Category: Personal History
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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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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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Writing Doesn’t Pay the Movers: An Update from Alex Diaz-Granados
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, GoFundMe, Insomnia, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, TransitionsFriday Afternoon, August 22, 2025 — Miami, Florida Hi, friends. I wish I could sit down today and write about stories—especially those in the Garratyverse—and the quiet ways they unfold. But clarity eludes me at the moment. It’s Laundry Day, and while I’ve got about half an hour before the dryer cycle ends, my mind…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Writing First-Time Intimacy with Emotional Grace
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Love and Sex, Love, Sex, & Relationships, Personal History, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Sex, Writing as a Craft📝 Soft Light, Quiet Courage: Writing First-Time Intimacy with Emotional Grace There’s a moment in Comings and Goings—quiet, unadorned—where Jim confesses to Kelly that his first time didn’t last long. He’s not ashamed. Just honest. And Kelly, in turn, doesn’t flinch, correct, or console. She simply says: “Then it was perfect. You were kind. You…
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42 Years Ago, in a High School Not So Far Away (A Tempus Fugit Gig)
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Billy Joel, Blogging, Cold War (1945-1991), Computers, John Williams (Composer), Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in South Florida, Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Personal Thoughts, South Miami Senior High School, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Tempus fugit, U.S. History42 Years Ago, in a High School Not So Far Away…. Late Morning, Tuesday, June 17, 2025 — Miami, Florida “It was only high school, after all—arguably one of the most bizarre periods in a person’s life. How anyone emerges well-adjusted is nothing short of a miracle.” — E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly A…
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Donating My Book to Conway Public Library
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Donating “Reunion: A Story” to the Conway Public Library, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Shop with PointsOn a beautiful early autumn day in Madison, New Hampshire, the writer reflects on their nearly ten-month stay as they prepare to leave around October 18. They express a sense of time’s fleeting nature and share their motivations for donating a copy of their self-published book, Reunion: A Story, to the local library.
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Musings & Thoughts for Sunday, July 7, 2024, or: Weekend Update, Part the First
The author reflects on a grocery run, feeling nostalgic for life in Florida. Despite emotional struggles, restocking reduced stress. A day of peaceful editing and leisure activities follows, creating a calm weekend. The post includes poetry and links to the author’s work. Overall, it captures a reflective and tranquil weekend in New Hampshire.
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Musings & Thoughts for Monday, May 13, 2024, or: Weekend Update, Part the Second…and a New Workweek Begins
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Beatriz Diaz-Granados, Blogging, Computer and Video Games, Creative Writing, Family History, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 and Onward), MicroProse Software, Movies, New Hampshire Weather, Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Regiments (2022), Regiments: Iron Curtain, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Spring 2024, Star Wars, Star Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerThe weather in Madison, New Hampshire is sunny and warm at 61°F (16°C), but the writer’s weekend was bittersweet due to Mother’s Day, evoking memories and homesickness. The writer played a war game to lift spirits but had a quiet evening, failed to finish a movie, and now faces the new workweek, aiming to resume…
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Musings & Thoughts for Monday, December 25, 2023: A Brief Post for Christmas Day from Madison, New Hampshire
Late Morning, Monday, December 25, 2023, Madison, New Hampshire Hi, everyone, and welcome to the 1,372nd post I write for this blog. As the heading states, it’s late morning here in my small corner of New Hampshire. It’s a grey, chilly morning here; the current temperature is 36°F/2°C under cloudy skies, and the feels-like factor…
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On Writing & Storytelling: ‘Reunion: A Story’ – Genesis of a Novella
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, CreateSpace Independent Publishing, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in South Florida, Life in the United States, Passage of Time, Personal History, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Sex, South Miami Senior High SchoolLike most writers, I’m often asked questions along the lines of “Where do you get your ideas from?” and “How did you write this story?” So, to give you some idea of how Reunion came to be and what it’s about, here are some questions and answers related to my novella. The Premise: It is February 1998. 33-year-old…
A Certain Point of View, Too 