Dear Reader, Let Me Tell You a Story…with My First Novel’s Afterword

On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, I finished writing the main body of Reunion: Coda, the second book of my Reunion Duology and, more importantly, my first novel.

Yesterday, I added the first two sections of the book’s “back matter”: the Afterword and the Acknowledgments page. I still need to complete three additional sections for the latter bits of the book, plus I must decide whether I’m going to add an introduction or not. So, even though the “Story” part of Reunion: Coda is 99.9% complete (I still need my Beta reader to vet the final chapter), I’m inching ever closer to completion.

I’ve never written an Afterword before, and since it doesn’t have any spoilers, I figured I’d trot it out here to see if readers like it.

Afterword

“All stories must end so, with the next tale winking out of the corners of the last pages, promising more, promising moonlight and dancing and revels, if only you will come back when spring comes again.” ― Catherynne M. Valente

All stories must end, even Jim, Maddie, Mark, and Marty’s. For me, sitting here not long after writing the final lines of Reunion: Coda, this particular ending feels like a bittersweet triumph—an achievement steeped in reflection and filled with quiet satisfaction, like finishing a delightful meal and leaving just enough room for dessert.

Completing this novel is the realization of a dream born one summer morning in 1978. I sat at breakfast with my mother, gazing at her with all the solemnity a fifteen-year-old could muster, and declared, “Mom, someday I’m going to write a novel like Stephen King does.” She smiled, perhaps pondering whether I’d remember to put my socks in the laundry basket before chasing literary fame.

Back then, I imagined my first bestseller emerging before I turned thirty—a grand tale of military triumphs or epic space adventures inspired by A Bridge Too Far and Star Wars. Yet, life had other plans. It wasn’t until my mid-thirties that I penned my first work of fiction, Reunion: A Story, and not until 2025 that this novel, the one you’re holding, came to fruition. While my habit of properly handling socks began earlier, my stories took their sweet time weaving into the tapestry of my life.

Jim Garraty’s story, inspired by a creative writing class in 1987, has lingered in my imagination for thirty-eight years. Alongside his loyal friend Mark Prieto, the enigmatic Marty, and now Maddie, these characters have patiently waited to step into the spotlight. Publishing through Kindle Direct fills me with equal parts triumph and nostalgia—they are finally free to share their tale with the world.

Reunion: Coda isn’t the novel my fifteen-year-old self dreamed of writing. Back then, I sought dramatic adventures and grandiosity. Now, with years behind me, I’ve grown to appreciate quieter triumphs—the joys found in subtle wonders and the moments of introspection that bring depth to everyday life. As these characters take their first steps into readers’ hearts, I am reminded that stories, like milestones, often unfold in their own time, rewarding patience with richness and a sense of purpose.

When I first sat down in March of 2023 to begin writing this novel, I was confident, overly so, that it would be finished in time for a Winter 2023 release. Once I realized it was a continuation of Reunion: A Story, the timeline seemed perfectly reasonable. But, as the poet reminds us, “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Life, with its sense of humor and unpredictability, had other ideas.

In less than two years, I moved twice—first from the Tampa Bay area to New Hampshire, and then from the Granite State back to my hometown of Miami. These changes, along with other unexpected twists, pushed the release date from Winter 2023 to Fall 2024, and eventually to… well, now. Although the timeline shifted, what emerged during this period was a story that surprised even me.

When I began, I thought I was writing a simple romance — a heartfelt tale centered on a familiar character. Yet, as the words unfolded on the page, what I found was a deeper, more nuanced novel. Almost by accident, it became a story about growth, second chances, and the beauty of embracing life in all its imperfections. Perhaps that’s fitting. After all, our best stories, like life itself, rarely follow the path we expect.

As you close the final pages of this novel, I hope that you’ve found a story worth lingering over, one that leaves you with echoes of its world and its characters. Jim, Maddie, Mark, and Marty have been dear to me for decades, and it’s both surreal and joyful to finally share their journey with you.

Thank you for taking the time to step into their story and, by extension, a little piece of mine. Here’s to the next adventure, whenever and however it may unfold.

Started: March 9, 2023, Lithia, Florida 

Sojourn: December 2023–October 2024, Madison, New Hampshire 

Completed: April 2, 2025, Miami, Florida