminal element of the story. I love that there is a slow discovery in the series, allowing the reader to see how someone unexpected might get pulled into this dark, underground world.

Of course, I explain this much better in the accompanying YouTube video. 👇🏼

The Jorge Hernandez BLOG 🙀 (Updated)

Jorge Hernandez checked into my seventh book, Always be a Wolf, and essentially took over. There was no way he couldn't have become the protagonist because his presence was much too strong to be a secondary character. The Mexican-Canadian was charming, powerful, and dangerous. Unlike other antiheroes in books and television, we weren't just viewing his forceful side but getting a peek into his everyday life. As it turns out, even this was anything but boring.  

I decided to write a blog from this character's perspective because I wanted to introduce him to those who haven't read my Hernandez series yet. I've only written a few posts so far, but I plan to continue to add more in the future. I hope that it gives people an inside view of his life, and unlike my books, it's written in a first-person perspective, hopefully creating a more personal connection between the reader and the character. 

We follow Jorge's journey through the series. Learn more HERE. 

Let's talk about the character Diego Silva 🏳️‍🌈🇨🇴 (Updated)

The character Diego Silva came along at the end of We're All Animals. He's a fan favorite with a very distinct personality.

Diego Silva is abrupt, vocal, and direct, but he also carries this nervous energy, almost as if he's wired on caffeine (and probably is 😄) and can't stop moving. He's known for his sudden, loud remarks, almost as if he has anxiety brewing underneath the surface. Of course, he has an unexpected soft side that sometimes comes out, but it's not something everyone sees and certainly not his enemies.

Diego is the brother of Jolene Silva, the woman who hired Chase Jacobs in We're All Animals. He made a surprise appearance at the end of the book but had such a strong presence that I just had to continue to write about him. The second book in the series, Always be a Wolf, is as much about Diego as Chase, even though he's the protagonist. The book centers on their friendship and learning about Diego through Chase's eyes. It's an interesting interpretation considering that Chase is highly observant and sensitive.

Something that isn't obvious to readers right away is that Diego is gay. He doesn't try to hide it, but it's unexpected due to his lifestyle and associates. I like that Diego is a 'gay gangster' because we are so used to seeing these mobster-type guys as womanizers who attempt to show off their idea of masculinity, whereas Diego breaks that mold in a sense. He is a 'tough guy' like others, but when he's spending time with Paige Noël-Hernandez, his close friend, we often remove this mask to express himself in a more sensitive, gentle manner.

It's also interesting that Diego would end up being close friends with Jorge Hernandez, an alpha male who is in many ways his polar opposite. However, he makes many references within the books as Diego being his hermano or brother, and other than occasionally teasing him about his sexuality, Jorge shows no judgment or prejudice.

There's something special about Diego that draws people to him. Whether it's other characters or readers, I think he has a unique combination of characteristics that we both relate to and admire.

Learn more about the Hernandez series HERE.