A quick preview of House of Hernandez 🎃

House of Hernandez is the 12th book in the Hernandez series. Here's a quick summary of what it's about:

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?

Read chapter one now! 

Every character has a purpose 🤪

Although our focus tends to be on the protagonist of a book, the truth is that secondary characters often tell you a lot about the main character. This can come out in conversations and various situations or in the rare chapter where we see the story through a secondary character's eyes. This is important because it allows you to get to know that character much better and connect with them on a deeper level. It's like when you meet someone; the more they reveal about themselves, the more you feel a bond or at least an understanding of their personality and values.

Why is that important? Think about it in terms of real life. Suppose you meet someone online. That person will show you the images that flatter them, tell you stories that make them sound interesting and tell you how they see themselves. When you meet them in person, you'll notice different aspects of their personality. This could be good or bad, but the point is that you see a fuller picture in person. If you then throw another person into the mix, say one of their friends or a family member, you'll once again see them more clearly just through their conversations, body language, and the general vibe you get when they are together. This is how we learn about people. Characters are similar in that we learn more about them through their interaction with other characters. 

One great example from the Hernandez series is how Chase Jacobs changes throughout the series. In the first book, We're All Animals, Chase is very much the boy next door, probably a little naive especially compared to other characters in the book. Jorge recognizes this aspect, but on the flip side, Chase shows us how Jorge is intimidating, strong, and dangerous. However, if you only heard the story from Jorge's viewpoint, you'd probably be left thinking that he's justified in many of his actions because that's the story he wants to tell you. 

I find it a little unsettling when I read a book that focuses only on the protagonist and where they are coming from because I don't feel like I'm hearing all sides of the story. In turn, it sometimes hides the main character's flaws, which isn't realistic and tends to paint the picture of a saint who's the victim. Real-life and realistic characters are much more complex. 

October 2022 Newsletter 🎃

One of my biggest struggles as an independent author is not only creating an audience but finding a way to let people know that I'm out there at all. Over the years, I've tried new ways to do so, whether it be to branch out to different social media platforms, create bookmarks, contact the media, and libraries, and even create this newsletter you're now reading. Unfortunately, it often feels like an uphill struggle. If you would like to help, share a post, follow me online, like, share, subscribe, or even ask your local library to order some of my books! Everything is a help. Here are some of my social media links where you can find me:

Find me -

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/MsMissinggirl13/videos

Twitter - https://twitter.com/MimaonFire

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mima/271461381835

Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-1204603

Blogger - https://mimaonfire.blogspot.com/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4122390.Mima_

Hernandez series YouTube playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNMrBPeLoQWnVfF3-e0UrBbtotu4NfTl2

Sign up for my newsletter: https://mimaonfire.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e4b9bfddd7901619af4c3fb91&id=a6a6466b83

So, what's new for October? 

My new book, House of Hernandez was featured in The Buzz. 

Speaking of House of Hernandez, have you checked out the first chapter yet? 🎃.  

Finally, check out the latest blogs and videos! Would you believe I still have a few more waiting to be posted? Due to a power outage after Hurricane Fiona, I've fallen a bit behind, but I hope to post more in October!

How do you introduce new characters? 🤝

YouTube

Rumble

Blog

House of Hernandez 🎃

YouTube

Rumble 

Blog 

Thank you to all my supporters! I appreciate everyone who checks out this newsletter. Have a wonderful October! 👻

House of Hernandez 🎃

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?

How do you introduce new characters? 🤝

New characters keep a series fresh, even if their appearance is short-lived. And in the case of the Hernandez series, short-lived could be literal. 

When a new character comes along in my series, I usually assume it's for a short time to play a role in the plot. Occasionally these characters catch on and stick around, but that's if they're somehow connecting with someone else in the series. For example, I introduced a character named Sonny McTea a few books back with no intention of keeping him around. However, I later discovered that he filled a necessary role to balance out a couple of other characters, so I kept him on. 

The actual introduction of the new character should be smooth. Remember that the story is through the protagonist's eyes, so you're meeting that person along with your main character. What is his/her impression? This depends on what matters to that person. If it's Jorge in my Hernandez series, he's sizing up the new character; are they strong? Powerless? Trustworthy? Do they seem nervous? A different protagonist may notice other things, depending on what they value. 

The important thing is that new characters show up when needed. They have a role. When that role is fulfilled, there's no need to keep them any longer. Too many characters confuse readers and writers. Think of it like an episode of your favorite show. Some characters are only on for an episode, while others stick around for the entire season or series. But if they do stick around, there has to be a reason. 

September 2022 newsletter 🍁

Thanks for checking out my latest newsletter. To watch the video version, go HERE. 

Big news! My 17th book is out! House of Hernandez is the 12th book in the Hernandez series. Here's a quick synopsis.   

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?

Check out my latest writing blog - Start in one place and end up in another 😯

YouTube                           Rumble                           Blog 

I also had some time to work on my personal blog again. I hope to get around to writing more posts in the near future. Here's what I got so far. 

And of course, I have to mention the September Book Birthday🥳  The Devil is Smooth Like Honey was published on September 11, 2017. 

That's about it for this month! To keep up to date, check out the following links:

Canadian author Mima (aka Michelle M. Arsenault) is known for complicated and diverse characters, dark style, and never shying away from controversial topics. 

Author of The Hernandez series - loyalty above all. There are no exceptions. https://mimaonfire.com/the-series/

Find me -

Twitter - https://twitter.com/MimaonFire

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mima/271461381835

Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-1204603

Blogger - https://mimaonfire.blogspot.com/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4122390.Mima_

Hernandez series playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNMrBPeLoQWnVfF3-e0UrBbtotu4NfTl2

Sign up for my newsletter: https://mimaonfire.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e4b9bfddd7901619af4c3fb91&id=a6a6466b83

Buy me a coffee ☕️ https://www.buymeacoffee.com/q8pGi4VYn

Start in one place and end up in another 😯

Just as with life, sometimes things in fiction can take an unexpected turn. If you follow your intuition and, more importantly, follow your characters, you might find yourself somewhere you didn't expect.

The most important thing for me when I'm writing, is to follow my instincts. I never stray from this rule, but if I do, I hit a wall. Characters need room to grow and room to move. Sometimes, the place they go may not be what you expected when you start to write a chapter, but this can also take you to some very interesting places. And the way I look at it, if you're surprised where things go, chances are good the reader will be too. 

What does this mean exactly? And more so, how do you 'follow your instincts' when writing?

To begin with, I've always said that when you sit down to write a chapter, it's important that you have a quiet (unless you listen to music) environment. This helps you keep focused and in tune with your inner voice. Writing shouldn't be something you overthink. It should flow and be natural. You shouldn't think about what you have to do later, what's going on outside your window, or what's on Facebook. You need to focus. 

I never really outline chapters. I have very general notes and an idea of where things will end up. If I'm lucky, I might know where my starting point is, but from there, things can go anywhere. For example in my Hernandez series, I might have the protagonist Jorge head out the door in a rage, prepared to kill someone. However, what will he find when he gets there? What will interrupt him along the way? 

Will his plans change? 

Will he kill more than one person? 

Will he be in danger? 

Remember, as the author, you're with your character every step of the way. You're jumping in that vehicle and flying down the road. You're walking in that dark room and looking around. You're the one that discovers he forgot his gun at home. 

I'm joking. He never forgets his gun at home. 

Writing should be an adventure, not an overplanned itinerary. See where it takes you, and don't worry if it takes you somewhere you hadn't planned.