Category: Personal Thoughts
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Florida Heat, DST Fog, and the Best‑Laid Plans
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Blogging, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Spring in Florida, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty ChroniclesMonday, March 9, 2026, Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. My internal clock is still wobbling after yesterday’s switch to Daylight Saving Time, so I’m running behind my usual blog‑writing rhythm. I’m groggy, sluggish, and more than a little irritated—not just because I forgot about the time change, but because today is one of those hot, sticky…
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Blame It on the Clock
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Computer and Video Games, Computer Games, Creative Writing, Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in the United States, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Spring in Florida, Strategic Command series, Strategic Command WWII: World at War, Strategy Games, Strategy Games, The Jim Garraty ChroniclesSunday, March 8, 2026, Orlando, Florida Normally, I tap out these posts in the late morning, coffee in hand and ideas (mostly) awake. But the first day of Daylight Saving Time has, as usual, thrown my internal clock for a loop. On this warm and muggy Sunday, my energy and creativity are hiding somewhere—probably still…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Why Dishonest Praise‑Circle Reviews Harm Indie Authors, the Industry, and Readers
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Audible, Blogging, Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, CreateSpace Independent Publishing, Creative Writing, Ethical Reviewing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Miami-Dade Community College, Personal Thoughts, Praise Circles, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Student Journalist, WordPressWhy Dishonest Praise‑Circle Reviews Harm Indie Authors, the Industry, and Readers I’ve been writing entertainment reviews for most of my life—long before “content creation” became a buzzword and long before social media turned book promotion into a popularity contest. My first real assignments came in high school, where I cut my teeth as a student…
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On Writing and Storytelling: A Year of Stories, Memory, and Gratitude
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Blogging, Book Reviews, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftA Year of Stories, Memory, and Gratitude Marking the 11‑Month Anniversary of Reunion: Coda and My 63rd Birthday March 5th is a meaningful date for me this year—not only because I’m turning 63, but because it marks eleven months since Reunion: Coda first stepped out into the world. When I released it last April, I…
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Spring’s First Breath and a Slow Sunday
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Blogging, Book Reviews, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Computer and Video Games, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, MicroProse Software, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age, Spring in Florida, Triassic Games, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftSunday, March 1, 2026, Orlando, Florida Hello, friends! Today marks the first day of meteorological spring—though astronomical spring won’t officially arrive until the vernal equinox at 10:46 AM on March 20. Still, I’m more than ready to bid farewell to the winter of 2025–2026. And in true Central Florida fashion, spring is easing in with…
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When Amazon Says Yes Before the Sun Does
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audible Reviews, Audiobooks, Book Reviews, 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, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Winter in FloridaSaturday, February 28, 2026 — Orlando, Florida “Sometimes the clouds in the sky are mistaken. They didn’t come to block the sunlight. They came to embrace it.” — Kaylee Stepkoski Late winter days—no matter your zip code or circumstances—have a knack for being gray and a touch moody, even here in Central Florida, where the…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Choosing Craft Over Coddling
Friday, February 27, 2026, Orlando, Florida Above all else, I consider myself a storyteller. To be specific, I’m a writer with deep roots in journalism and media criticism, and I’ve dabbled in poetry, screenwriting, and literary fiction. My journey down this winding path began way back in the early 1970s—picture a kid at Tropical Elementary…
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The Sunshine State of Mind (and Sales Reports)
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audible Reviews, Audiobooks, Audiobooks, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Royalties, Royalties, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in FloridaThursday, February 26, 2026, Orlando, Florida Hi, there! It’s a cool but gradually warming day in Central Florida. As I write this, it’s 71°F (22°C) under mostly sunny skies. Still a touch cooler than my comfort zone—my climatic sweet spot is 75°F (24°C) or a bit higher—but far better than yesterday’s mid‑30s wake‑up call. I’ve…
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Florida’s Cold Snap Meets My Audible Warm‑Up
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon UK, Audible, Audible Reviews, Audiobooks, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Winter in FloridaWednesday, February 25, 2026, Orlando, Florida “Heat is a blunt instrument, but warmth is relative. We feel warmer for knowing that it’s freezing outside.”― Katherine May Another day dawns in Central Florida—sunny, yes, but carrying a surprising chill for late winter. By midmorning, the thermometer sits at 56 °F (13 °C) beneath a sky as blue as a…
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Sunshine, Sweaters, and a Step Closer to Audible
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Life in the United States, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Winter in FloridaTuesday, February 24, 2026, Orlando, Florida It’s a brisk late‑winter Tuesday in Central Florida—though “brisk” here would barely register as a shiver to anyone north of the Mason-Dixon line. As I sit down to write, it’s just past midday, the sun is working overtime, and the thermometer reads a perfectly respectable 52°F (11°C). Not exactly…
A Certain Point of View, Too 