Category: Books
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The Music That Hurt Less: A Response to Thomas Wikman’s Review of ‘Comings and Goings’
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The Music That Hurt Less: A Response to Thomas Wikman’s Review When Thomas Wikman described Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen as a luminous prelude to Reunion: Coda, I felt seen—not just as a writer, but as someone who stitched memory and melody into fiction, hoping someone might hear the emotional subtext.…
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Books, Memories, and the Sound of Progress: October in Central Florida
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, 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, CreateSpace Independent Publishing, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) LeeLate Morning, Tuesday, October 7, 2025 – Orlando, Florida Hello, Constant (or Not-So-Constant) Reader, It’s another steamy, soon-to-be-soggy day here in Central Florida. As I write this in the late morning hours, the temperature has already climbed to 83°F (28°C) under partly sunny skies. Humidity is a formidable 84%, and an easterly breeze at 11…
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The Voice of Jim Garraty: Audiobook Adaptations in Progress
🎧 Audiobook Update: All Three Projects Are Underway! I’m thrilled to share that all three audiobook adaptations of my Garratyverse stories —Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, and Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen—are officially in production! Stefan (Steve) Lee, who is narrating Reunion: Coda, sent me a brief sample late Saturday night.…
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Comings and Goings: A Deep Dive into Human Connection
🎧 Mixtapes, Warm Beer, and the Magic of Being Understood: Why You Need to Read Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen Let’s be honest: most parties are just noise. The kind that makes you wish you’d stayed home with a book, a blanket, and maybe a bowl of cereal. But every once…
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‘Comings and Goings’ Gets New Amazon Review from ‘Super Facts’ Blogger Thomas Wikman
From Awkward Misery to Adventure: A Reader’s Reflection on Comings and Goings Thomas Wikman’s recent Amazon review of Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen offers more than praise—it’s a quiet act of emotional recognition. In just a few paragraphs, he traces Jim Garraty’s journey from isolation to communion and affirms the emotional…
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Adventures in Storytelling: Enthusiasm, Excitement in the Air as ‘Comings and Goings’ Audiobook is Greenlit
The Art of Being Heard: Bryan Haddock Brings Jim Garraty to Life Last night, I listened to the first full chapter of Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen, narrated by Bryan Haddock. At 8:57 pm, I sent him a message:“Bryan, this was magnificent. Thank you! You have the green light to go…
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Adventures in Storytelling: ‘Reunion: A Story’ Audiobook is Nearly Complete
Narration Nears Completion: Reunion: A Story Finds Its Voice Brandon Padilla is nearly finished recording Reunion: A Story, and I couldn’t be more grateful—or more excited. He just sent word that only one chapter remains, and the rough cut will be heading my way soon for review. Brandon’s approach to Marty’s accent—light, but intentional—feels just…
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Book Review: ‘A Time for Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge’
A Time for Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge By: Charles B. MacDonald Publisher: William Morrow Year Published: (Reissue) 1997 Genre: Military History, World War II (European Theater of Operations, 1944-45) On December 16, 1944, four German armies—comprising 14 infantry and five panzer divisions—launched a surprise counteroffensive against the American First…
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Audiobook Adventures: A Hopeful Update on ‘Reunion: A Story’
Hope in the Inbox: A Narrator’s Chain of Joy This morning, I woke up to a chain of messages from Brandon Padilla, the narrator of Reunion: A Story. He’d just recorded another 25 minutes, declared Chapter 5 his favorite, and shared plans to feature the audiobook as his debut listing on his website. He even…
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Adventures in Storytelling: The First 15 Minutes of ‘Reunion: A Story’…in Audio!
Checkpoint One: No Absolution The first 15 minutes of Reunion: A Story are now in the world, and Brandon Padilla has already proven why he was the right choice to narrate James Garraty’s most haunted chapter. This is the checkpoint recording—a standard milestone in audiobook production where the narrator records the opening scenes to establish…
A Certain Point of View, Too 