Author: Alex Diaz-Granados
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Sayonara, Madison.
Well, here it is, Thursday, October 17, 2024. Today is my mother’s birthday. Had she lived to see it – in good health, of course – she would have been 96 today. Alas, she’s been gone for nine years, so this is one of those weird occasions when I feel more sorrow than joy. It’s…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: My Third Most Favorite ‘Best Friends Forever’ Scene
“There,” I said. “The one with the long chestnut hair and the blue denim outfit. She’s heading for the lunch line.” Mark squinted and nodded. “Yeah, I see her. She’s pretty. Who is she?” I shrugged. “I don’t remember her name. But she sang ‘We’ll Meet Again’ this morning. She was amazing.” Mark raised his…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: My Second Most Favorite ‘Best Friends Forever’ Scene
Mark walked with me that day, our last day of high school. He didn’t say much. He knew I was hurting. He knew I was losing Marty, and that I was feeling downright shitty about it. She was leaving for London with her family after graduation. She would be gone for the whole summer, maybe…
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Thoughts Upon a Cold, Rainy Fall Day in New Hampshire
It’s cold and rainy on Columbus Day in Madison, New Hampshire, and a most depressing way to start my last few days here before I head back to South Florida on a long road trip with my South Miami High School classmate and his wife. I don’t know when I’ll arrive in Miami because Eric…
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A Novelist’s Soundtrack (Music to Write Stories By)
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you may remember that, for me, music is a vital element of the creative process when I write fiction. The format (screenplay, novella, or novel) doesn’t matter; the emotions and mental images evoked by the songs and other compositions…those matter. As someone who “sees” stories as mini-movies…
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A Note from a Late Rising Blogger
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Creative Writing, Going Full Circle: Back to South Florida I Go, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), New Hampshire Weather, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaLate Morning/Midday, Saturday, October 12, 2024, Madison, New Hampshire I am running late on this sunny but cold Saturday morning in Madison’s Eidelweiss District. I don’t know when I went to sleep last night; I only know that it was much later than it should have been. A trip to the bathroom at 6:20 AM didn’t…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: Got Any Hobbies?
Jim Garraty, a history professor, balances his time between teaching and diverse hobbies like building model kits and playing classic computer games. His girlfriend Maddie, a pianist and stamp collector influenced by her diplomatic family, shares a deep intellectual connection with him, rooted in a mutual appreciation for history and music.
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Writer’s Shop Talk: My Twist on the ‘Meet Cute’ Trope
The discussion revolves around the “meet cute” trope in storytelling, specifically in romance genres. While the author acknowledges its challenges, they reflect on their own successful execution of it in their novel featuring Jim Garraty. In a noisy Brooklyn nightclub, Jim encounters a captivating stranger, Maddie, whose eloquence and charm draw him in. Their conversation…
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Reflections on an October Evening and Hurricane Milton
On the evening of October 9, 2024, in Madison, New Hampshire, the weather was cold and dark. The author shared a brief update about their day, mentioning a writing exercise, meals, and concern for friends in Florida facing Hurricane Milton. They hope for safety as they prepare to return to Miami.
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Writer’s Shop Talk: Outline THIS!
“Reunion: Coda” intertwines Jim’s high school and college professor years, exploring his emotional journey towards love. The narrative follows Jim’s struggles with unexpressed feelings for Marty, his romance with Maddie during his teaching career, and eventual reconciliation of his past. It emphasizes personal growth, emotional conflict, and unconventional romantic resolutions.
