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
Friday, February 21, 2020
Why I will never look at some songs the same way again 😱(Updated)
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Why do (my) criminals always win? 😏(updated)
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?
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?
Saturday, February 8, 2020
What resources do you use to research your books? 🧐 (Updated)
For the most part, I don't research so much as I pick things up along the way. There are specific topics that I'm interested in and tend to dive into headfirst. It could be something I watched in a documentary, read in a book, perhaps caught on the news, saw in a blog, or heard in a podcast. There are many ways to find information, allowing an author to collect many viewpoints and sides of the same topic.
Why is that important?
You have to remember that you're writing about different characters from often diverse backgrounds and experiences. Otherwise, you'd simply be writing books about yourself, and who wants to do that? For this reason, it's vital to learn about how other people live, what their day-to-day experiences look like, and how they see the world.
The beauty of learning about topics that you feel drawn to is that you take in the information much faster than if it's something you're less interested in. When I'm drawn to a topic, I take it as a sign that it might just belong in one of my books. Also, if you're passionate about a subject, you will bring that same passion to your writing, and readers can feel it in the pages.
Of course, there are some less obvious places where you can do research. Overheard conversations, local gossip, things that capture your attention on the way to work, Facebook arguments, or even snappy comments your friends make to you in conversation: there are tons of places where you can get great ideas. When you're a writer, you're always in research mode, even if you don't know it. 😉
Monday, February 3, 2020
Bookmark giveaway! 🤩
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
When characters are out of their element 😬 (updated)
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Be your own media 📺🎙📻 (updated)
What helped to improve my interviewing skills? My confidence grew after I started to record videos for my YouTube channel. When you record yourself speaking, you quickly catch some flaws upon playback, and this allows you to improve your weak areas while building confidence when speaking with a potential audience. I say potential audience because even though you record a video, it doesn't mean you're obligated to release it. The first few might be cringe-worthy, but that's ok because this is how you learn. How do you think all these well-spoken people in the media first learn how to talk on camera? No one is perfect the first time.
I'd recommend you take a stab at writing a press release. If you're not sure how to do so, find an example online and model yours off of it. Then send it to everyone; local, big and small newspapers, television and radio stations, free newspapers, and anyone else that might be interested. The key is to get as many sets of eyes on it as possible. You don't know who might be interested, and you never know who's paying attention.
Monday, January 13, 2020
Let's talk about Maria Hernandez 🌸 (Updated)
We first meet Jorge Hernandez's daughter in The Devil is Smooth Like Honey and, she continues to be one of the most popular secondary characters throughout the series. Unlike a lot of children in books, Maria isn't falling into the background. She has many storylines of her own, which form into intriguing subplots.
With a flair for the dramatic, Maria has often been involved in creative pursuits such as acting and music. Her goal to 'become famous' concerns her father, who believes the world of fame and fortune is a path to misery full of vultures and disappointment. As a strict disciplinarian, Jorge often is abrupt and harsh with his daughter in tone, causing his wife Paige to swoop in and remind him that this will not support his goal to be closer to his daughter.
It's an ironic twist when readers learn that Maria is a victim of bullying. While her father is a blood-thirsty and aggressive criminal, he feels powerless when his daughter is a casualty of other kids. Then again, where Maria starts as a victim, she often goes overboard when she retaliates, indicating that she is a chip off the old block. Needless to say, Jorge spends a lot of time in the principal's office, often yelling at school officials.
As much as she likes to see herself as a grown-up, Maria still carries the innocent eyes of a child that adds contrast to the books while bringing out the softer side of all other characters in the series. She often shines a light on the heart of Jorge Hernandez, showing that as much as he's a criminal without a conscience, he's also a father that loves his children more than anything. ❤️ ❤️