The official blog is associated with www.mimaonfire.com. Author of 18 books including the Hernandez series 🔪
Loyalty Above All
There are no exceptions.
☠️#counterculture #villains #darkhumor #bloodthirsty #antihero #criminals #fiction #Hernandezseries #Canadianfiction #darkfiction #politicalthriller #Amazonbooks #Kindle #booksworthreading
If you know anything about my Hernandez series, you probably don't have to be told that it's full of criminals, villains, gangsters, and vigilantes. And if you need to get more familiar with my series, those words could send a strong message about what you're in for if you pick up one of my books.
As I point out in the video below, people love these characters. Some of the most popular televisions have featured or centered on characters that played more the role of an anti-hero than the more traditional hero. We have to ask ourselves why they're so appealing and why at this time in history? Learn more below.
One of the most prevalent themes in my Hernandez series is the ongoing battle between protagonist Jorge Hernandez and his nemesis, Big Pharma. It's a fight unlikely to end anytime soon but will only grow as tension grows with each book.
The premise behind the Hernandez series is that Jorge was once a cartel leader in Mexico. Through a miracle, he never ended up in either prison or dead, but instead relocated to Canada to start a legit business. Once here, Jorge often is ranting how as a cartel boss, he was always running from the law, but Big Pharma is also responsible for people becoming addicts but can do so legally and have no repercussions. Also, he takes over the Canadian pot industry (House of Pot) only adds to the ongoing battle between the pharmaceutical industry and Jorge Hernandez.
Jorge is a respectable businessman to the public, but behind the scenes, he's part of an ongoing war with Big Pharma, and things often get bloody.
Could a former cartel boss run the government? Has it ever happened behind the scenes? And let's take this another step further; could a bloodthirsty criminal lead a country if people weren't aware of his dark side?
Most people will say no to all these questions. White-collar criminals might be another story. Politicians turned criminals is also a possibility, but most people would disagree that someone who has threatened and murdered his way to the top could potentially run the show: either from behind the scenes or at the top of the pile, as the actual president or prime minister of a country.
But then again, is it impossible?
In my Hernandez series, former cartel boss Jorge Hernandez heavily influences the government from behind the scenes while secretly wondering if he could be more productive as his country's leader. After smoothly slipping through life without getting caught, it's obvious why Hernandez automatically assumes that the other shoe will never drop, but would he be bold enough to run for prime minister of Canada?
If you research Mexican or Colombian cartels, you'll quickly realize that it's not a stretch. These powerful and savvy criminals have a lot of influence on the government and the police, but is that something that could only happen in other countries? Could it happen in Canada? The US? And I guess the more important question is, has it ever happened?
I think part of the answer lies in how you define a criminal. And even more so, where the grey area starts and where it ends.
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.
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?
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?
Throughout most of the Hernandez series, I've had the tagline Loyalty Above All (there are no exceptions) to symbolize that loyalty is essential to these characters. It's the backbone of the entire series, the structure that holds Jorge Hernandez's organization together.
Of course, this is an appealing concept for most people. We want to believe that others are loyal to us. We want to believe that when pushed, most people in our inner circle will be in our corner, defend us, and help with whatever we need. In reality, this isn't always the case. It's usually during the worst periods of our lives that we see the true colors of those around us. And let's face it, they don't always shimmer.
For this reason, I sense that my readers appreciate the fact that Jorge Hernandez is not only loyal and dedicated to the people in his life but that he also demands the same of them. This, along with his power and confidence, are also central in the series. No one will run over this character, and no one dares to try. But is that really because he is any less vulnerable than the rest of us, or is it because he believes that he is so powerful that makes him so?
Either way, again and again, my readers assure me that this is why they love the series. I do have a lot of stuff going on that makes it a fun read, but it's the protagonist that draws them in the most.
In my new book Loyalty Above All (there are no exceptions), I further explore the wild, criminal world that is Jorge Hernandez. If you don't know who that is, this sums him up 👇🏼
A former Mexican narco transitions into Canadian life with family, politics, and business while holding tight to his ruthless, criminal ways. Meet Jorge Hernandez.
The fact that Jorge Hernandez is contemplating ‘doing good’ in the world should be enough to send a shiver down anyone’s spine. He may be living a seemingly legit lifestyle with his family in Canada, but don’t be fooled; this former Mexican cartel boss holds a powerful grip on everything from politics to media, and he’s never beyond getting a little blood on his hands.
When his daughter Maria steps up to someday head the familia, it is with great pride that Jorge breaks down the lessons that will secure her position in life. Giving her a glimpse into his daily activities, she quickly witnesses the stark view of the criminal mastermind at work. It doesn’t matter if he’s yelling at the prime minister or making plans to take someone down; Jorge does so with a powerful and unapologetic swoop. But how much is he willing to reveal? Is he ready for his daughter to learn about his brutal, murderous side?
In a world where trust is essential, Jorge teaches her the powerful lesson; Loyalty above all. There are no exceptions.
Check out the first paragraph (and me bumbling through it) 👇🏼
Love it or hate it, politics affect many aspects of your life. Unfortunately, people often don't pay attention until they are personally affected by a law or mandate. If you are Jorge from my Hernandez series, you make sure things never get to that point because you go right to the top and take control.
Jorge had barely arrived in the series when it became clear that he would be very involved in politics. Early on, he talked about how the only difference between the corruption in Mexican politics (his home country) and Canada is that Canadians hid it better. Jorge ripped the blinders off and revealed a much darker side of politics, never hiding the fact that he planned to control politicians to benefit his priorities.
When Alec Athas entered the series, talking about potentially entering politics to make positive changes from the inside, Jorge knew he had found the perfect person to control. With Jorge's manipulation, Athas was successful on a local level. When an opportunity to fill the elite position of prime minister came up, Jorge continued to push Athas forward, with the not-so-subtle warning that he owned him. As he so bluntly put it in one book, 'You gotta dance with the one who brought you'. The two men have been dancing ever since, and there's no question which one of them is leading.
If you read the back cover description of my latest book, Loyalty Above All (There are no exceptions), you're only getting the prevalent theme in the story. Jorge Hernandez has two nemeses throughout the series; the prime minister of Canada (Alec Athas) and Big Pharma. This book is no different.
Let's check out the synopsis before I explain what I mean.
The fact that Jorge Hernandez is contemplating ‘doing good’ in the world should be enough to send a shiver down anyone’s spine. He may be living a seemingly legit lifestyle with his family in Canada, but don’t be fooled; this former Mexican cartel boss holds a powerful grip on everything from politics to media, and he’s never beyond getting a little blood on his hands.
When his daughter Maria steps up to someday head the familia, it is with great pride that Jorge breaks down the lessons that will secure her position in life. Giving her a glimpse into his daily activities, she quickly witnesses the stark view of the criminal mastermind at work. It doesn’t matter if he’s yelling at the prime minister or making plans to take someone down; Jorge does so with a powerful and unapologetic swoop. But how much is he willing to reveal? Is he ready for his daughter to learn about his brutal, murderous side?
In a world where trust is essential, Jorge teaches her the powerful lesson; Loyalty above all. There are no exceptions.
The likelihood of Jorge and Alec ever becoming best friends is highly unlikely. Jorge will always have an issue with the man who once had a relationship with his wife, even though it was probably about twenty years ago. Although he insists his frustration with the prime minister is because Canada's leader is too much of a 'pussy', deep down, we know that there's something else that incites his anger. The two men have one heated battle that takes things up a notch in this book. While behind the scenes, Jorge continues to control the Canadian prime minister.
Jorge's long-standing battle with Big Pharma is also unlikely to end anytime soon. You have to remember that Jorge started his fortune in the cartel. In his eyes, people were getting their drugs from both him and Big Pharma however, the latter didn't have any consequences to their actions, despite both were selling drugs that people used to get high. In his view, they were legalized drug dealers. When he took over the cannabis business in Canada, his battle against the pharmaceutical industry only grew more contentious and remains ongoing.
I like to keep as many irons in the fire as I can to keep things interesting. This book is no exception.
You wouldn't think that Christmas themes quite fit in with books about criminals, corruption, and murder, but I managed to do it in my 15th book, Psychopaths Rule the World. Not such a stretch when you consider how many psychopaths seem to show up during frantic moments at the mall and of course, family events (we all got at least one in our families!) at Christmas time.
As I've mentioned in previous blogs, I love contradictions in my books, and you don't get much more of a contradiction than murder at Christmas. I will admit that this is a theme I've noticed in other books (usually with a detective trying to find the person who killed the bakery shop victim or something of that nature), but my books tend to be a tad more brutal. For example, in Psychopaths Rule the World, one person is brutally murdered with a very heavy Christmas ornament. There's also a haunting scene at the end of the book that might traumatize you, but let's not get into that right now. 😉
I wanted to get some Christmas in my last book, but it wasn't always easy to work into the story. After all, this isn't exactly a family that bakes cookies, watches holiday movies, or makes snowmen on the lawn. Granted, I do love contradiction, so wouldn't it be fun to see gangster Jorge Hernandez do any of those things?
Of course, you have to give me credit because at least Psychopaths Rule the World has a festive color for the cover♥️
A former Mexican narco transitions into Canadian life with family, politics, and business while holding tight to his ruthless, criminal ways. Meet Jorge Hernandez.
Starting with We’re All Animals we follow naive Chase Jacobs from small-town Alberta to the big city, where he unknowingly is employed by a group of sinister characters. The truth slowly reveals itself in Always be a Wolf, but a horrific tragedy rocks Chase’s world, and quickly discovers that his new family will do anything for him. Anything.
Jorge Hernandez takes over as the protagonist in the third installment of the series, The Devil is Smooth Like Honey. The beloved character is bold, blood-thirsty, and always gets what he wants because he sees no boundaries. Nothing and no one stands in his way.
In A Devil Named Hernandez Jorge is muscling in on the Canadian legalized pot industry but is distracted by enemies that crop up to threaten someone he loves. Do they really want to dance with the devil?
The collusion, corruption, and murder continue right through to And the Devil Will Laugh where he successfully takes over the pot industry despite a few obstacles that get in his way…but isn’t there always some collateral damage?
In The Devil May Lie, Jorge Hernandez is groomed for Canadian politics with hopes of saving one of the major political parties after a public uproar. Will the Canadian political landscape ever be the same again?
In The Devil and his Legacy, Jorge Hernandez starts to questions his own legacy after one of his foot soldiers is murdered. He opts for a simple life but will the simple life opt for him?
In She Was His Angel, Jorge uses his political influence to cripple his nemesis Big Pharma 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?
When a cop has the nerve to show up at his door and harass Jorge in We’re All Criminals, his fury quickly ignites. While Jorge wants to exhibit his power and publicly taunt the police, his family fears that he may have pushed too far this time.
Subplots, conspiracy theories, and a cast of characters that will jump off the pages.
Loyalty above all. There are no exceptions.
For more information on all these books, click HERE for a complete synopsis. Watch the playlist on YouTube.
If you follow the Hernandez series, you already know that Jorge does everything he can to protect his children from his dangerous lifestyle. The last thing he wants is for Miguel and Maria to follow along in his footsteps, but is it inevitable?
When Maria Hernandez made an appearance in the series, we immediately realized that she was very observant. Despite Jorge's efforts to hide the truth from her, she noticed things from a very early age, and much to his heartbreak learns about her crime boss father. Even then, Jorge continues to hide as much as possible from his daughter. It's when she gets caught up in a dangerous situation Maria quickly is brought up to speed.
As for Miguel, he's still a baby. I'm currently working on a book where he's approaching his 3rd birthday, but like his sister, he's observing everything going on around him. Jorge often says and does things in front of the child, assuming the baby is too young to understand. However, readers will begin to see the Hernandez coming out in him in my next book. And yes, he's just a baby but don't we always exhibit clues to our future while still children? For example, as a child, I wrote stories and acted out dramatic events with my Barbie dolls. and well, here I am.
Of course, the Hernandez children could go either way. They could become completely legit and 'normal' in comparison to their parents, but there's also a strong possibility that they could go the dark side too. They could become the most dangerous members of the crime family. We have to wait and see.
A book should be strong enough to stand on its own. Sure, there should be some details explained in a general manner to give the reader some idea of the most relevant information. Of course, this is without spoiling the plot or digging too much into the past. One clean swoop should take care of everything the reader needs to know.
For example, if you wrote a book with a complicated plotline and followed it up with the sequel, you wouldn't give the reader every detail from that previous book but a vague and summarized explanation that keeps the reader on a need-to-know basis only.
For example, in my Hernandez series, I often refer to Jorge Hernandez's shady past but never get into his complicated history. I let you know that he is brutal, dangerous and no one gets in his way. However, I don't go into an explanation of the crimes he committed. Nor do I discuss the revenge, the murders, the corruption, nor do I talk about the threats, manipulation, and ...I think you get the idea.
In essence, he's crazy, he's dangerous, and you don't want to get on Jorge's bad side.
In the end, there should be enough information about the previous books in the series to create intrigue. After all, if they fall in love with the book in their hands, chances are they'll want to snatch up the ones that precede it.
If you haven't checked out the Hernandez series yet, you might want to stop by mimaonfire.com to learn about the characters, the books and take a look at all the snappy covers. 😍
As a writer, I have a few goals that I keep in mind, specifically while working on this series:
Diversity. I've covered this issue in previous blogs and videos because it's one of my most important writing goals. Our society is made up of many kinds of people, and this should be reflected in our books.
Equality. The men are strong. The women are strong. No damsels in distress here.
Theme. Each of my books has a theme that follows the story. For example, my latest book, We're All Criminals, focuses on freedom.
Social issues. There's a lot going on in the world and, it's important to bring it to the surface to inspect a little more closely or perhaps, show it from a different point of view.
Snappy dialogue. Each character has a unique way of expressing themselves, which should be reflected in their dialogue. It shouldn't fall flat.
Subplots. Lots and lots of subplots. People need a lot of balls in the air, or they lose interest.
Fast-moving. If you're going to write a 900-page book, you better have a hell of a lot of time (like years) or events covered, or people will lose interest by chapter 3.
These are the key ingredients that help to make the ideal Hernandez soup.
The 9th book in the Hernandez series is out! Check out the synopsis:
If there is one thing that Jorge Hernandez values as much as power and loyalty, it is his freedom. Despite his countless crimes and acts of vigilantism, he continues to plunge ahead into the 9th book in the Hernandez series, playing by his own rules. While others follow like sheep, Hernandez has always been the wolf, brutally ripping apart anyone who gets in his way.
When a cop has the nerve to show up at his door and harass him, Jorge's fury quickly ignites. However, rather than sinking his teeth into this one victim, he instead takes on the entire herd, deciding to use the second season of his docuseries, Eat the Rich before the Rich Eat You, to expose the dirty secrets and humiliate the Canadian law enforcers. While Jorge wants to exhibit his power and publicly taunt the police, his family fears that this time, he may have pushed too far.
Even with his freedom in the balance, Jorge Hernandez won't back down. Then again, in a world of blurred lines and uncertain morals, are we all the judge and jury, or are we all criminals?
In certain circles, Marco Rodel Cruz is simply the 'IT guy' however in this series, it would be much more accurate to call him the hacker. While most of the other characters commit brutal crimes to maintain their power and control, Marco is working tirelessly in the background to ensure their victory. His expertise includes hacking security cameras (and deactivating them when needed), hacking emails, accounts, and of course, breaking into various company and organization systems. He literally can do anything IT, and he does.
Jorge Hernandez met Marco while staying at a hotel where the Filipino worked. Impressed with his professionalism, he instinctively took the immigrant under his wing. Learning that Marco was an IT specialist before moving to Canada, Jorge did a little digging to discover that his abilities went well beyond creating a website and solving minor IT problems. However, it was Marco's assurance of confidentiality that was considered his most valuable trait. Keeping quiet is a big part of this dark world.
Marco is a likable guy. Often described as having a smile on his face, he's an interesting contrast to the more sinister characters. After all, he mightn't carry a gun to the potential crime scene, but he clears the path for the others. Perhaps this makes Marco the most lethal one in the group.
If there ever were characters that not only made it their business to color outside the lines but seemed oblivious to living any other way, it would be the group in the Hernandez series. Living by their creed of love, loyalty, and winning above all, this is a series where readers witness characters who don't let anyone stand in their way. With their unique sense of what's right and wrong, we follow them down a countercultural path that goes against the usual, 'the good guy always wins' theme. And to readers, this is refreshing.
A former Mexican narco transitions into Canadian life with family, politics, and business while holding tight to his ruthless, criminal ways. Meet Jorge Hernandez.
Except for the first two books, the series centers around the protagonist Jorge Hernandez. With his combination of daily life problems, (not to mention, his unique way of solving them) and enemies coming out of the woodwork, Hernandez shows the strength and resilience that is alluring to the reader. Somewhat of an anti-hero, this villain reveals the darker side of society, one where corruption, collusion, and conspiracy are often the name of the game.
As the CEO of Our House of Pot, Jorge gives the impression of an immigrant that came to Canada to strive while at the same time demonstrating how public image and reality are often a million miles apart.
This is a series for people who enjoy being entertained while being open to the other side of many situations. And often, it's a side that asks as many questions as it gives explanations. But isn't that what any good series does?
We live in a world where many prefer we all obediently follow the rules without causing a fuss, but when it comes to my unruly characters, the likelihood of this happening is slim at best. I would even say that coloring outside the lines is their goal rather than an exception.
In the writing world, publishers prefer that artists produce a 'sure thing'. In other words, something that's guaranteed to sell while taking minimum risks. Risks, of course, would be coloring outside the lines and producing work that may not necessarily connect with or be approved of by the majority of its potential audience. That's why we have so many lukewarm, barely funny 'comedy' shows on television now. That's why so many books vaguely remind you of something you already read. That's why so many people complain that modern music all 'sounds the same. It's safe.
Then you get writers like me who don't conform to the rules. I've described my characters as counterculture, therefore not going with the usual social 'norm'. As my character, Diego Silva always says, "In a world full of sheep, always be a wolf". This is the kind of idealogy that makes my characters stand out and hopefully makes them as fun and interesting to read about as they are to write.
Throughout the Hernandez series, readers are often surprised to see the softer side of the protagonist, Jorge Hernandez. Usually abrupt, in control, and dangerous, it's a surprise to see his vulnerabilities. This especially comes to light when dealing with either his children or wife, Paige. Something is appealing about the unexpected balance of his character.
In general, I think people enjoy discovering the unexpected when it comes to characters. There's something about getting past the mask, the bullshit, to learn who someone really is that is fascinating in both the real and fictitious world. I believe it's human nature to want to understand what makes people tick. Also, to see what we all have in common despite our backgrounds and status in the world.
I have said in the past that I normally don't write a love story. I guess it's perhaps my cynicism that makes me hesitant. However, I find the relationship between Jorge and Paige fascinating and adds an extra element to the series. I think the unlikelihood of two people who don't fit in well with the rest of the world meeting each other is somewhat inspiring. Throw in a couple of children, and the protagonist is forced to not always be in control, and as the reader, you get to see him unravel.
And there's something about seeing someone unravel that makes us see humanity. Which, I believe, is what we're often looking for in the first place.
