Who's the Greek God? Let's talk about Alec Athas 🇬🇷(Updated)

If you're familiar with my current series, chances are you've already encountered the politician that Jorge Hernandez snidely refers to as 'The Greek God'. We first met Alec in A Devil Named Hernandez, and unlike so many secondary characters, he has managed to survive through each book.

Alec is reluctant to get involved with Jorge Hernandez, knowing of his reputation but sees no way out. He's a powerful man who's quite intimidating. Also, he does have the ability to help Alec make some headway in politics which, in turn, will give Alec the opportunity to make a difference, which is his whole motivation for getting into the political game. He wants to make the world a better place.

The reader immediately sees the contrast between the two characters: a 'good vs. evil', which is why Jorge views the 'Greek God' as his nemesis. Unlike himself, Alec has a history of social work and helping people, whereas Jorge Hernandez has a history of intimidating and torturing those who go against him. The two men tend to complement one another, and sometimes it's up to Alec to be the voice of reason, but as the series moves forward, we begin to recognize what we see with all the salt of the earth characters in the series. Eventually, they all start to become like Jorge Hernandez.

Does my series normalize violence? (Updated)

Anyone who's ever read my books knows there's a body count, but it didn't start that way. You might wonder how it happened.

I always say that this is the series that wasn't meant to be a series, but I can take that one step further and say it became the violent series that wasn't planned. Originally We're All Animals was meant to be a standalone book, but as the story moved forward, it became clear there was much more coming down the wire. With each book, the series grew until it became brutally violent.

The thing is that this isn't so unusual in our society. Many things become normalized over time because they build slowly into everyday life. Things escalate. Smoking starts with an occasional cigarette, often with no intentions of becoming a habit. However, many things are insidious. They grow over time until it becomes the new normal. We regularly see it in our culture, especially in the news. 

The interesting thing I noticed while working on my 12th book is how Chase - the character who has been along this journey since day one - started so naive and shocked by the same violence he later participates in. We see this in the real world too. It's not just fiction.

Why my characters aren't shooting as many people 😱(Updated)

Here's a spoiler alert 🚨- if you haven't already read my books, you should know that there's usually a body count. 😲I'm attempting to get away from having my characters using guns, but does that mean my books are becoming less violent, and why am I making these changes?

First of all, I'm tired of guns. Between mass shootings, the vast amount of television shows using them (more shows than not, I'm guessing), and of course video games, I thought maybe we could use a bit of a break from guns.

Does that mean my books are less violent? No. I'm trying to find more creative ways for my characters to either get revenge, attack or hurt their adversaries without using a revolver. This isn't to say the gang in my series has tossed their guns aside, quite the contrary. I feel that they're used so often in movies, television, and books that perhaps it's time to find more interesting methods rather than relying on the easiest, most thoughtless, and overused options in fiction.

In many ways, we're desensitized by guns. When a character pulls out a gun in your favorite piece of fiction or Netflix show, we hardly blink an eye because it's the norm. Sadly, it doesn't pack the same punch as it should, and in turn, this doesn't keep readers or viewers on high alert. You know what keeps viewers on high alert? A machete. An ax. A chainsaw. One must be creative.

I also believe there is a certain amount of passion when a character attacks his or her victims with a more barbaric weapon. In reality, guns are somewhat lazy, when you think about it.

If you're one of my readers, don't expect things to calm down and you won't suddenly find my books in a Christian book store but you might find a few other surprises. 😏

The Devil May Lie - book 6 in the Hernandez crime family series 😈(Updated)

The Devil May Lie is Mima's 11th book, the 6th book in the Hernandez crime family series. In this book, former cartel kingpin Jorge Hernandez is groomed for Canadian politics. Will the Canadian political landscape ever be the same again?

In the sixth book in the Hernandez crime family series, the murder and mayhem continue. Here is the summary:

With blood on his hands, Jorge Hernandez has enforced a brutal takeover of the Canadian legalized marijuana industry. Now facing opponents who want to challenge the existing laws, the former Mexican crime lord has no intentions of backing down. His brash style and sharp tongue captivate the media while behind the scenes, those who oppose him are often met by his crime family’s ruthless style of justice.

When a heartbreaking tragedy tears through the country and whispers of racism and government neglect dominates the news, Canada’s latest media darling finds himself courted by the nationally disgraced party. He has murdered, terrorized and tortured to get to the top and now he’s being groomed to lead one of the country’s political parties.

In the latest book in this brutal series, Jorge Hernandez insists that nothing is more important than the truth…and yet, the devil may lie….

Passion and Writing 😍 (Updated)

Why are we drawn to explosive arguments, passionate scenes, and violence in books and on the big screen? Why do we love a bar fight or a good old bitch slap on our favorite series? What is it about passion in books and on the screen that excites an audience?

We love it because it's in our nature. Something is exciting about people who are passionate about love or anger. We love a character that isn't afraid to show their emotions. This is because we're often encouraged to hide our feelings, especially those that make other people uncomfortable. So watching others express themselves gives us a bit of satisfaction.

Human nature is fascinating. As much as we hate it when a fight breaks out in the middle of a wedding or during a family event, don't we also kind of move a little closer to the action? It's because we get a little jolt of energy watching people when they show such intense emotions. Why do you think dramas and thrillers are such popular genres?

A great example would be watching a hockey game, and your team is losing. You're kind of discouraged, and suddenly, a fight breaks out! Someone on your team is giving it to an opponent; doesn't this pique your interest? This is because even though your team is losing the game, at least you see that they are passionate about it. And there's something about it that makes you feel a little bit better. 

Does violence in books and television dehumanize us? 🔪 (Updated)

We often see people dehumanizing each other on television and in books. This, unfortunately, has become the 'norm' in our society. I'm pretty conscious of this kind of behavior, and for that reason, it also has become a part of my books, but should it be?

As a writer, I've always felt that what I put on paper (or on a laptop screen, I should say) tends to reflect what I'm viewing in the real world. The situations might be different, but the sense I'm getting from life,  always creeps into my books. Therefore, it makes sense that dehumanizing and violence have become the new 'norm' for my books. Sadly, the reality of violence in our society has become more prevalent....or has it?

Well, yes and no. The thing is that the world has always been a violent place, and depending on where you grew up, it might've been just outside your door. If you grew up in a safer place, you should consider yourself pretty lucky because many people in the world can't say the same.

I've had it pointed out to me that displaying such brutal violence in my books could potentially dehumanize people to the reader. When we stop being seen as humans but disposable, it could cause readers to devalue human life. This tends to be one of the explanations for things such as school and mass shootings. When you're used to viewing someone being shot on television, reading about it in a book, or even 'being' the shooter in a video game, some will walk away with a complete disconnect from reality.

I understand the concern, but I also believe other factors play into these situations. Few things in life are black and white, and as with many topics, I think there are a lot of grey areas to consider. Anyone who takes something meant to be for entertainment purposes and turns it into a reason or an excuse to brutalize others already has some issues.