Category: Books
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On Writing and Storytelling: Giving Jim Garraty’s First Book a Voice in ‘Reunion: A Story’ Audiobook
Reunion: A Story—A Voice Found Some stories wait patiently for the right voice. Today, Reunion: A Story found its narrator. Brandon Padilla’s audition carried emotional clarity and quiet resonance. From his first message, it was clear he saw Jim Garraty—not just as a character, but as someone worth spending time with. His words: “I love…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Pooja Gudka’s Insightful Amazon Review of ‘Comings and Goings’
💫 A Quiet Triumph: Pooja Gudka on Comings and Goings Some reviews don’t just affirm a book’s worth—they illuminate its emotional core. Pooja Gudka’s recent five-star review of Comings and Goings is one such gift. Her words remind us why stories matter, especially those that honor the quiet dignity of connection. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved the book!Reviewed…
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Coming Soon: ‘Reunion: Coda’ – The Audiobook
🎧 Reunion: Coda Heads to Audio This week, I took the first step toward bringing Reunion: Coda to life in audiobook form. After thoughtful consideration—and encouragement from readers who no longer buy print books—I’ve decided to adapt Coda for audio. Some of this interest came from fans of Reunion: A Story, who asked for more…
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Book Review: ‘The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany’
The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany 1944–45 By: Stephen E. Ambrose Publisher: Simon & Schuster Year Published: 2001 Genre(s): Aviation, Military History, Aerial Warfare, World War II (1939-1945) The Unsung Wings of Victory: A Reflection on Stephen E. Ambrose’s The Wild Blue When we conjure images of America’s…
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Book Review: ‘Clear and Present Danger’
Clear and Present Danger By: Tom Clancy Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Year of Publication: 1989 Clear and Present Danger: When the War Comes Home Tom Clancy’s Clear and Present Danger marks a turning point in the Jack Ryan saga—and in Clancy’s own narrative ambitions. Gone are the Cold War chess matches and high-tech brinkmanship of…
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Devil’s in the “D”: A Tiny Typo and the Art of Fixing It
The Devil’s in the “D”: A Tiny Typo and the Art of Fixing It The Devil’s in the “D”: A Tiny Typo and the Art of Fixing It As I mentioned in Thursday’s post, I recently stumbled upon—and, thankfully, corrected—a stubborn little typo in my short story Comings and Goings – The Art of Being…
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Book Review: ‘The Missiles of October: The Declassified Story of John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis’
The Missiles of October: The Declassified Story of John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis By: Robert Smith Thompson Publisher: Simon & Schuster Year of Publication: 1992 🧨 Revisionism Run Amok: A Look at Robert Smith Thompson’s The Missiles of October History, especially the kind still warm to the touch, is a fragile thing.…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Gremlins in ‘Comings and Goings’
📝 Gremlins in Comings and Goings Midday, Thursday, September 18, 2025 — Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. I rolled out of bed earlier than usual today, haunted by a tiny, mortifying typo I spotted in Comings and Goings just before midnight—a single missing “d” that turned “door” into the vastly less useful “oor.” Call it a…
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Book Review: ‘World War II: America at War 1941-1945’
World War II: America at War 1941–1945 — A Richly Layered Reference to a Defining Global Conflict The Second World War was not merely a chapter in history—it was the seismic event that reshaped the 20th century. Every major power was drawn into its vortex: some aligned with the Axis, most with the Allies, and…
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Taste of Memory
🍺 The Taste of Memory: How Beer Became a Quiet Motif of Emotional Growth in the Garratyverse In Reunion: Coda, beer isn’t just a beverage—it’s a threshold. When Mark Prieto hands Jim Garraty his first Heineken, it’s not about rebellion. It’s about presence. About offering comfort without commentary. About saying, I see you, in the…
A Certain Point of View, Too 