Category: Books
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On Writing and Storytelling: Jim, Mrs. Brillenstein, and the Confluence of Memory and Fiction
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Blogging, Books, Creative Writing, Life in Florida, Life in South Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami Senior High School, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a Craft2 Late to Homeroom 7:45 AM I was late for homeroom. Mrs. Brillenstein didn’t like that. She was a young-looking woman, maybe in her early thirties, with long auburn hair and big brown eyes that could be friendly or fierce, depending on her mood. She taught English 2, Regular, and drama in Room 230, which…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Leisure Time Activities (Even Writers Need Time Off!)
Sunday, November 16, 2025 — Orlando, Florida Hello, Constant Reader. Today is a day of relative rest. Aside from this post, I don’t plan to do much writing. Most of my energy lately has gone into the release of Comings and Goings’ audiobook. I don’t yet have a clear vision for “The Next Big Project,”…
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Adventures in Audiobook Production: ‘Comings and Goings’—Now in My Ears
🎧 Comings and Goings—Now in My Ears Last night, for the first time, I listened to Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen in its entirety. Not in fragments. Not in editing mode. Just… as a listener. It felt surreal. These were words I typed in Word, often late at night, chasing memory…
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🛠️ One Step from Release: Comings and Goings Clears Audio Review
Friday, November 14, 2025, Orlando, Florida I’m pleased to share that the audiobook edition of Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen has officially passed the Audio Files review on Amazon’s Audiobook Creators Exchange (ACX). This marks the third of four pre-release phases that every audiobook must complete before it’s released on Audible…
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Adventures in Audiobook Production: Halfway Home to Audible
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, 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), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) LeeWednesday, November 12, 2025 – Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. As I shared last night, Stefan (Steve) Lee has now recorded half of the audio tracks for the Reunion: Coda audiobook. He’s even gone ahead and taped the final chapter and some of the back matter, including the Afterword. Production is pausing briefly while his recording…
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Chilly Tuesday, Audible Dreams
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Audiobooks, Autumn in Florida, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in Madison (NH), Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaTuesday, November 11, 2025 – Orlando, Florida It’s a chilly late autumn day in Central Florida, courtesy of the season’s first strong cold front. As I write this, it’s 52°F (11°C) under sunny skies. Not quite New Hampshire cold—Madison, my former stomping grounds, is sitting at 32°F (0°C) with light rain—but still brisk by Florida…
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Adventures in Audiobook Production: No News, Just Nerves: A Quiet Check-In
No News, Just Nerves: A Quiet Check-In Friday, November 7, 2025 – Orlando, Florida Earlier today, I shared a hopeful update about my audiobook submissions to ACX. Tonight, I want to offer a more honest reflection—not of progress, but of the quiet act of looking for it. I haven’t heard anything from ACX. No emails.…
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Adventures in Audiobook Production: No (Bad or Good) News About My In-Review Projects…Yet
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion: A StoryFriday, November 7, 2025 – Orlando, Florida Hi, friends. It’s already late afternoon here in Central Florida, and I’m still refreshing my inbox like a hopeful kid waiting for a letter from summer camp. So far, no news from Amazon’s Audiobook Creative Exchange (ACX) about the two Jim Garraty titles currently in their quality assurance…
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Adventures in Audiobook Production: Waiting, Wondering, and Hoping for ACX Approval
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Audiobooks, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty ChroniclesThursday, November 6, 2025 – Orlando, Florida “We never live; we are always in the expectation of living.” —Voltaire Today marks the first full day since I approved Brandon Padilla’s audiobook adaptation of my novella Reunion: A Story on ACX, Amazon’s platform for independent audiobook production. The project—47 minutes of audio paired with a cover…
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Adventures in Audiobook Production – In Review: On Waiting, Vigilance, and the Quiet Hope of Release
In Review: On Waiting, Vigilance, and the Quiet Hope of Release Wednesday Afternoon, November 5, 2025 – Orlando, Florida There’s a moment in every creative journey when the work feels complete — or nearly so. The narration is done. The emotional cadence is intact. The cover art has been finalized, checked, and rechecked. The story…
A Certain Point of View, Too 