The official blog is associated with www.mimaonfire.com. Author of 18 books including the Hernandez series 🔪
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Summing up my Hernandez series has never been easy. It's about criminals, but it's not the kind of criminals that will steal your car. It's about gangsters, but not the kind of gangsters that will take over an area and demand fees from local businesses. It's about a former cartel boss but not the cartel boss currently involved in illegal activities like transporting drugs. The crimes involved in my series are more vigilante justice than anything else.
The thing is that Jorge Hernandez started in criminal activity and moved on the legal businesses in Canada. How he goes about doing so, however, often isn't so legal. His method of dealing with those who get in his way or cause issues for his family is very much in step with what he would've done in his cartel days. Things can get very bloody.
Jorge Hernandez is all about control. He controls people and situations and intimidates those who try to go up against him. Hernandez knows this is the key to owning an empire. All the money in the world won't make people do what he wants, but fear is a powerful influence.
Thanks for checking out my latest newsletter. I'm going to keep it short and sweet this month!
To begin with, I'm getting lots of meaningful reports on my books lately, not just the latest (House of Hernandez) but some that were penned years ago. Always great to hear feedback.
Throughout October, I continue to gather notes for my next book, which I plan to potentially start in November. I've also still working on uploading all my videos on Rumble. Internet speeds are pathetically slow here in rural PEI, so it is taking some time, but I'm getting there.
I had a couple new videos and blogs released in October:
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?
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.
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:
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!
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?
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.
