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?

Why do I choose to be an indie author? 🤩 (updated)

Contrary to what some people might think, independent artists aren't necessarily the spinster aunt who never could find someone to marry her, but the independent woman who preferred the road less traveled. In other words, indie artists - whether it be writers, musicians, filmmakers - aren't doing so out of desperation but out of self-preservation. They play by their own rules.

The problem with following the traditional route in publishing is that it requires getting an agent (which takes a lot of time) and then allowing their agent to help them find a publisher (also takes time). While this isn't a terrible idea, it's probably not going to happen overnight. As a writer, you have to consider your values, what you want, and follow your instincts. For me, that means having the freedom to write whatever I wanted with no boundaries or disputes on content. I don't want someone telling me to make changes to fit current industry standards. I also don't want to change my book to make it more of a commercial success. As an artist, I want to unleash my vision into the world without feeling any restrictions or censorship. Call me a rebel. 

I know it's not for everyone. A lot of writers have different values and motivations than mine, and that's fine. We're all unique, and who's to say that one day, mine won't change. However, at this time, expressing myself and coloring outside the lines is my priority.

Being an indie author automatically makes you a harder sell. People have a lot of preconceived notions about independent artists as a whole. It's easier to grab the latest best-seller off the rack than take a chance on someone unknown. I mean, you know what you're getting, right? Then again, is that always a good thing?

How did I get started writing? 💻 (Updated)

People often ask me how I started writing. My story probably isn't that original, but here it is.

I was an avid reader as a child. Growing up, some of my fondest memories was going to the bookmobile and requesting books from my favorite authors. I eventually began to jot down some of my own stories, letting my creative side out because I thought it was fun. I also started to write little 'newspapers' called 'M News', which featured cutout images from magazines and various flyers to accompany some zany story that I would throw together. I also created little dramas with my Barbie dolls, stories about their lives and interactions.

I would later start writing longer stories but just dabbled in writing. My imagination was pretty big, but I wasn't great at putting it all together yet. I think I just enjoyed daydreaming.

At 16, I wrote my first full-length manuscript, a teenage drama that seemed more scandalous and fun than anything I was reading at the time. I think I sent it off to publishers, but I don't recall if I had a reply. If I did, it was a rejection. 

I stopped writing after that point for several years. I started again while I was in college studying business. I grew so bored with the course material that it dawned on me that this wasn't my passion. I took a creative writing course and published my first book, Fire, in 2010. 

I've published over 10 books since that time including the Hernandez series. 

Support an indie author and they will love you forever ❤️ (Updated)

How can you help out an indie author? Here are a few suggestions:


1. Write a book review. It doesn't have to be fancy. It doesn't have to be very long either. Just something to let others know that you loved their book!

2. Social media!! You got to socialize. ☺️ Share, retweet, post a comment, like, share the author's
book cover on your wall. Be creative.

3. Suggest the book to your library. It gives the author a sale plus puts their book in more people's
hands.

4. Word of mouth! Talk about the books. Tell people.

These are just a few simple ideas. Thanks for the love.

Why it's important to see through the character's eyes 👁 (Updated)

One of the aspects I like best about writing has been getting inside a character's head. I love being able to see things from their eyes. I want to understand where they are coming from and how much previous experiences affect their decisions. Human nature is fascinating. 

With characters, you have no choice but to understand and appreciate their journey. This is probably the biggest lesson I've learned from writing and one that I apply to my everyday life. When I started writing as a teenager, this was the main reason it appealed to me. I felt people didn't understand each other and that through characters, we could all open our eyes a little wider and perhaps show some compassion toward one another.

Fast forward to years later, and I think this lesson is even more relevant than ever. When we look at our world today, we see a strong disconnect, a lot of judgment, and even more so, a vast divide. One of the beautiful things about the characters I write about is that they come from many different backgrounds and experiences, and I make great efforts to show how this relates to their current situations.

Interestingly enough, real life isn't that much different if we take the time to investigate.

Why Editing Almost Made me Quit Writing 😩 (Updated)

Most writers go through a phase where they want to quit writing. There are numerous reasons they are discouraged, especially when you are first starting. For me, editing was the fly in my ointment. 

With my first book, I hired a professional editor. I paid a lot of money to have my work fine-tuned and, I thought, perfected. How did that work out? 

I had readers complain about the errors and grammar. 

With my second book, rather than hire a professional editor, I had a few people with a good eye for grammar to edit my manuscript. One of these people complained that my first book had many 'distracting' errors, so I thought this would be the perfect person to help. How did that go?

People complained about the errors and grammar.

By this point, I wanted to quit writing. I tried the two logical ways to resolve this issue only to get shit on regardless, so I was hesitant to try again.

Did I mention that my most vocal critics were other writers?

At any rate, I feel I've since worked out the kinks. I decided not to let these criticisms hold me back from doing what I love. It's been a learning curve, and 16 books later, I think I have a grasp on things. 

Here are a few suggestions for other writers who struggle with editing:

1. Check grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. I recommend using something like Grammarly, and I've also used Polishmywriting.com. Sometimes these sites catch things you might miss. 
2. Check for any unnecessary words. For example, I tend to overuse the word 'just'. So I go through my manuscript to see when I can delete it. There are many other words like 'really', and I think 'always' is another. I would do a Google search to see what other overused or unnecessary words you can cut out. 
3. Do things make sense? Do your character's reaction fit their personality? Is that a normal reaction? I once read a well-known book where a character couldn't perform an important task due to illness and had her (clearly) less mature and inexperienced friend take it on. Who does that? Most people would either look for a better alternative or drag themselves from their deathbed. 
4. Do things line up? Did your character schedule a party for next week, and suddenly it's taking place a month later? Did she leave the house wearing a red dress and come home to remove a black one? Is she blonde in chapter one and suddenly a brunette in chapter two? These errors are easy to make, especially when you have a lot going on in your manuscript and many characters.
5. Not only do you need to worry about typos for words, but what about people, places, etc.? Your character may live in 'Lonemon apartment buildings' in chapter three, then 'Lomemon apartment buildings' in chapter twenty. It's easy to make this kind of mistake. I have a 'Maria' in my books but have checked through the final manuscript for 'Marie' just in case. It's easy to miss this sort of error; and even easier to do so when typing fast.
6. It doesn't hurt to fact-check if you aren't 100% sure of something. I have some Spanish in my books, so I often research to confirm that I have the correct spelling and meaning. Sometimes I will check other things I'm iffy on; for example, is it 'toe the line' or 'tow the line' 
7. Always have help. If you can't afford a super expensive editor, find some reliable friends and family members with a good eye. They may catch things you've missed along the way. 
8. You're not perfect, and chances are, some errors will still slip through. Don't hate yourself for it, and certainly don't quit writing if it's your passion. No one is perfect. Not even other writers (or your critics)

Why did I start writing? 🤨 (Updated)

One of the most common questions people ask me is why I started writing. After all, I was in college studying business in 2008 when I suddenly dropped out to pursue my dream. It was the road less traveled, and to some, it probably seemed stupid to return to a dead-end job while I wrote my first book but to me, it was what I had to do.

There are a few reasons why writing quickly became my passion.

1.  I wasn't finding the kind of books I wanted to read, so I wrote them. Not to suggest there's nothing out there that I enjoy reading, but it was more to the point that there was just something missing.
2. I wanted people to see another point of view. Let's explore the other side of things. For example, in my first book Fire, I talk about a rock band's rise to fame and the unexpected and negative sides of being famous. In my vampire books, I question whether these mystical creatures of fantasy are actually everyday people who happen have some fascinating strengths. And in my Hernandez series, I show that there are many blurred lines when it comes to the good and bad guys. 
3. I wanted to make people think. Political corruption, collusion, racism, Big Pharma, celebrity, untrustworthy corporations....you will see many topics and issues brought up in my books, even if it's merely a passing comment by a character. My goal is to make people think and look at things from a character's perspective. Nothing is ever black or white.
4. To discover a magical world. Sometimes I'm shocked by what my characters do. I'm always fascinated by where the story will take me, and just like many of my readers, I can't wait to see what they will do next!

Why I Hate Being Stuck in a Genre 😩 (Updated)

I hate the word ‘genre’. It sounds so limiting. As if you define your book in one, single category rather than having it overlap in many areas. Then again, is that surprising since we also live in a world that wants us to define ourselves into small categories that are easily digestible, uncomplicated, and make other people comfortable?

I stopped trying to define my books. Except for The Rock Star of Vampires and its follow-up, Her Name is Mariah, I have always stuck with the genre of ‘fiction’ when checking in with my publisher and later when asked which category my books fit. For me, a great book should overlap into many genres. There should be some romance – but not too much. There should be some drama – but not to the point that it becomes unrealistic. There should be some suspense but not necessarily non-stop from chapter one. There should be some erotica but not in the Fifty Shades extreme. I think readers should get a glimpse of themselves in the story as well as a fantasy version of themselves.

When I write a book, I visualize it as if it were one of my favorite dramas on television. I like surprise twists and turns. I love strong emotions. I like diving into dark topics. I love contradictions. I like the light side of our personalities that makes us human. 

Genres tend to be suffocating. When asked for themes in my first book, I stupidly suggested ‘romance’ even though it was only a fraction of the book. My publisher immediately suggested that I change the ending and do things differently to connect with the ‘romance’ fan. I wasn’t about to make my book into a tacky, $2 trash romance book and immediately said no. Same thing with the vampire books; I was told they weren’t ‘vampiry’ enough, not what fans wanted in this kind of genre – but to me, that was the point. Who says that all vampire books have to be the same? Isn’t the point of creativity to be unique? Sometimes I think this is no longer the case.