Category: Creative Writing
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A Quick Life Update from a Very Hot Spot in the Sunshine State
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Summer 2026, Summer in Florida, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, The Summer of Two MoviesTuesday, June 30, 2026 – Orlando, Florida “I believe someone made a grievous mistake when summer was created; no novitiate or god in their right mind would make a season akin to hell on purpose. Someone should be fired.” ― Michelle Franklin It’s another sweltering and – eventually – stormy summer day in Central Florida. The…
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The Summer Progress Journal: Where June Ends and the Work Begins
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Elizabeth Joan Owen, Elizabeth Joan Owen (Ms. Owen), Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami Senior High School, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Summer 2026, Summer in Florida, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, The Summer of Two MoviesMonday, June 29, 2026 – Orlando, Florida “I had turned away from the picture and was going back to the world where events move, men change, light flickers, life flows in a clear stream, no matter whether over mud or over stones.” — Joseph Conrad, Lord Jim June is about to hand the stage over…
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Summer Heat, a Mentor’s Passing, and a Memento Mori
Saturday, June 27, 2026 – Orlando, Florida It is brutally hot outside. According to my Microsoft Weather app, the temperature here in my corner of Orange County is already 91°F (33°C) under partly sunny skies. The humidity is 56%, the wind is barely stirring out of the east-southeast at 4 MPH (7 Km/H), and the…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Why ‘An Innocent Man’ Had to Score “This Night” in ‘Comings and Goings’
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Music, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, An Innocent Man (1983), An Innocent Man (song), Billy Joel, Classical music, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Ludwig van Beethoven, Music, Music & Concert Specials, Pop Music, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaOn Writing and Storytelling: Why An Innocent Man Had to Score “This Night” Some choices in storytelling are deliberate. Others are instinctive—felt before they’re understood. When I wrote Comings and Goings, I knew Jim and Kelly needed music playing in the background of their brief, luminous night together. I also knew it had to be…
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When a Friend Publishes a Book: Why Honest Reviews Matter
When a Friend Publishes a Book: Why Honest Reviews Matter One of the trickiest situations a writer or reviewer can find themselves in is this: a friend publishes a book, and you’re asked — directly or indirectly — to review it. On the surface, it sounds simple. You read the book, you write your thoughts,…
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Book Review: ‘Perfect’ (2026)
Perfect By: P.J. GudkaPublisher: Wild Ink PublishingYear of Publication: 2026Genre(s): Murder Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Psychological Thriller From the Publisher A mother protecting her son.A boy spiraling into darkness.A girl who never stood a chance. Sally thinks she’s succeeded in breaking generational curses until she finds out her eldest son, James, is the prime suspect in…
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Hot Weather, (Potentially) Higher Royalties
Saturday, June 20, 2026, Orlando, Florida As the temperature climbs—currently 92°F (33°C) on this sweltering, storm-threatening Saturday—so may the royalties from my Jim Garraty stories. Behold!
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A Fateful Morning in June of 1983: An Excerpt from ‘Reunion: Coda’
The morning of June 17, 1983, rose slowly over South Miami, pressing its familiar heat against the city long before the sun cleared the horizon. It was the kind of summer day that promised sweat, glare, and the restless energy of endings. Across the city, seniors from the Class of ’83 were waking up to…
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You Are Already Moving
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Blogging, Books, College Life, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Life in Bogota, Life in Central Florida, 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, Love, Sex, & Relationships, Miami-Dade Community College, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Sevilla (Seville), Spain, South Miami Senior High SchoolTuesday, June 16, 2026 — Orlando, Florida I don’t usually build blog posts around WordPress’ Daily Writing Prompt, but today the universe nudged me. Sometimes it leaves a note on the kitchen counter, and this one had my handwriting on it. Today’s Prompt:What is something you wish you could tell your 20‑year‑old self? Mid‑June in…
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The Art of the (Re)Deal, Deluxe Edition
The Art of the (Re)Deal, Deluxe Edition A sardonic poem with upgraded irony They marched from the chamber with triumphant appeal,Declaring they’d mastered the Art of the Deal.Peace papers signed, cameras flashing like stars,A victory composed of footnotes and memoirs. The war would be ending — a headline to savor —Though the fine print suggested…
A Certain Point of View, Too 