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.

Why we need more strong female characters 💪🏼 (Updated)

It should be a given that we need strong female characters in our books and television shows. And to be honest, I've seen an improvement in this area since first writing this article, but are we there yet? 

It's disappointing that I still see a few cringe-worthy examples. I recently caught part of a soap opera where a woman talked about how she 'found happiness' with a new man in her life, which suggested that she couldn't be or wasn't happy before he appeared. In the same show, a woman played the whole eye-lash-batting, I-don't-like-you-but-I-do game that caused me to roll my eyes.

That was a fail. Women don't need to play games or feel less valuable when they're single, and TV shows that perpetuate this scenario need to refresh their storylines and remember it's 2022.

Not to suggest that my female characters are always strong. They have their weak moments, just as we all have but for the most part, I like to think that they are powerful, independent, and self-reliant. Paige Noël-Hernandez and Jolene Silva from my Hernandez series are excellent examples. Physically and mentally, these women can take on any situation fearlessly; no hand-holding or white knight is required.

One of the things that I think is important to mention is that I'm not just talking about adults when I insist on strong female characters. My series has a young girl, Maria Hernandez, who demonstrates a great deal of strength. I think we sometimes forget that young girls are learning how to be young women in our society, and it is important that they aren't taught to take a weak position to get attention or be accepted. Maria tends to stand her ground, and although she can get a little out of hand sometimes, for the most part, she demonstrates a strong, confident child who's an independent thinker and fearless by nature. She is smart, articulate, and bold.

I don't tend to write about the 'damsels in distress', and I'm certainly not writing a fairy tale scenario where the prince swoops up on his white horse...I will leave that book for someone else. 😒

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.