Blog Archives
I Could Visualize The Killer
The Nocturnal Devil is the third installment in the Griffin Knight series. What were some new ideas that you wanted to explore in this book that was different from the first two books?
The POV of the killer. In my head, I could see the book lover following the eyes and hearing the thoughts of the killer, without revealing their identity. I thought it would be cool to throw that curveball at my fans and have a full chapter as a journal entry from the killer, rather than just a small soliloquy/excerpt.
A theme related to time. Since I could visualize the killer, I wanted to place the setting in October; a Halloween special.
Griffin Knight’s backstory. Readers have been begging me to give it, and it was finally time to reveal his past and more about his life. I did not give this in the first novella because it was unrealistic for Griffin to sit down and have a flashback in the middle of an investigation where he is trying to catch a killer who is loose in New York City. Currently, I am revisiting Do Nothing to see if I can somehow give readers an insight into Griffin’s past without spoiling the background information given in book two, and this novella. In A Colossal Injustice, I did not reveal much about Griffin’s past due to the steep cliffhanger that I left in my first short story, Griffin suffering pain received from the Judge case, Griffin Knight being lost in thoughts about his upcoming case, and Griffin Knight reminiscing about his former partner Trenton Barnes. Now, do you understand why I did it this way?
A psychopath. The villain in Do Nothing is not crazy but has a clear motive: revenge. Likewise, the baddies in A Colossal Injustice are also not lunatics and have clear aims: freedom, greed, and power. However, in this novella, this devil is nuts.
A video camera. I added a video camera as icing on the cake.
The serial killer in this book is very compelling. Was there anything about that character that revealed itself while writing?
Yes.
- What weapons would the killer use?
- How could I give the villain an edge over our hero?
- How can I increase the suspense of the story?
- The killer’s hair color.
What scene in the book was the most challenging but rewarding for you to write?
Chapter 9.
When and where will your book be available?
It will be published on Amazon this month.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website
“Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr. is an award-winning published author who specializes in murder and mystery novellas. However, he loves to keep things fresh and interesting by dabbling in suspense, humor, horror, action, and even Sci-Fi.
His bestselling series, Griffin Knight centers around the adventures of renowned New York City detective Griffin Knight, a lone wolf who has a penchant for dangerous situations — even those beyond his jurisdiction.
As a writer, Hernandez aims to please. That is why, as one of his favorite pastimes, he scours the internet for reviews on his books so he can spin stories that truly resonate with his readers.
His influence goes beyond literature and taps into the world of TV, with favorites such as Perry Mason, Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Jack Reacher, Dirty Harry, Paul Kersey, and Ace Attorney.
Hernandez earned his bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo and likes to go to church with family, watch anime, and work out during his downtime. He is the winner of:
Literary Titan December 2022 Silver Book Award Winner
Literary Titan January 2023 Silver Book Award Winner
Winter Pencraft 2023 Seasonal Book Award Winner
Firebird 4th Quarter 2022 Book Award Winner
Feathered Quill 2023 Silver Book Award Winner
Write With Light Publications 2022 Annual Book Award Winner
Indies Today 2022 Finalist, Semi-Finalist, and Honorable Mention
Sign up to Hernandez’s mailing list to stay up-to-date on future releases and awards on his website: https://iammahjr.com“
The Beauty of Imagination
What I Would Wish to Be follows Trey and his father on an adventure where they use imagination to become anything they want. How did you come up with the idea behind this story?
I had decided that I wanted to try my hand at composing children’s books. What I Would Wish to Be was the first one I was able to put together. I don’t know what it is like for anyone else, but I often have moments when I wonder what it would be like to become something else or someone else. I mean, you see a bee sailing through the air, and you wonder – is their life as hard of yours seems to be? Yes, they’re working all the time, but do they have to live with any sort of expectation for their life other than to just being a bee? The beauty of imagination is that we open ourselves up to the world around us.
Do you think all children have a good imagination, or is that something they need to work on?
I think that all children have the potential to cultivate wonderful imaginations. Now whether they will depends on the encouragement they get from the people they are surrounded with and love. If you’re not encouraged to think for yourself, to find your own solutions to problems, then your imaginative journey has been cut short before it has begun. I lived on a farm when I was a kid, so I was miles from any of my friends to be able to play with them. Imagination became my friend. As long as I could entertain myself, I was never truly lonely.
What do you hope young readers take away from your book?
It would be great if my book taught young readers to think outside the box. Yeah, everybody wants to be an astronaut at some point, but not everyone is going to get that chance, and yes, none of us will ever have the ability to turn into a bee, but neither of these things prevent us from imagining that we can have extraordinary lives. Empathy starts when we can put ourselves into other people’s shoes. Cultivate wonder around you about the amazing world in which we live.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next children’s book I’m currently working on is about luck and Leprechauns. It will become available at the beginning of March – just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. May the luck of the Irish be with us all! 😉
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Website
Subconscious Past-life Memories
The Spell is a historical fiction novel following the royal family of Fleurham who becomes entangled in a web of magic, adventure, and deception. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for the setup of “The Spell” came from subconscious past-life memories… which I consciously remembered after the book was published.
Your story contains a variety of interesting characters. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I borrowed attitudes and personalities from my ancestors, who were extremely significant in my growing years and held very strong belief systems… shaping and molding my life.
What were some ideas that were important for you to explore in this book?
Definitely breaking belief systems… questioning everything and eventually freeing oneself.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on a second fictional story exploring and questioning higher levels of consciousness and how most are labeled as suffering from mental issues vs. being examined on a deeper levels of the psyche. It will be available by the end of 2023… hopefully sooner.
Author Links: www.cvshawbooks.com | www.quantumenergymed.com
A captivating tale of treachery, magic, and passion set in the lush countryside of sixteenth-century England, The Spell is C.V. Shaw’s sensational, not-to-be-missed debut novel.
A Self-Love Romance Novel
DRAGUM follows a young, ambitious woman who sets out on a journey to find self-love and acceptance when everyone seems against her. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for the setup of my story came from my own personal struggle as a free spirited being who felt trapped in the expectations of others. It was Kali’s teetering mental health that built the perfect cliffhanger for the power of DRAGUM to manifest a self-love romance novel. While planning out each chapter, I wanted the reader to feel seen and heard for anytime they have ever felt alone or lost in life because of a specific or blanketed situation. To me, it was important to highlight the silent struggles that can be faced by those who seem to have it all together.
Kali has lost her dragum, and this novel shares her story of finding it again. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Some driving ideas behind Kali’s character development was that she had to be her own hero. Even if there were characters who supported her mental health journey, Kali had to be the one holding her own hand. This is because she was forced in a position where she needed to fully trust her own intuition to gain her dragum power back. So it was important to have Kali act unpredictable and mirror the characteristics of anyone around her until she was ready to develop heroic qualities to save herself. I also wanted Kali to be flawed, relatable, and likeable. She was living the human experience and absolutely tried to better herself with therapy, leaving a toxic work environment, taking space from her controlling parents, and ending an unhealthy romance. However, she did not go about everything in the best way while hesitation took over her intuition. By the end of the book, she confidently walked away from the New Westminster apartment leaving Ryann behind for good.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Some themes that were important for me to explore in this book were: toxic masculinity; family dysfunction; external expectations; the severity of untreated mental health; and trusting one’s intuition.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book I’m working on is a sequel to DRAGUM. It will have a subtitle similar to: On The Road or The Open Road. Here, Kali will be managing her dragum again but this time in search of a stronger sense of self and a clearer understanding of where her family’s dragum powers originated from. While choosing to take the road less travelled on an All-American road-trip, she will dive deep into magical daydreams to untangle her childhood traumas. I’m hoping it will be available by 2024 if funding falls into place.
Author Links: Twitter | Instagram | Website
Conflicts consume Kali, but she has no time to stop and take a breath. Alone and crowded by the opinions of others, she loses sight of her dragum powers and her very own identity. With her intuition compromised, she endures a silent battle inside her head.
As her body mutates and her nightmares consume her, Kali is the only one who can save herself. Hanging on for dear life, she seeks a place of acceptance from her internal battle against social norms. She now travels the world on a quest for her essence of home.
Trying To Figure Myself Out
When the White Knight Falls follows a young classical musician who meets and falls in love with a rocker and has to decide if their relationship can work. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The overarching premise was fairly simple: I wanted two people from completely different worlds to develop an attraction for each other, so that I could explore both the conflicts and complimentary traits that might develop. Heavy metal is my favorite musical genre, and the interesting thing about metal is this: It was created by guitarist Tony Iommi using classical chord structures. So there are often similarities even in apparent polar opposites, which struck me as a solid theme.
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
I think so. It’s odd that my heroine Kate is very much like me. She’s shy, introverted, and a very deep thinker. Yet somehow, my hero Alec is also me. He’s light-hearted—at least at a glance—and very charismatic. I can be that if I choose, but only for a short while. If I’m Alec for too long, Kate takes back over with a vengeance. I think this novel comes across as fairly heartfelt because for me, it is. I was in my early twenties when I wrote the original draft, so I think it was very much about me trying to figure myself out.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Relationships require effort and commitment, even when they don’t feel good. Anything worth having is worth waiting for. Solid relationships are built on mutual regard and trust, not sexual attraction. And lastly, trust is something that a couple builds by protecting their relationship, not by testing it. I think, in hindsight, that my goal was to tell a rock-solid love story while simultaneously dispelling some of what I see as romantic myths. To me, a story has to be realistic in order to be good. ‘Love at first sight’ doesn’t feel real to me, although it can be fun as a storytelling device. ‘True love’ takes a lot of work, plain and simple!
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
This year I hope to release two dark fantasy novels. The working titles are The Children of Apep and The Angel and the Beast. They’ll be books one and two in a series entitled Genesis Rising.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
My Own Place To Belong
A Place to Belong is a charming children’s book that promotes diversity and self-acceptance through a fun and relatable story. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My stories are inspired by my own experiences. You’ll see a lot of myself in this story. It was important to me to share my own story of what I went through as I grew up. It was often difficult for me to fit in with different groups. Despite not fully identifying with certain people, I learned it was okay. By creating my own friends, community, and family, I can create my own place to belong.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Mayara Nogueira?
Mayara was a pleasure to work with. I already had an idea of what the characters would look like. It was just a matter of communicating my vision to her and she drew the characters in her own way.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
It was mainly about making friends along the way in your life adventure. Together, you can create memories. The most important thing is that you can create a place where you feel at home.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
There are no new books in the works at the moment. However, we’ll see how things turn out. If you would like to see what I’m doing with my books, you are welcome to follow my social media accounts.
Author Links: Instagram | TikTok | Website
Tae watches a popular band perform and witnesses the exciting energy of the crowd. It’s now his turn on stage, and the audience becomes dead silent. To his surprise, they make fun of Tae, and he runs away in sadness. He always felt different, but never expected to feel so rejected.
While alone, hears a voice. He follows the voice and finds Ruby, the robin. Ruby tells Tae about Tiger Town—a place where everyone looks just like him. Immediately, he decides he must travel there. Will he make it to Tiger Town? Will he feel truly accepted?Read to find out more!
My Mother’s Life Story
From Peacock Lane: the Poetry and Prose of Emily Evans Volume 1 is a collection of evocative poetry and prose written by your late mother. Why was it important for you to share these works?
As her loving daughter, it means so much to me that my mother’s life story, personality, and perspectives will live again through these brilliant writings now accessible to the world. Publication of her work is the fulfillment of one of her dreams. I’m thrilled to announce that “From Peacock Lane” is already available for pre-order, and will be out in plenty of time for National Poetry Month in April.
What poem in this collection do you feel embodies who your mother was the most and why?
Emily told me that the last poem, “By the Door”, was written about me when I was going through a trying time. But I believe the piece better reflects her own fortitude because of the many serious difficulties she overcame throughout her life. In this poem, a small bloom of forsythia, serving as a metaphor, survives a cold, icy winter by holding onto its faith that spring will return. Here is an excerpt:
“A beleaguered blossom
brave as any lonely
soldier
on a ravaged moor”
What were some goals you set for yourself in publishing this book?
Before her passing in 2017, my mom gave me three large envelopes of her writing, “in case you can ever do anything with it.” I also have many of her journals, which I will evaluate for publication after the first three volumes of her work are completed. Currently, the working title of the entire series that will include all these texts is, “The Essence of Emily Evans.”
The publication of “From Peacock Lane” will be the first step in bringing that essence back to the world in a meaningful way. My next goals are to promote this first book of the series and then complete the rest. As you might guess, it’s been an emotional journey putting this project together. As I proofread and organized her poems, I heard her “voice” and experienced her with me again in a way that readers and writers can understand.
When will book 2 be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
I’ve looked through the second envelope, and there are approximately 50 typed poems, numbered in the order she wished to have them shared (thanks, Mom!). These writings also cover the breadth of her life, but go further ahead. There is a disquieting pre-9/11 poem about the Twin Towers, and a fascinating account of her transatlantic vacation. So, the next book, “From Deer Path Trail,” will also conjure up a gamut of emotions, with twists of humor guaranteed. The readers will continue to encounter both delightful and jarring metaphoric visions. After my own next book comes out this spring, I will start scanning the typed pages from the second envelope into text, handle the layout and proofreading, and will again engage the wonderfully talented Luisa Galstyan for the cover art and illustrations. Ideally, “From Deer Path Trail” will be available before the end of the year. Thank you so much for letting me share these details with you and your audience.
Author Links: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website
A Genuine Human Connection
Little Toy Car follows an innocent child growing up in a broken home who despite hardships, matures into a strong and caring adult. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I would share parts of this story verbally with people along my travels and they were always intrigued. I consistently received comments like “wow… this should be a movie”. Well, I don’t have the budget for a movie so I decided to write a book instead. A large portion of the story was inspired by true events. I published it as fiction so that, for example, I wouldn’t be limited by specific timeline restraints or condensing multiple characters into one character. Doing this allowed me to apply my personal writing style and allowed the story to flow better. Since most people mentioned that I should make a movie, I attempted to write it in a way that would be visually appealing and read in the structure of a movie, but still feel really good as a book. The thought process behind this was that if it is ever picked up for a movie or show adaptation it will be easier to transcribe to a screenplay or script. The main inspiration for deciding to publish this story was the amount of people that personally reached out to. They would tell me that they connected or even related to the story and were moved by it. Each person takes something a little different from it and I usually end up having deep heartfelt conversations with them about these topics. It tends to bring out people’s emotions. I feel honored that after reading my story people feel safe to share their personal lives and experiences with me. It’s a genuine human connection.
What were the morals you were trying to capture while creating your characters?
I didn’t go into the story with a moral lesson in mind. I simply started writing and I was open to whatever lesson arose from that. I have had some people tell me that they believe it is a story about faith and others tell me it validates their concerns with religion. I believe that every person should be able to experience the story in their own way. One concept that has been the most constant, regardless of how different each person’s views on the story is, is the concept of Love.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
It was important for me to write this story in the most authentic way possible because the themes explored are a person’s life- their existence and their experiences. In order to do that, I became very vulnerable while writing. It was difficult at times and I contemplated not finishing the story. I sat on it for years. I was encouraged by friends I met along my travels to finish and publish the story. However, if I was to share this story, then I wanted to deliver a genuine take on Gene’s journey through life with full transparency.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I purposely wrote Little Toy Car in a way that it could read as a stand alone book or I could continue the story and dive deeper into some of the characters lives that were left behind. There is plenty more to the story and plenty more to explore and share but I have to see how this book is received first.
Author Links: Instagram | Facebook
LITERARY TITAN 