A Certain Point of View, Too

Adventures in Audiobook Production: Two Books Are ‘In Review.’ Now…I Wait for the Green Light to Release

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by

Alex Diaz-Granados
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Saturday, November 8, 2025 – Orlando, Florida

“For a while” is a phrase whose length can’t be measured. At least by the person who’s waiting. —Haruki Murakami, South of the Border, West of the Sun

As I shared last night, the audiobook editions of Reunion: A Story and Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen are slowly but steadily making their way through the four-step review process on Amazon’s Audiobook Creators Exchange (ACX). This rigorous sequence of checks—conducted by both humans and algorithms—ensures that submissions meet the quality standards required for release on Audible and Apple Books.

The process is methodical and slow, often taking up to 10 business days and pausing over weekends. It unfolds in four distinct phases: Metadata Review, Cover Art Review, Audio Review, and Final Verification before the audiobook is cleared for release.

As of last night, just before the weekend pause, Comings and Goings had successfully passed the first two stages. The crucial Audio Review is still pending. Reunion: A Story, submitted only a few days ago, breezed through the Cover Art check—thanks in no small part to my investment in Canva Pro. With luck, the remaining reviews will go smoothly, and I’ll soon be able to announce its availability on Audible and Apple Books.

The final Canva Pro cover for the Comings and Goings Audible edition.
Opening disclaimer and Author’s Note

I’ve listened closely to the tracks recorded and uploaded by my producer-narrators—Bryan Haddock for Comings and Goings, and Brandon Padilla for Reunion: A Story—and I’m pleased to report that both offer excellent interpretations of my Jim Garraty stories. Though their voices and styles differ, each captures distinct facets of Jim’s character.

Bryan brings out the intelligence, social awkwardness, and quiet awe of the 19-year-old Harvard freshman as he’s seen—truly seen—by the luminous Kelly Moore. Brandon, meanwhile, gives voice to Jim at two pivotal stages: as a 30-something history professor grieving the girl he loved from afar, and as an 18-year-old high school senior torn between his feelings for Martina Elizabeth Reynaud (Marty) and the lingering pain of a past heartbreak.

Reunion: A Story
A Call from Miami In this emotionally layered excerpt, Jim Garraty prepares for a routine phone call from his lifelong friend Mark Prieto — a call prefaced by academic fatigue, cryptic email, and the quiet rituals of a historian’s evening. What begins as a familiar rhythm of banter and memory becomes a slow descent into emotional rupture, as the setup gives way to a revelation that reshapes Jim’s world. A meditation on friendship, emotional compartmentalization, and the moment when history becomes personal.

Both audiobooks, to my satisfaction, present my writing with clarity and emotional depth. There are no flashy effects—just subtle line readings that lend each character a distinctive voice and presence. I’m waiting for their debut with a mix of excitement and worry. I’m thrilled to make these stories accessible to visually impaired readers and to those who prefer listening over reading. But I also wonder how they’ll fare in terms of sales.

I write because I love the craft. And judging by the reviews on Amazon and readers’ blogs, I’m good at it. But writing isn’t a hobby—it’s my profession. Royalties matter. So I wait, as Murakami says, in a stretch of time that can’t be measured.