On Writing and Storytelling: Working on the Weekend…and Through a Thicket of Doubts

Saturday Reflections from Orlando

Early Afternoon, October 11, 2025

As I shared yesterday, I’m currently immersed in two projects tied to my Jim Garraty stories:

• The audiobook adaptations of Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, and Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen
• An omnibus edition that collects all three into one cohesive volume

Why Audio Feels Like Home

If you’ve been following this space for a while, you know I’m especially energized by the audiobook project—even though it wasn’t part of the original plan when I began writing Reunion: Coda in March 2023. (Then again, neither was Comings and Goings…)

Maybe it’s the promise of reaching listeners who prefer audio or live with visual impairments. Maybe it’s the joy of collaborating with Brandon Padilla, Stefan (Steve) Lee, and Bryan Haddock—three producers/narrators who genuinely care about bringing the Garratyverse to life. Whatever the reason, the ACX journey feels more alive to me right now than the print-only path of The Jim Garraty Chronicles.

The Print Project That’s Testing Me

I began The Jim Garraty Chronicles shortly after finishing Reunion: Coda—and before Comings and Goings insisted on being written. But the project has hit a few snags:

• Formatting fatigue: Kindle Create’s handling of chapter subtitles and subheads in Reunion: Coda is clunky and time-consuming to fix
• Reader silence: Lower-than-expected sales and quiet reception have made me question whether this project will truly resonate

I still believe in the omnibus edition. I launched the Kindle Create file almost immediately after Reunion: Coda went live in April, hoping that readers who loved Reunion: A Story would be eager for more. Some were—and their reviews and blog posts lifted me. Others, I suspect, are waiting for the Audible editions.

A December Goal, If the Spirit Holds

I think—though I won’t promise—that The Jim Garraty Chronicles could be ready by December. The stories themselves are solid. I’ve already addressed most of the issues in the individual books. The remaining hurdle is formatting Reunion: Coda properly in the omnibus file.

It’s not a technical mystery. It’s a grind. Kindle Create’s limitations mean I have to manually adjust every subtitle and subhead to match the correct style. It’s tedious, but necessary. Indie publishing already faces skepticism, and sloppy formatting only fuels that resistance.

What Keeps Me Going

I’d be more motivated if the readers who once asked for “more stories” showed up for the ones I’ve written this year. Some have. Others haven’t. I’ve given away more copies than I’ve sold. Royalties trickle in when I do that, but they don’t carry the same emotional weight as a reader choosing the book for themselves.

Still, I worked on The Jim Garraty Chronicles this morning. I’ll return to it later today. And I know that if I approach it with the same heart I gave Reunion: Coda and Comings and Goings, I can finish it in time for the winter holidays.

A Quiet Invitation

If you’ve found something meaningful in the Garratyverse—whether in a line, a scene, or a feeling—I’d love for you to walk a little further with me. The stories are waiting. And so am I.

Click here to read a recent review of Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen.