🎙️ The Indie Echo – the podcast where music meets meaning. In this gripping episode, we sit down with Armando Heredia, the visionary behind the groundbreaking AI-generated protest trilogy If We Were A Band. Dive deep into the creation of The Ladies at the Station, Pass It Down, and Collective Unease—three albums that blend raw, politically charged lyrics with AI-crafted music to deliver a searing critique of modern society.
“Pass It Down” powerfully dissects the human condition, confronting the destructive consequences of inflammatory rhetoric and intolerance (“Incendiary Remarks”, “A Little Fragile” ), the pervasive arrogance of perceived superiority (“Americore” ), and the relentless struggle against life’s hardships (“Can’t Win For Losing”, “Trudge” ). Yet, amidst this raw exploration of fragility and anxiety (“We’re All A Little Anxious” ), the album ultimately champions resilience, finding beauty in brokenness and asserting a collective power to overcome adversity (“The Magnum Opus”, “Stained Glass Heart” ).
🔥 WOLF CHASES TIGER – A Gritty, Full-Color Graphic Novel Set in 1950s South Texas! 🔥
The desert sun burns hot, the motorcycles roar louder than thunder, and danger lurks around every dusty corner. I’m thrilled to announce the release of the eBook version of WOLF CHASES TIGER – Book 1 in the Recuerda A Los Tigres series!
Step into the lawless borderlands of 1950s South Texas, where Ricardo DelGato—El Tigre—rides hard and fights harder. A red-haired outcast caught between two worlds, he survives as a courier for the ruthless MALO syndicate, delivering secrets that could get him killed. But when a routine job goes wrong, he finds himself hunted by biker gangs, crooked cops, and the shadowy kingpin Enrique Villalobos.
Why you’ll love this:
✔ Gritty historical action—think Sons of Anarchy meets No Country for Old Men in 1950s Texas!
✔ Stunning full-color artwork that brings the desert’s heat and the era’s danger to life.
✔ A mystery-laced crime drama—betrayals, hidden identities, and a fight for survival.
✔ Authentic South Texas atmosphere—cantinas, rattlesnakes, and the hum of Triumph motorcycles.
Perfect for fans of:
📖 The Getaway by Jim Thompson
📖 Lonesome Dove (but with more chrome and leather)
📖 Breaking Bad’s tension meets Sin City’s style
🎉 NOW AVAILABLE as an eBook! Grab your copy and dive into the ride of a lifetime.
#WolfChasesTiger #RecuerdaALosTigres #GraphicNovel #CrimeThriller #HistoricalFiction #1950sTexas #SouthTexas #BikerGangs #NoirMystery #ActionDrama #Borderlands #TexasHistory #OutlawTales #PulpFiction #NewRelease #MustRead #ComicBook #TexMex #Villalobos #ElTigre
Who’s ready to ride into the danger zone? 🏍️💀 ⬇️
Armando Heredia’s I Was Mondie All Along is a visceral tapestry of memory, identity, and resilience, weaving raw personal history with universal existential queries. Structured into nine thematically charged sections—from the weight of nostalgia to societal critiques—the collection mirrors the fragmented yet interconnected nature of self-discovery. Heredia, once tethered to the childhood moniker “Mondie,” embarks on a poetic excavation, disentangling his core identity from trauma and societal expectations.
The opening section, THE WEIGHT OF MEMORY, anchors the collection in vivid recollections. Poems like I Can’t Win For Losing and Til The Street Lights Came On evoke a blue-collar Texan childhood, where mechanical breakdowns and sunburned summers symbolize both struggle and fleeting freedom. Heredia’s language is unflinchingly tactile—blistered hands, oil-stained tools, chlorine-eyed youths—crafting a nostalgia that aches with authenticity.
LOVE AND OTHER COLLISIONS and LOVE’S LINGERING TIDE delve into relationships with unvarnished vulnerability. Ramirez and Long Distance Relationship juxtapose romantic idealism with modern detachment, while Grief Is Love tenderly reframes loss as enduring connection. Heredia’s exploration of love transcends cliché, revealing it as both collision and tide: chaotic, inevitable, and transformative.
The collection’s most striking moments emerge in THE EDGE OF UNEASE and THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY, where Heredia confronts mental health and spirituality. We’re All A Little Anxious dissects societal monsters with biting wit (“Absolute madness may be my only hope for sanity”), while If I Fall marries existential doubt with spiritual surrender. These poems pulse with urgency, balancing despair and hope like a tightrope walker mid-fall.
Heredia’s societal critiques in WE THE PEOPLE AND OTHER PROTESTS are unapologetically polemic. New Plantations and AmeriCore lambast systemic inequities with searing metaphors, though their directness occasionally edges didacticism. Yet, his indignation feels earned, particularly in Fragile, where historical racism is laid bare through generational fear.
Stylistically, Heredia favors accessible free verse, though this simplicity occasionally limits rhythmic nuance. Yet, his strength lies in imagery: stars as “holes punched into velvet,” grief as “love’s lingering tide.” The conversational tone invites readers into intimate dialogues, as if Heredia is confiding over coffee.
I Was Mondie All Along is not a polished gem but a rough-hewn mirror, reflecting the fractures and resilience of the human spirit. Heredia’s journey—from brokenness to uneasy redemption—resonates long after the final page. This collection is a testament to poetry’s power to comfort, confront, and, above all, remind us that “broken doesn’t mean the end.”
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
A compelling, multifaceted debut that balances personal catharsis with societal critique, ideal for readers seeking poetry that pulses with heart and grit.
A Musical Cry for Justice: The Ladies at the Station EP
The Ladies at the Station EP, a powerful collection of protest songs written and performed by Armando Heredia under the pseudonym If We Were A Band, lays bare the raw anxieties surrounding the 2024 election cycle. The album tackles themes of immigration, social justice, and economic disparity, mirroring the fears of many Americans who face potential threats to their families and communities.
The EP’s title track, “The Ladies at the Station,” paints a poignant picture of allegorical figures like Liberty, Hope, and Charity abandoning a nation seemingly losing its way. This exodus reflects the deep-seated concerns about the direction of American society and the potential erosion of its core values.
Other tracks on the EP further explore these anxieties:
- “Daytime Monsters” uses vivid imagery to portray the rise of intolerance and hate speech, highlighting the normalization of extremist views in public discourse.
- “New Plantations” critiques the exploitation of immigrants and the economic systems that perpetuate inequality, drawing parallels to historical injustices.
- “Not to Belabor The Point” sarcastically examines the potential consequences of a political system that prioritizes profit over human rights.
- “My Fellow Americans” directly addresses those who voted for a system that could ultimately harm them, questioning the consequences of their choices.
Through these songs, Heredia aims to inspire critical thinking and encourage listeners to engage with the complexities of the political landscape. He provides a voice for the marginalized and challenges complacency, urging listeners to confront the potential dangers facing the nation.
The Ladies at the Station EP is available for streaming on Apple Music, Spotify, and most other major platforms.
An Introduction to The Magnum Opus
This album, The Magnum Opus, is a collection of protest songs responding to the sociopolitical climate of the 2024 election cycle. The artist, Armando Heredia, was inspired to create this work as a reaction to the racism and animosity prevalent during this period. He considers this album a contribution to the “protest music” that is expected to emerge from this tumultuous time.
Through these powerful songs, Heredia invites listeners to confront the uncomfortable realities of our time and embrace a future built on compassion, empathy, and a recognition of our shared humanity. The album is a call to action, urging individuals to stand up for justice, reject hate, and work towards a more equitable and compassionate world.
WOLF CHASES TIGER
A love story of survival, romance and pride, that revolves around three main Mexican American characters in the 1950’s: Ricardo DelGato, aka El Tigre is a fiery tempered red-haired man who, out of survival, takes on a job as a courier for a mysterious cartel from Mexico into Southern Texas. He was given the nickname El Tigre, (the Tiger), due to both his fiery hair and fierce temperament as a boy. Due to his red hair and fair skin, Ricardo has been ostracized by his own people, nor does he see himself as truly “American”. He is a misfit, whose one true aim is to survive and become the stuff of legend. His friend and ally, Johnny Juan is by his side as they face the harsh climate and even more dangerous Villalobos. La Rosenda is a beautiful young woman living in the shadow of her brother, the leader of a large criminal syndicate. She is fiercely independent, while still yearning for a love that will both capture her and set her free from the empty life that she is forced to live. Her brother’s position and influence create an island in which he is king and gives her very few choices or prospects for a meaningful life. Enrique is a hard-hearted man, who scratched and clawed his way to a place of power and influence. He is the first generation and the leader of MALO (Mexican American Lobos), a criminal syndicate that reaches from Mexico into Southern and West Texas. Enrique lives by his own rigid code and has developed into a local community leader in the small and unlikely town of Uvalde. Here he controls a vast organization and the fate of many young, talented and loyal men. Their worlds collide in a tangle of violence, revenge, loyalty, and love.
Wolf Chases Tiger
This Graphic Novel is the first in a self-published series. It is a story of survival, romance and pride, that revolves around three main Mexican American characters in the 1950’s.
Book one, “Wolf Chases Tiger” is an introduction to El Tigre and his friend Johnny Juan as they find themselves in the crosshairs of the vindictive and dangerous leader of a regional and cross border crime syndicate, MALO, and a mysterious enemy from their childhood.
Visit WolfChasesTiger.com for more information and to preview the first ten pages.
Three options are available:
The original print book – $9.99 (+ S&H)
The black and white Graphic Novel – $14.99 (+ S&H)
The full color Graphic Novel Deluxe Edition – $29.99 (+ S&H)
Series Page on Lulu.com
Billy Big Hand: A Children’s Book about Embracing Differences
This children’s book, Billy Bighand, tells the story of a red crab named Billy who lives in a cove with a variety of fish. Billy is different from the other fish because he has a hard shell, eyes on stalks, and one hand that’s much bigger than the other. The other fish tease him for his differences, calling him names like “stalk eyes” and “shell head,” but most often, “Billy Big Hand”.
Billy is not bothered by the teasing because his wise friend Gupper told him that one day, his differences would “make all the difference”. Billy keeps Gupper’s words in mind, responding to the teasing with “One of these days”.
One day, the biggest and toughest fish in the cove, Jason, swallows a worm with a hook in it and gets caught by a fisherman. The other fish try to help Jason but are unable to bite through the fishing line. Billy, who is initially overlooked, has a sharp claw for a big hand that can cut through the line. With the help of Gupper and Marjorie, a mother sea trout who raised Billy, Billy is able to reach Jason and cut the line, saving him.
This heartwarming story would be beneficial for children to read because it teaches valuable lessons about:
Friendship: The story highlights the importance of friendship and how true friends support each other. Gupper and Marjorie help Billy when he needs it most, demonstrating the power of true friendship.
Embracing differences: Billy’s story shows children that being different is not a bad thing, and that our unique qualities can be our strengths.
Kindness and compassion: Despite being teased by the other fish, Billy shows compassion by saving Jason. This teaches children the importance of helping others, even those who may not have been kind to them.
Perseverance: Billy never loses hope, even when faced with adversity. This teaches children the importance of perseverance and believing in themselves.
CARDBOARD ASTRONAUT 2.0
Are you tired of a faith that feels more like a Sunday routine than a vibrant, life-changing relationship with God? In this podcast, we explore Armando Heredia’s “Cardboard Astronaut 2.0,” a compelling call to break free from the confines of what he calls “cardboard Christianity” and embrace a faith that truly transforms us from the inside out.
Heredia challenges the common pitfalls of a stagnant faith, such as:
- Prioritizing outward appearances and rituals over genuine connection with God and others. He critiques the tendency to focus on being “good church members” rather than living as true disciples of Christ.
- Blindly accepting religious doctrines without questioning their biblical basis or applying them to everyday life. He encourages listeners to think critically and ensure their beliefs align with scripture.
- Fearing judgment and conforming to rigid expectations, which stifles personal growth and authentic expression of faith.
Instead of settling for a shallow faith, Heredia calls us to:
- Actively pursue a deeper understanding of God’s word and allow it to shape our thoughts, actions, and interactions with the world around us.
- Demonstrate genuine compassion by serving others and extending God’s love in tangible ways, moving beyond mere words to meaningful action.
- Embrace courageous authenticity, allowing our unique gifts and passions to fuel our service to God, rather than conforming to a one-size-fits-all mold.
Join us as we unpack these challenges and discover how to trade our cardboard castles for a faith that is active, compassionate, and truly transformative.
As an independent writer, illustrator and publisher, I self-publish through Lulu.com. This is a Print on Demand publisher, and you will be directed to their independent online bookstore. This direct sale, instead of going through a middleman, helps me to keep the titles available at a lower price.
James and Santiago Play Ball
Twin brothers James and Santiago have a summer full of baseball in this short children’s book about feelings, supporting each other and baseball puns.
Feelings
The brothers work through a myriad of emotions as they navigate new and exciting experiences.
Support
Santiago has the opportunity to support his brother’s new activity, and though he doesn’t quite understand the nuances of James’ new pastime, he shows his unwavering commitment to help him succeed. In turn, James never pressures or guilts his brother into joining him at the field. He simply accepts his brother’s quirky support.
I FEEL YOU | TREASURY EDITION
“I Feel You” is not an inspirational or how-to book. In fact, it was never meant to be a book at all. It is just a collection of my own struggle with the grief of losing my brother, captured in simple and minimalistic illustrations. It’s been said that the simplicity of the drawings makes them very accessible and gives people an opportunity to have an empathetic experience through someone else’s shared grief. I Feel You | Treasury Edition is the complete collection of one hundred and sixty-two illustrations by the artist.
COMING SOON
He has one personal project that consumes him.
A project he keeps guarded and secret. He is working on developing a time travel device, with one mission, to go back in time and stop a murder. After years of work, he is unable to develop a mechanism to allow organic material to travel back in time. He is, however, able to come up with a weapon, based on his research and work, that will allow a small non-organic material to move like a bullet through the layers of time.
Unbeknownst to him, a shadowy figure from his past has been hunting him, trying to find the weapon, but for his own nefarious purposes, but which past? Has he already set in motion a chain of events that have disrupted this reality?
Can his own personal vendetta be worth the risk of unraveling a millennium of history, and change the course of humanity?
“Shot in the Dark” coming soon.
Antony, a seasoned professional, faced an unusually resilient victim. After completing his assignment, he discovered incriminating DNA evidence—a tooth, blood, and sweat—on a table strewn with mail and household items. Swiftly, he bagged the evidence and wiped everything clean. Driving away from town, he discarded the bag in a secluded forest.
Unbeknownst to Antony, the irate landowner patrolled the same woods, fed up with littering. When Antony reported back to his boss, he mentioned the discarded bag and was sternly instructed to retrieve it. The next morning, as the landowner angrily collected trash, he stumbled upon the bag. Inside, an envelope bore a local address—a twist of fate that would intertwine their lives forever. Neither knew that destiny awaited them as they pass each other on the narrow road, and Antony had no idea that there was a lion, sleeping at the end of the road.