Category: Writing a First Novel
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Cloudy Sunday, Light Workload, Hope for Tomorrow
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Computer and Video Games, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), MicroProse Software, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in Florida, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftSunday, February 22, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. It is a grey, brooding late‑winter day in Central Florida. It’s almost noon, and as I write this, the temperature is 74°F (24°C) under cloudy skies. We’ve already had scattered light showers, and more are expected to pop up throughout the afternoon on this last Sunday…
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On Writing and Storytelling: All Too Quiet on the ACX Front
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, 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, Royalties, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftFriday, February 20, 2026, Orlando, Florida Another Friday in Central Florida, another workweek wrapped up. This one has been frustrating on several fronts. My producer for the Reunion: Coda audiobook, Stefan Lee, finished recording on Tuesday, February 10. I submitted the project to ACX the following morning, which kicked off their four‑step quality assurance process—a…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Meanwhile, in the Land of ACX…
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftThursday, February 12, 2026 — Orlando, Florida “Patience, he thought. So much of this was patience—waiting, and thinking, and doing things right. So much of all this, so much of all living was patience and thinking.”—Gary Paulsen, Hatchet Hi, everyone! It’s been nearly 24 hours since I sent off the audio files for Reunion: Coda…
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On Writing and Storytelling: On Having a Reader Like Thomas Wikman
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Books, Creative Writing, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle: Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger, Thomas Wikman, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftOn Having a Reader Like Thomas Wikman Thomas Wikman’s Review of “Reunion: Coda” (2025) This is a love story complicated by life. Jim Garraty is a successful History Professor who has tragically lost love and found love again. The story follows two timelines. One is focused on Jim’s high school days and his secret love…
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When Fiction Shops Local (Even If the Store Doesn’t Stock the Book)
When Fiction Shops Local (Even If the Store Doesn’t Stock the Book) There’s a moment at the start of the Jim–Maddie arc where Maddie walks into the Moonglow Club carrying a Book Culture bag stuffed with Jim’s books. Jim, of course, has no idea. He only sees a refined stranger with caramel hair, a sky‑blue…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Excavating a Lost Branch of the Garratyverse
Excavating a Lost Branch of the Garratyverse A reflection on the story that almost was Every long-running fictional universe has its ghost trails—the paths nearly taken, the drafts that flickered briefly before vanishing, the characters who stepped forward only to retreat into the wings. Within the Garratyverse, one such spectral branch is The Best Years…
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On Hope, Hustle, and the Jim Garraty Chronicles
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon UK, Audible, Book Reviews, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, 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, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Stephen King (Author), The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftShifting the Blog’s Focus Hey, there! If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been steering the blog more toward a “writer’s life” vibe instead of the old grab‑bag of “Here’s what’s on Alex’s mind today besides, you know, writing.”Yep — that’s intentional. I do miss mixing things up with personal updates, reviews of books, movies, and music,…
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“So You Think You Want to Write a Novel?”
“If writing were easy, everyone would do it.” – as a wise soul (or three) allegedly said At my core, I am a storyteller—a weaver of tales, a conjurer of characters, a writer with ink in my veins and metaphors rattling around in my head. The precise age when I let go of my other,…
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Confessions of a $7.64 Author
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftSaturday, January 3, 2026 — Orlando, Florida This morning, true to my routine (and perhaps with a sprinkle of wishful thinking), I logged into my Kindle Direct Publishing account. I crossed my fingers for a modest bump in sales—though, let’s be honest, I wasn’t exactly holding my breath. Living in a country where writers and…
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Small Sparks, Quiet Joys: A Writer’s New Year Grace Notes
Small Sparks, Quiet Joys: A Writer’s New Year Grace Notes The first days of a new year always feel a little strange — like standing in a doorway with one foot in the past and one in the future, trying to decide whether to look back, look ahead, or just enjoy the view. This year,…
A Certain Point of View, Too 