Q: Is Reunion: A Story inspired by real people and events, or is it purely a product of imagination?
A: It’s a mix of both. When I began crafting this story in the mid-1980s, the primary setting was always South Miami Senior High, my high school in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Even in its earliest form—a three-page scene for a college creative writing assignment—South Miami High served as the stage for my protagonist, Jim Garraty. This real-world location held, and still holds, a deep personal significance for me, making it a natural choice for the story’s backdrop.
Other locations featured in the narrative also take inspiration from actual places in New York City and South Florida.
As for the characters, they’re fictional creations influenced by people I encountered during my time at South Miami High and in my pre-college years. Let’s delve into the story’s main trio—Jim Garraty, Mark Prieto, and Martina (Marty) Reynaud.
1. Jim Garraty: From the story’s inception to its final version, Jim has been my literary alter ego. Like many first-time authors, I infused a lot of my own traits and experiences into my protagonist. However, Jim represents an idealized version of myself—he’s more successful, lacks my physical disability, and has achieved much more by the fictional 1998 setting of the book. Both Jim and I attended South Miami High between 1980 and 1983, sang in the school chorus, experienced tough breakups as teens, had unspoken crushes, and share a love for military history and writing. I’d like to think we also share the same humor and intellect.
That said, Jim doesn’t have cerebral palsy like I do. While I struggled to graduate from Miami-Dade Community College due to math requirements, Jim was written as a standout student, accepted into Harvard University, and modeled after the late historian Stephen E. Ambrose.
2. Mark Prieto: Mark is the only character whose name and personality are directly inspired by someone I knew. In real life, Mark was my best friend growing up in Westchester, a Miami suburb. We met in 1975 when his family moved into my neighborhood, and despite Mark being two years younger, we clicked instantly. I was the quiet, introspective one; Mark was the extroverted, comedic counterpart.
After my family moved to Fountainbleau Park in 1977, Mark bravely made the long and dangerous bike ride to visit me a few times. Unfortunately, his visits became rarer, and he eventually moved to Michigan with his family. I’ve missed him ever since, so when I needed a best friend for Jim in the story, I brought Mark back—name and all.
3. Martina (Marty) Reynaud: Unlike Mark, Marty is entirely a product of my imagination, though she borrows physical traits and characteristics from several girls I admired in high school and college. South Miami High had no shortage of fascinating young women, but I rarely expressed my feelings; the one time I did, I received the dreaded “just friends” speech.
Marty embodies a blend of these high school crushes but stands out as uniquely her own. For instance, I made her British, giving her a “posh” accent, rather than reflecting the diverse ethnicities of South Miami High’s student body at the time. Any similarities between Marty and my real-life classmates are purely coincidental.
South Miami High serves as more than just a setting—it’s almost a character in its own right, weaving the narrative together with its rich history and vibrant culture.
South Miami High, the school Jim attends from August 1980 to June 1983, is my alma mater and holds a special place in my heart. If Jim Garraty were a real person, he would have been one of the classmates I admired and aspired to emulate. The school is not merely a backdrop in the story; reviewers have often remarked that they relive their high school days when reading Reunion: A Story. This sentiment underscores that South Miami High serves as more than just a setting—it’s almost a character in its own right, weaving the narrative together with its rich history and vibrant culture.
A Certain Point of View, Too 
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