Category: Amazon Spain (Amazon.es)
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Soft Heart I Spent Years Trying to Hide
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Casablanca (1942), Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Coral Estates Park (Miami-area Neighborhood), Creative Writing, Family History, Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in South Florida, Life in the United States, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Things I Miss, Writing as a CraftThe Soft Heart I Spent Years Trying to Hide Some people spend their lives pretending they’re not sentimental. I’m not one of them. To borrow the words of Captain Louis Renault, I freely admit I’m a rank sentimentalist—and unlike Rick Blaine from Casablanca, I don’t bother hiding it behind a mask of cynicism or put‑on…
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Cold Snaps, Warm Screens, and Weekend Breathing Room
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Computer Games, Computers, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Lenovo – IdeaPad S340 15″ Touch-Screen Laptop, Lenovo IdeaCentre (PC), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Reunion Duology, Reunion: Coda, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in FloridaSaturday, February 7, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Hello, friends! We’ve officially wrapped up the first week of February—and what a week it was. Central Florida got an unexpected brush with the Arctic; the kind of cold snap that makes you wonder if you’ve accidentally wandered into a Weather Channel documentary. Tuesday and Wednesday brought both…
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Sunshine, Cold Snaps, and Small Victories
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Computers, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Lenovo – IdeaPad S340 15″ Touch-Screen Laptop, Lenovo C560 All-in-One PC, Lenovo IdeaCentre (PC), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Life in the United States, Reunion Duology, Reunion: Coda, Royalties, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in FloridaFriday, February 6, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Hello there! We’ve made it to the end of another week here in beautiful Central Florida — a place where even the “cold snaps” feel like gentle reminders rather than punishments. As I write this, the sun is shining on a cool 49˚F (10˚C) morning. MSN Weather insists…
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Gray Skies, Small Wins
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Blogging, Books, Computers, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Lenovo – IdeaPad S340 15″ Touch-Screen Laptop, Lenovo IdeaCentre (PC), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Reunion Duology, Reunion: Coda, Royalties, Winter in FloridaThursday, February 5, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Central Florida woke up under a heavy gray quilt today. The latest cold front is sliding south, and as I write this, the temperature sits at 57°F (14°C) beneath a sky that can’t decide whether it wants to rain or simply brood. Light showers are expected around 3…
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Bright Sun, Clear Skies, and Chilly Hump Day
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Blogging, Computer Games, Computers, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Lenovo – IdeaPad S340 15″ Touch-Screen Laptop, Lenovo C560 All-in-One PC, Lenovo IdeaCentre (PC), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, MicroProse Software, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: Coda, Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in FloridaWednesday, February 4, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Hi there. Central Florida is still in its “pretend winter” phase this morning. It’s 59˚F (15˚C) under bright sunshine—cooler than I’d prefer, but definitely a step up from yesterday’s chill. If the forecast holds, we’ll hit a pleasant 71˚F (22˚C) later today before temperatures dip again tomorrow. February…
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Music of Memory: Why These Four Pieces Score the Garratyverse
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Billy Joel, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Melodies and Memories: Music, Songs, and Singers, Music, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaTaken together, these pieces form a musical arc that mirrors Jim Garraty’s journey: Elegy (Death of Falstaff) Renewal (All the Things You Are) Continuity (This Night) Memory (Forgotten Dreams) It’s a progression from grief to love to understanding — from silence to song.
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Gray Skies, Cold Wind, and Editing Misadventures
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Royalties, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in Florida, Writing as a CraftSaturday, January 31, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Hello again, Dear Reader. Central Florida is wearing its grayest winter coat today. The sky is a solid sheet of cloud, the air sits at a brisk 59°F (15°C), and the wind promises to make things even chillier as the afternoon rolls on. It’s hardly the sort of…
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Falling Temperatures, (Modestly) Rising Earnings
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Winter in FloridaTuesday, January 27, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Today’s chapter opens on a brisk—fine, let’s be honest, downright arctic by Floridian standards—January morning. At the heroic hour of 6:45 A.M., I rolled out of bed to find the temperature sulking in the mid‑30s, barely edging out a popsicle’s comfort zone (32°F/0°C). The house is mercifully warm…
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Fourteen Dollars and a Dream
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Book Reviews, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, The Jim Garraty ChroniclesMonday, January 26, 2026, Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. I’m still working on The Jim Garraty Chronicles despite my misgivings about my ability to cope with Kindle Create’s formatting issues and low expectations for how well it will sell once I publish it. Fixing subheads and nitpicking the text for errors I missed when I published…
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All Aboard the Gratitude Express! Next Stop – Betsy Matteis
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Books, College Life, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in South Florida, Miami-Dade Community College, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami Senior High School, The Gratitude ExpressThe Gratitude Tour Continues – Stop #7: Betsy Matteis Hi, everyone, and welcome aboard the Gratitude Tour Express. Today, our train is rolling north to Woodstock, Georgia, where my longtime friend Elizabeth—Betsy—Matteis has made her home. Of the seven Gratitude Award recipients so far, Betsy is the one whose story with mine stretches back the…