Plant the seed 🌱(Updated)

It's vital that you 'plant the seed' early in a book to capture a reader. But what does that mean?

Planting a seed means creating situations, obstacles, and to a certain degree, some clues about what to expect in the upcoming chapters of the book. It could be in the form of foreshadowing or simply letting the reader know who your protagonist is, what they stand for, and what kind of craziness the reader can expect.

Here's a couple of quick examples of 'planting the seed' I've done in previous books:

We're All Animals

We're All Animals is the premier book in my current series where we meet Chase Jacobs. The young protagonist is very much the boy-next-door and in the early chapters. We learn that he recently was dumped by his high school sweetheart and reluctantly goes to a party to soothe his pain. While there, he is given a drug to 'mellow' him out and hooks up with a woman he isn't particularly attracted to, only to later learn she's pregnant. Forced by his mother to marry this mere stranger, Chase sees all his hopes and dreams go down the drain. All this while he lusts after his new BFF, who tells him she's a lesbian even though he's getting some strong signals suggesting the opposite. Add in his complicated relationship with his family, growing resentment about having no control in his own life, and you got one complicated seed about to burst through the ground. 

The Devil May Lie

Jorge Hernandez comes out with both barrels blazing in the 6th book of the series. Here, we learn that Jorge discovered an ultra-conservative movement within Canada that could affect his personal and professional life. He not only sees proof when his daughter has a confrontation with another child at school but learns it may be creeping into the general beliefs of Canadians, which could, in turn, affect his (legalized) pot business. What if laws are changed to make it illegal again? After working to get where he's at, Jorge has no intention of backing down. This seed is so powerful. The earth is shaking.

How important is it to plant a seed? Unless the reader has something to grab on, they have no reason to continue reading. Plant the seeds to make readers intrigued enough to keep reading. 

Can you learn from authors you don't like? 🧐(updated)

We often hear about learning from people we admire, but what about ones we don't like? Can we learn from someone if we're not a fan? Is there a lesson in bad books, boring TV shows, and disappointing movies?

When I was younger, one of the authors I used to read was a well-known best-seller. I now see that her style tended to be what I now refer to as 'formula writing', which essentially means that her books tended to follow the same pattern. The protagonist was often a beautiful, perfect woman who had money, usually a super attractive spouse, perfect children, and, well, you get the idea. Needless to say, it was difficult to feel sorry for that character when something difficult came around the corner.

I grew tired of reading these predictable books but I was left with one powerful lesson: make your characters relatable. Show their insecurities, their weaknesses, air their dirty laundry, and embarrassing moments. Make the reader see that they are far from perfect and demonstrate their struggles. One of the reasons why I didn't continue reading the specific author mentioned ☝🏻is because I didn't care about her characters because they were unrelatable and somewhat vacant.

In essence, this author taught me what not to do as a writer. Since that time, I've read other books that were predictable, couldn't hold my interest, had terrible dialogue or characters reacting in such a way that didn't make sense for their situations and I made a mental note not to do these things. I saw it as a lesson.

Don't get me wrong. I've made mistakes too and I'm sure there's an author somewhere who's read one of my books and perhaps saw things that they wouldn't do in their own writing. And that's fine. I'm always trying to learn more, to do better and I believe that's an important part of my evolution as a writer. That's how I learn and create my own, unique style. Being open to learning is an important part of being an artist.

Although it's important (and terrific!) to have role models that we admire and want to learn from, don't forget to also pay attention to those who actually inspire the opposite feelings. Sometimes we gather some of the most valuable lessons from the most unexpected source.

Do your books have social commentary? 🧐 (Updated)

The world is a hot mess now, so if there ever were a time for social commentary in the arts, this would be it!

I've always been a fan of social commentary in books, movies, television, and music. In fact, for me, it's a significant part of the writing process. I love the idea of planting a few seeds for readers to ponder. I don't do this to influence anyone's opinion but to give them some food for thought. We often get locked in our beliefs and stubbornly refuse to see the other side, but can we make a fair assessment if we don't? 

When it comes to the arts, books, movies, and television are sometimes a more tangible way to process information. News stories and documentaries are often slanted, possibly more with the concern of capturing ratings. However, fiction shows the emotional side of some dicey subjects. The human being behind societal problems has a face. As they say, before you judge, walk a mile in someone else's shoes. Books, movies, and television allow you to do so.

With that in mind, there are various topics and questions that writers will bring to light for the reader's consideration. For example, in my book The Devil May Lie, Paige Noël-Hernandez worries about her appearance after having a baby. She mentions a recent magazine article that suggests women 'of a certain age' have to work twice as hard to slip back into those favorite pair of jeans after giving birth. Her husband Jorge is quick to ask if this specific article comes before a page of ads for weight loss products. Of course, we know that advertisers target their audience and, in some cases, instigate insecurities to make potential customers for their products. Welcome to the world of consumerism!

As a writer, I want to encourage critical thinking. Ideally, I would love to believe that my books are read with an open mind and heart, that sometimes their ideas are challenged, or perhaps readers are relating to specific events in the book. I hope that the characters stay with them long after finishing the book and maybe even inspired them. I want to believe that my books shake things up a bit, whether it be the reader's imagination or how they see themselves and the world. 

The Devil May Lie - Let's talk about a pivotal moment in the book 😱 (Updated)

Until about the halfway point of  The Devil May Lie, the format was similar to previous books in the series. Not to suggest that the story was predictable, but fans understood how my characters reacted to any given situation. For that reason, I decided to throw a monkey wrench in the halfway point of the book, intrigued to see how things would fall into place.

I wrote about a tragedy in an indigenous community, then demonstrated a combination of racism and government neglect. This was reflective of what I believe is often happening in indigenous communities in my country. The event in the book was difficult to write about and didn't get easier with each set of edits but, I felt it was necessary to make a point. In the story, it's this straw that broke the camel's back and causes outrage throughout the country that quickly spills over to the demographic of Canadians who also feel neglected by the government; those living in poverty, immigrants, and essentially anyone who seems to have slipped off the radar. In turn, this pushes the government to do something drastic; they approach a charismatic Canadian named Jorge Hernandez to join their team.

I don't need to point out the irony of a dangerous criminal with blood on his hands asked to join a political party. But you have to remember, nothing is officially 'known' by the public, and therefore, they see a strong candidate who isn't afraid to say what he thinks on the platform. They see an immigrant, someone who calls out his government and has risen from rags to riches, making him both relatable and inspiring at the same time. I feel it also demonstrates how low many political parties are willing to sink to find a winning candidate. Perhaps it is not such a stretch to say that they would nominate the devil himself if they thought it would result in them winning.

Does everyone have a creative side? 🎨(Updated)

Let's face it. A teenager talking about dreams of becoming a writer, a rock star, or a painter, may not be taken as seriously as someone who talks about college, university, or program that almost assures a job at the end of the line. Most creative professions are practically in the same category as psychics, life coaches, YouTube channels, and anything spiritual as being a little woo-woo. You know, it's interesting, but can you make money with it?

Interestingly, if you're good at any of those things, you probably can make a lot of money once you have a following. People are intrigued by psychics, artists, and spiritual teachers however, most people don't take them seriously, and one of the reasons is that many people pursuing these areas don't either. We all know people who talked of writing a book, joining a band, or studying herbs, only to flake as soon as they realized that it takes much more time and effort than they had assumed. After all, I don't get up at 6 a.m. for the hell of it.

Believe it or not, creative pursuits require a lot of blood, sweat, and tears because overnight success is rare. There's no easy formula. For example, if you want to be a nurse, teachers can help put you on the right path. If you want to be a rock star...not so much.

For that reason,  people are often discouraged from chasing their creative dreams. It just seems like a long shot and unstable. It causes people to bury their creative side, believing that it's silly and useless. However, be reassured it's there. If you were ever a child, 👶 (and I'm guessing, you might have been ☺️) you are creative. When you were five, chances are you weren't talking about the stock market or politics but most likely were ass deep in paints, Lego or toys. There was no structure. Coloring inside the lines? What? That was crazy talk!

Coloring outside the lines as an adult is a whole other story but does it have to be? Maybe it's time to explore that creative side because it's there. I promise. Underneath criticisms you once heard for not being serious enough, not following the rules, and of course, not sitting quietly, your creative side is waiting to come back out.

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….

Does a weak moment make a weak character? (Updated)

Just like real people, the strongest of characters have weak moments. Why should the reader see this contrast? As a writer, how do you demonstrate it?

First of all, the best characters are often complicated and full of contradictions. This gives them many layers and makes them seem more 3-dimensional and therefore, realistic. After all, most of us are also complicated and full of contradictions. This helps to make characters relatable to the reader. We like seeing that we aren't the only ones who are a bit messed up. Also, witnessing a strong, larger-than-life character falling apart makes them much more humble. We like that. 

A perfect example would be Jolene Silva, who is my current series. Jolene is strong, confident, powerful, and someone I would describe as a femme fatale. However, at one point in this series, the Colombian bombshell reveals a weak side to her personality that no one saw coming. She makes a series of bad decisions that places her in a dangerous position with Jorge Hernandez and his crew. After a long, difficult road, she finally is trusted by la familia again and comes back stronger than ever. 

I love this because it shows how the strongest characters can fall apart but can bounce back under some of the worst circumstances that life puts them in. There's something very reassuring and comforting about that fact. 

Never assume a weak moment makes a weak character. In fact, it actually makes them more human.