Author: Alex Diaz-Granados
-
-
On Writing and Storytelling: Have a Concept, But Stuck at the Terminal Gate
Sunday, August 23, 2026 – Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. It’s a steamy late-summer day here in Central Florida, the kind where the air feels like it’s leaning on you. Fortunately, I have no reason to be outside, so I’m writing this from the comfort of my air-conditioned room. The thermometer says 89°F (32°C), the humidity…
-
On Writing and Storytelling: Why Rhythm and Cadence Matter
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Brazil, Amazon Canada, Amazon Germany, Amazon Italy, Amazon Japan, Amazon Mexico, Amazon Poland, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon Sweden, Amazon UK, Book Reviews, Books, Creative Writing, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, The Jim Garraty Chronicles (Series), Writing a First Novel, Writing and Editing, Writing as a CraftThoughts About Writing and Storytelling I’ve been a writer since I was a student in the Dade County Public Schools system between 1972 and 1983. More accurately, I spent much of that time as an aspiring writer. I wrote only one poem—or was it a story?—in fourth grade for the Dade County Youth Fair &…
-
Thoughts and Musings for Friday, August 21, 2026
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Brazil, Amazon Canada, Amazon Germany, Amazon Italy, Amazon Japan, Amazon Mexico, Amazon Poland, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon Sweden, Amazon UK, Book Reviews, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion: A Story, Royalties, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, The Jim Garraty Chronicles (Series), The Summer of Two MoviesFriday, August 21, 2026 – Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. It’s afternoon on a spectacularly hot and potentially rainy late summer day in Central Florida. Currently, the temperature is a sizzling 94°F (35°C) under partly sunny skies, but with a weak 3 MPH (5 Km/H) breeze blowing from the east southeast and humidity at 58%, it…
-
On Writing and Storytelling: The Making of an Unplanned Literary Series
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Brazil, Amazon Canada, Amazon Germany, Amazon Italy, Amazon Japan, Amazon Mexico, Amazon Poland, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon Sweden, Amazon UK, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, The Summer of Two Movies, Writing as a CraftThursday, August 20, 2026 – Orlando, Florida Every story—or, in this case, every collection of stories—begins somewhere. It may start with a flash of inspiration, a lingering memory, a familiar-looking person or place, or even an old college creative-writing assignment that suddenly makes you want to revise, expand, and share it. In the introduction to…
-
Seven Albums for a Penny: Remembering Columbia House
Seven Albums for a Penny: Remembering Columbia House Wednesday, August 19, 2026 – Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. Well, another iconic brand from my misspent youth is about to disappear into the mists of history, taking with it a particular kind of mail-order anticipation that younger readers may know only from old magazine ads and family…
-
I’m Not Ready to Return to My Creative Writing Desk Yet
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Brazil, Amazon Canada, Amazon Germany, Amazon Italy, Amazon Japan, Amazon Mexico, Amazon Poland, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon Sweden, Amazon UK, Creative Writing, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, The Jim Garraty Chronicles (Series), Writing and Editing, Writing as a CraftTuesday, August 18, 2026 – Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. I’m still on my self-imposed break from Professional Daydreaming.™ Reluctantly, yes, but still on it. I had hoped to start writing—or at least seriously thinking through—the fine details of the story I’ve titled And the Horse You Rode in On this week. Maybe even today. I…
-
The ‘Mean Season’ Just Keeps Getting Meaner
Monday, August 17, 2026 – Orlando, Florida Late summer is the season when the southern United States turns the heat up to its highest setting. It’s always been that way, and it’s no accident that August and September coincide with the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. Except for a few memorable detours — nearly…
-
A Sunday Musicale for a Sweltering Summer Day
Sunday, August 16, 2026 – Orlando, Florida “Where words fail, music speaks.” ― Hans Christian Andersen “I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.”― Tom Waits “Beethoven tells you what it’s like to be Beethoven, and Mozart tells you what it’s like to be human. Bach tells you what it’s like to be the universe.” ― Douglas Adams…
-
Thoughts Upon a VERY Hot Late Summer Day
Saturday, August 15, 2026 – Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. It is another scorching late summer day in Central Florida. Like in many other countries in the Northern Hemisphere, we are experiencing a brutal heat wave in one of the hottest years on record. I’m not going to bore you by jotting down the current temperature…
A Certain Point of View, Too 