Category: Book Reviews
-
On Writing and Storytelling: Why Dishonest Praise‑Circle Reviews Harm Indie Authors, the Industry, and Readers
—
by
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…
-
On the Subject of Ethical Reviewing: My Guiding Principles
On the subject of ethical reviewing: My guiding principles Last Friday, I mentioned a previous email exchange with Angela (a pseudonym), a blogger who self‑published an inspirational romance novel. She sent me her third email, again requesting that I read a sample of her book on Amazon, purchase it in Kindle or paperback format, and…
-
Wrangling Subheadings and Other Midweek Adventures
—
by
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, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in Florida, WordPress, Writing as a CraftWednesday, February 11, 2026, Orlando, Florida Hello there, dear reader— Well, here we are, smack in the middle of another workweek in Central Florida. It’s a cool, gray, late‑winter Wednesday, with the world outside draped in clouds—think more moody Russian play than sun‑drenched vacation postcard. As I sit here, it’s 63 °F (17 °C) and…
-
A Pretty Swell Monday, All Things Considered
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Blogging, Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Books, 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, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in Florida, Writing as a CraftMonday, February 9, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Happy Monday, Dear Reader. There’s something about the first day of a new workweek that feels like a clean page—full of possibility, full of momentum. Today has that energy in spades. Central Florida is showing off a bit: bright sun, clear skies, and a gentle coolness that lingers…
-
On Writing and Storytelling: The Gratitude Tour Continues – Crossing the Atlantic (Virtually) to Thank the ‘Godmother of Reunion: Coda’
Gratitude Tour, Stop #4: Meg Learner — The Godmother of Reunion: Coda Next, I want to thank someone whose influence on the Garratyverse runs deeper than she probably realizes: Meg Learner, whom I’ve affectionately dubbed the Godmother of Reunion: Coda. Meg and I first crossed paths years ago on the now-defunct writing site Persona Paper.…
-
On Writing and Storytelling: On Having a Reader Like Thomas Wikman
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Books, Creative Writing, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle: Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger, Thomas Wikman, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftOn Having a Reader Like Thomas Wikman Thomas Wikman’s Review of “Reunion: Coda” (2025) This is a love story complicated by life. Jim Garraty is a successful History Professor who has tragically lost love and found love again. The story follows two timelines. One is focused on Jim’s high school days and his secret love…
-
When Fiction Shops Local (Even If the Store Doesn’t Stock the Book)
When Fiction Shops Local (Even If the Store Doesn’t Stock the Book) There’s a moment at the start of the Jim–Maddie arc where Maddie walks into the Moonglow Club carrying a Book Culture bag stuffed with Jim’s books. Jim, of course, has no idea. He only sees a refined stranger with caramel hair, a sky‑blue…
-
Facing Sales Challenges in Self-Publishing
—
by
in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, UncategorizedSaturday, December 20, 2025 — Orlando, Florida This morning, I received my monthly email from Amazon Accounts Payable with my Kindle Direct Publishing royalties for November. According to Amazon, I’ll be receiving $10.55 for books sold between November 1 and 30, 2025. While $10.55 is certainly better than nothing, it’s still a steep drop from…
-
A Holiday Shopper’s Guide to…’Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen’
—
by
in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Books, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaBut I kept that night. I kept the way she looked at me afterward, the way her thumb traced circles on mine, the way she said, “You were here. That’s what matters.” ― Alex Diaz-Granados, Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen : A Jim Garraty Story With Christmas 2025 less than a…
-
Book Review: ‘Star Wars: Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina’
“Mos Eisley Spaceport,” says Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker as they stand on a mesa overlooking the Tatooine metropolis in Episode IV: A New Hope. “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be careful.” Of all the eye-catching and memorable sequences in Star Wars, the fateful meeting between…
A Certain Point of View, Too 