The official blog is associated with www.mimaonfire.com. Author of 18 books including the Hernandez series 🔪
Loyalty Above All
There are no exceptions.
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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?
Do book themes matter? Maybe not if you're a reader. But to a writer, it helps me focus on what the central idea is for the story. It's nice to have plots, subplots, and cool characters, but you need something more to hold it together.
Here's a quick rundown of the themes for a few of my books.
Long before I started to write this book, I planned to focus on powerful women as a central theme. It was important to me that readers saw how Paige was as dangerous as any male character. This was something that I always knew but feared that I wasn't effectively demonstrating in my previous books.
Its also important female readers are encouraged to show their power. They should never make themselves small to make others comfortable.
The beauty of this character is that everyone around her naturally accepts and respects who she is, never trying to demean or belittle her.
I guess it's clear that the theme for this book was legacy. In the 7th book in my series, Jorge Hernandez spends a great deal of time considering the legacy he will leave. This becomes a concern after a close colleague is murdered, leaving Jorge to wonder what he will one day leave behind.
The theme for this specific book was power. Remember, Jorge Hernandez doesn't focus on money, like many villainous characters we see in books. For him, it always was and always is about power. He sees this as one of the most important things and is very central in his life.
In this book, the theme is passion. Jorge Hernandez is a man who thrives on passion. It is the very instinctual passion that motivates him each day.
Not every author will concern themselves with themes while writing their books, but I find it helps me stay focused. It reminds me of what message I want to send to my readers about the characters and, in some cases, the world as I see it.
Before starting the 8th book in the Hernandez series, I knew my focus would be on strong women and female empowerment. I needed to show how Paige Hernandez, the wife to protagonist Jorge, wasn't exactly playing second fiddle to anyone. I wanted to show that she could go head to head with any other character, male and female.
Throughout the book, She Was His Angel, my goal was to not only celebrate powerful women, but I also tried to demonstrate some of the bias and hurdles that we often face. While Paige is very much a superhero in the eyes of her husband Jorge, she often struggles as a mother, worries about the future, and attempts to keep everything in balance. Although this has been a focus throughout the series, I believe that this specific book takes a closer look into the world of Paige Noël-Hernandez.
Another angle that I hoped to focus on in this book was Paige's past. Up until this point, we didn't know a lot of details about her assassin lifestyle. We also didn't know how it even came about. I attempted to investigate in She Was His Angel, although I must admit, there's still a great deal to learn about this mysterious character's past. I've always said that some characters are more forthcoming than others. Jorge Hernandez, for example, is an open book, while Paige is quite the opposite. Even though she's been in most of the series, she's revealed very little about herself. Then again, maybe that's what keeps us all intrigued.
A former Mexican narco transitions into Canadian life with family, politics, and business while holding tight to his ruthless, criminal ways. Meet Jorge Hernandez.
Power-hungry CEO of Our House of Pot, Jorge Hernandez, holds tight to his ruthless ways in the 8th book in the Hernandez series when he decides to take down the pharmaceutical industry in one powerful swoop. The man once known as the Mexican cartel leader El Diablo isn’t satisfied controlling the monopoly in the Canadian marijuana industry but wants to make Big Pharma squirm under his thumb. Using his political influence to cripple his nemesis, 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?
Recognizing that he’s started a bloodthirsty game of cat and mouse with a sinister opponent, Jorge enlists the help of the only person that he considers his equal. Former assassin Paige Hernandez, one of the most dangerous women in the world, takes on her husband’s advice to do her worst. But when an unexpected adversary forces her hand in a no-win situation, Paige is left with a heart-wrenching decision of who will live…and who will die.
When the couple unites forces, they discover a bloodbath overflowing in deception and disloyalty that shakes them to the core. Together with Paige, Jorge fights their enemy to the end because he is the devil and she was his angel.
This book centers on celebrating strong, powerful women who can take on the world. I also use this platform to resurface many stereotypes that women encounter throughout their lives, as well as the struggle of balancing family and work....and of course, in Paige's case, murder.
It's not the first time I've talked about not wanting to be stuck in a genre: and it probably won't be the last. Are genres too confining? The problem is that as soon as we put books in a category, it limits your audience. It suggests it's the central theme when most books, movies, and television shows can dip into a whole range of genres. You can watch a detective show and catch a little romance. You can read a detective book and stumble across some unexpected humor. Sometimes stating that a book is a specific genre only shows your potential audience a portion of what they can expect. It's like introducing your new friend and describing her as a journalist: when she's also a mother, a wife, an activist, and maybe even a volunteer in her community. The one-word description limits our view of who she is when she has so many aspects to her personality. Books are the same. Another issue with having a specific genre is that it limits your audience. For example, if I learn a book is a 'romance', you've already lost me. It doesn't matter that perhaps it's only one element, and maybe the novel is full of humor, drama, and other things. I might enjoy it but, I've already written it off as 'not my kind of book'. This is another reason why I'm iffy on genres. I write books that more or less fall under the thriller-suspense categories, but I have a lot of other stuff going on, including romance, dark humor, maybe even a little horror from time to time. I guess the point is that good books, movies and television shows have many different things going on. We have short attention spans and need lots of colors lighting up at once or we get bored. I'm not sure if genres are as important as they were in simpler times. What do you think?
Generally speaking, most of the books you'll read that involve criminals will have the same conclusion: the 'bad guy' gets caught and we all live happily ever after in knowing that good prevails over evil. We see it in movies, on television, and in real life...
Wait. Is that true? Do we see it in real life?
In actuality, we don't always see the 'bad guys' getting captured in the real world. Other times, we see them get caught only to either get away with or barely get punished for their crimes. So why do so many books, movies, and television series center on criminals getting caught and punished?
The answer is that we seek the comfort that the story tells. Many people feel better when things end in a way that they think they should. So, in other words, not only does the criminal gets caught, but the girl gets the guy, and the sick person recovers, and everyone lives happily ever after.
It can be a little insulting to the average audience's intelligence to give every story a fairy tale ending. If you don't believe me, ask a few people what they think of some of the cute and cuddly Christmas movies we're walloped with every December and watch at least half of them roll their eyes. People want to be challenged, surprised, and sometimes, to nod their heads and say, 'I wonder if that does happen?'
In my series, the criminals get away with their crimes. They take many preventative measures, own the right politicians, and manipulate the media. But will they eventually get caught?
All of my books have a theme. This is something that I usually touch on in the first paragraph so that readers have a sense of where the protagonist is in life. It could be a struggle or simply their mindset that will follow the character throughout the book. As pointed out in the title, the theme for my latest in the Hernandez series is (obviously) legacy.
I already knew the theme for my latest book while still writing my last one, The Devil May Lie. A prominent character is murdered in it, and for that reason, Jorge Hernandez starts to question his legacy. He wonders what he will leave behind. How will people see him? How will he be remembered? From this, The Devil and His Legacy was born.
The first paragraph talks about where Jorge Hernandez starts with the concept of legacy, while the first paragraph of the last chapter shows where he ends up on the topic. My goal is to show character growth as a result of his experiences throughout the story. You can learn more by checking out the video below👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼and I promise, there are no spoiler alerts! 🤔 🤔
They always say how important it is to make a solid first impression. When you think of today's world where everything is fast-paced, and people are much too rushed to give much of anything a second try, it's more important than ever to capture a reader quickly; but how do you do that?
The obvious answer is to have an engaging first chapter. It doesn't have to be perfect. It also doesn't mean it has to be over the top or gimmicky. It means that you want the reader to get a sense of what they're getting themselves into! What is the theme of this book? What is the genre?
As a writer, the first paragraph is like meeting someone new for the first time. If you want to make a good impression, you'll probably throw on some makeup, hopefully, some clean clothes, and put a little extra attention on your hair. With books, it's really about pulling someone in and showing them a glimpse into your character's world.
For example, in my 11th book, The Devil May Lie, I talk about the significance of power in our world. What does it mean? Why do people want it? I talk about how it starts when we're children on the playground and ends in our death. I also say we lust after it as if it were the flesh of a lover. I use specific words that are powerful like, bold, passionate, addictive, crave, roaring. These words give readers a sense of what is to come. If I were writing something with a romantic theme, I would probably choose powerful words associated with passion. If my book had more of a family theme, I might use gentle words that give the impression of a soft place to fall, such as comfort and warmth.
Another thing I want to note is that I often connect the first paragraph in chapter one with the first paragraph in the final chapter (in my case, chapter 50). So once again, in The Devil May Lie, I talk about power in the last chapter. This is important because we're revisiting the place we started to see where we are on the same topic. In this last paragraph, I ask the question; When do we have enough power? When do we cross the line? Who wins when there's nothing left to take? I hope that after having read the entire book, this gives you something to ponder.
The first paragraph should give readers an impression of what they can expect. Of course, you have to remember that just as with a relationship, you must work hard to keep the reader interested throughout the book and to live up to that first impression.
Paige Noël-Hernandez is the assassin wife of Jorge Hernandez and makes her first appearance in The Devil is Smooth Like Honey and continues throughout the series from that point on.
What I love about Paige, is that she's incredibly calm and balanced regardless of the situation. She manages to keep a little sanity to the otherwise erratic group of characters, and yet, you're left wondering if maybe she's a little too calm in various situations. I guess it's the meditation.
Paige enters the series (and meets her husband Jorge) in a unique and dramatic way. Although it's probably a situation that seems insane, for some reason, the two find themselves drawn to one another and start a very fiery, intense relationship, which dominates this series almost as much as....well, the violence. There's a strength to their relationship that can't be denied and in many ways is admirable.
Of course, if you're looking for a fairytale princess meets prince storyline, the relationship between Jorge and Paige Hernandez might horrify you.
It started with a simple concept. The first book in the series is about Chase Jacobs, the wide-eyed boy next door who finds others taking control of his life, leaving him bitter, resentful, and bringing out a dark side that no one saw coming. With his introduction to the sinister underworld in his small town, there's a sense that once Chase has opened the door, he could never turn back.
If you jump ahead to the 3rd or 4th book in the series, it might be surprising to see what a jump things had taken from We're All Animals. What starts as the story about teenage heartbreak turns into a series involving violence, corruption, and murder. I feel it's a smooth transition and one that allows you to understand how someone you'd never expect could get involved with a gang or cartel. Our lives and decisions can take us down many roads, but in the end, there's a reason why we choose them.
I've often said that this is the series that wasn't meant to be a series. However, the characters were so compelling that I had to keep writing. Who knew where it would lead me. 😈
When I published the book We're All Animals in 2016, I didn't anticipate that it would turn into a series. Now, over 10 books later, it's taken on a life of its own. Check out the first few books in the series, and click HERE for the entire list!
It started with a broken heart, and it took no time for Chase Jacobs' 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?
The second book in the series is Always be a Wolf, published in April 2017.
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.
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?
The devil is smooth like honey, but is heaven ever far away?
In the thrilling sequel to The Devil Is Smooth like Honey, Jorge Hernandez is muscling in on the Canadian marijuana industry, unleashing the same savagery that made him a big player in the Mexican drug cartel. Whether it's controlling politicians and government officials or using intimidation and violence to get what he wants, few people dare stand in his way. Although he takes on his enemies with deceptive ease, it only takes a single threat to his family to bring out the demon inside of him. Fueled by blinding rage, he attacks with relentless brutality, showing no remorse and offering no mercy. In a world tainted by racism, corruption, and greed, he proves once again there is a devil, and his name is Jorge Hernandez. In this eye-opening look into the life of the silver-tongued Mexican fox, you find yourself rooting for society's underbelly, as sex, drugs, and death intermix with family, love, and friendship (Amazon review). Check out the CBC interview here
To learn more about my writing, please go to www.mimaonfire.com or check out my YouTube channel!
