Category: Personal Thoughts
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Sixth Stop on the Gratitude Tour
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in Adria K. Woomer-Hernandez, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Anthony (A.J.) Hernandez, Blogging, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Juan Carlos Hernandez, Movies, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, The Gratitude ExpressThe Sixth Stop on the Gratitude Tour: Juan Carlos Hernandez Hey there, my cherished reader! Thanks for hopping aboard yet another leg of my Gratitude Tour. Today, the Gratitude Express is rumbling its way into the heart of New York City—the city that never sleeps and, incidentally, the home of our honoree, Juan Carlos Hernandez.…
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My Dream Job (WordPress Daily Prompt)
My Dream Job (WordPress Daily Prompt)Today’s Daily Prompt: “What is your dream job?” If you’ve spent any time around here—whether you’re a long‑timer or you just wandered in with a cup of coffee—you already know my dream job: being a writer. Not “wanting to be a writer,” not “dabbling in writing,” but actually being one.…
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On Writing and Storytelling: My Ex-Co-Editor, Always
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Books, Brandon Padilla, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami High School in fiction, South Miami Senior High School, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Writing as a CraftGratitude Tour, Stop Five: My Ex-Co-Editor, Always When I first mapped out my “Gratitude Tour,” the plan was simple: shine a little light on the readers who not only devoured the three existing Garratyverse books—Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, and Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen—but also took the time to leave…
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On Writing and Storytelling: When Jim Garraty First Realizes What His Heart’s Been Trying to Tell Him (Reunion: Coda)
When Jim Garraty First Realizes What His Heart’s Been Trying to Tell Him Long before Jim Garraty ever found the words for what he was feeling, there were moments—small, ordinary, almost forgettable to anyone else—that rearranged something inside him. This is one of the earliest. Not a confession, not a dramatic turning point, just a…
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A Small, Bright Victory to Start the Week
A Small, Bright Victory to Start the Week Monday, January 5, 2026 — Orlando, Florida “Writing fiction, especially a long work of fiction, can be a difficult, lonely job; it’s like crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a bathtub. There’s plenty of opportunity for self-doubt.”— Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft Florida winter—such…
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The Night Jim Garraty Kept Someone Up Reading
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty ChroniclesWhen a Reader Reminds You Why You Write Every so often, something happens that cuts through the noise — the sales dashboards, the algorithms, the endless comparisons to writers with marketing budgets the size of small nations — and brings you back to the heart of why you sit down to tell stories in the…
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On Resolutions, Realism, and the Year That Surprised Me
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Audible, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Family History, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty ChroniclesWednesday, December 31, 2025 — Orlando, Florida I’ve never been much for New Year’s resolutions. That just wasn’t the kind of tradition our little, lopsided family—Mom, my older half‑sister, and Yours Truly—ever took seriously. Sure, one of us might toss out a hopeful line now and then: “This is the year I’ll finally hit the…
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A Thursday Musicale for Christmas 2025
I want to wish all of you – readers, bloggers, and friends – a Merry Christmas (for those who celebrate it) and a warm holiday season! And let’s hope that 2026 is a happier, better year for everyone….
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On Writing and Storytelling: How One Story Became Three
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Blogging, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftOn Writing and Storytelling: How One Story Became Three “I write for the same reason I breathe: Because if I didn’t, I would die.” — Isaac Asimov As 2025 barrels toward its inevitable finale and a newborn year waits impatiently in the wings, I find myself doing my best Janus impression—gazing backward and forward…
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Musings for the Shortest Day of the Year – 2025
Sunday, December 21, 2025, Orlando, Florida It’s a nice early winter day here in my home state of Florida. Although it’s the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year and traditionally the first day of winter – it’s not uncomfortably cold. The temperature outside is 76°F (25°C) under mostly sunny conditions – a…
A Certain Point of View, Too 