Category: Books
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How I Came to Write ‘Comings and Goings’
Author’s Note Some stories arrive quietly. Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen wasn’t planned. It emerged from a single memory in Reunion: Coda—a name, a summer night, a girl who slipped through the edges of Jim’s story. But she stayed. Softly. Unmistakably. Kelly wasn’t loud, but she kept showing up—like a song you’d…
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‘Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen’ is…On the Way to a Kindle Near You
Why I Hit “Publish” So Soon I hadn’t planned to release Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen this quickly. The story came together fast—two weeks of writing, revising, and listening closely to what Jim and Kelly needed to say. But I thought I’d take more time. Let it breathe. Maybe wait for…
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On Soft Light and Honest Songs: A Note to the Reader
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Billy Joel, Books, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Love and Sex, Melodies and Memories: Music, Songs, and Singers, Movies, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaEvery story in the Garratyverse carries its own rhythm. Some sweep across decades, reckoning with inherited grief, generational wounds, and the long arc of forgiveness. Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen isn’t that kind of story. It’s smaller. Quieter. But no less true. This one lives in the hush between songs, the half-step…
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Longest Day, Shortest Royalty Check… But Who’s Counting?
Friday Afternoon, June 20, 2025 – Miami, Florida Hi, everyone— A few notable highlights from this first official day of summer: Now for a little personal update: Kindle Direct Publishing has processed my April royalties, and I’m set to receive a not-so-whopping (but still smile-worthy) $78.21. Most of that comes courtesy of Reunion: Coda, though…
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From Typewriter Dreams to Storytelling Realities: A Writer’s Journey
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Books, College Life, Coral Estates Park (Miami-area Neighborhood), Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in Miami….Again, Life in South Florida, Miami-Dade Community College, Miami-Dade Community College, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami High School in fiction, South Miami Senior High School, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftLate Morming/Midday, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Miami, Florida “But there’s a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother’s story, because hers is where yours…
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When eBay Markups Cross the Line: A Shocking Discovery About Reunion: Coda
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Reunion: Coda—my latest novel—was being listed on eBay for $43.15. That’s $17 more than its actual price for a paperback edition on Amazon. According to the seller, Grand Eagle Retail, they allegedly have three copies in stock. Do they? I have my doubts. Let’s set the record straight:…
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Selling Stories, Writing the Next One, and the Art of Not Sitting Still
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Book Reviews, Books, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftAfternoon, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, Miami, Florida “Don’t wait for the muse. As I’ve said, he’s a hardheaded guy who’s not susceptible to a lot of creative fluttering. This isn’t the Ouija board or the spirit-world we’re talking about here, but just another job like laying pipe or driving long-haul trucks. Your job is to…
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Reflections on Reunion: Coda’s Complex Characters and Themes
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Book Reviews, Books, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in Miami….Again, Personal Thoughts, Pooja (P.J.) Gudka, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, UncategorizedMidday, Monday, June 9, 2025, Miami, Florida Greetings from South Florida, folks! I don’t have much news today. It was laundry day for me, and even though I was a decent multitasker as recently as 10 years ago, I have trouble finding a suitable balance between household chores and writing. Maybe I wouldn’t worry so…
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A Grateful Reflection on Pooja Gudka’s Review of ‘Reunion: Coda’
It’s not every day that an author receives a review as insightful and beautifully written as P. J. Gudka’s take on Reunion: Coda. I’ve long admired Pooja’s ability to balance depth and clarity in her reviews, and seeing Coda through her lens has been both humbling and rewarding. First and foremost, thank you, Pooja—for not…
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The Sixth of June…Now, Then, and Again…
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, D-Day (June 6, 1944), Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in Madison (NH), Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in Miami….Again, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Life in South Florida, Life in the Tampa Bay area, Life in the United States, Music, Reunion Duology, Reunion: Coda, Summer 2024, Summer 2025, Summer in Florida, The D-Day DarlingsMidday/Early Afternoon, Friday, June 6, 2025, Miami, Florida The weather system that brought that rainy opening to meteorological summer earlier this week has moved on, and the Florida Travel Bureau can rest easy because it’s sunny, clear, and hot enough to go to the beach. (Ah, bikini weather!) I’d argue, though, that – climate change…
A Certain Point of View, Too 