Category: Writing as a Craft
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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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A Note on Graphics, Nostalgia, and the Long, Slow Ache
Confession time: I’m a writer, not a graphics artist. So when I open up Paint and tinker with quotes and covers, I do it with the full knowledge that I’m not Norman Rockwell. I’m not N.C. Wyeth, either—though if you squint, maybe the spirit of their storytelling crept in around the edges. The graphic I…
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The (Almost) Unexpected Novel: Reunion: Coda and Writing Out of My Comfort Zone
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Ever since 1978, I’ve dreamed of writing a novel. Not The Great American Novel, mind you. I’m smart—and trained—enough to recognize that when I put in the effort, I’m good at what I do. Otherwise, I’d keep my scribblings—or tap-tap-tap-tappings—to myself, far from public view. Yet I’m also realistic: I’ve got a ways to go…
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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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Smorgasbord Book Promotions Offers a Sneak Peek of ‘Reunion: Coda’ in Today’s Excerpt Showcase
📚 Book Spotlight Alert! I’m honored to share that Reunion: Coda, the second book in my Reunion Duology, is being featured today on the Smorgasbord Blog Magazine as part of their Book Promotions series. The post includes an excerpt from the novel that offers a glimpse into Jim Garraty’s journey of love, loss, and second…
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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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Reunion: A Story of Words, Work, and What Comes Next
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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), Life in Florida, Life in Miami….Again, Life in South Florida, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Summer 2025, Summer in Florida, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftWriter’s Log, Stardate 2506.3Miami, Florida – Tuesday, June 3, 2025, Afternoon It’s been two months since I officially became a published novelist—words that still feel surreal even as I type them. Reunion: Coda, the long-awaited second book in the Reunion Duology, is out in the world, and while I’ve managed to sell a few copies…
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A Writer’s Dual Life – One Foot on the Creative Side, the Other on the Business Side
Midday, Friday, May 30, 2025, Miami, Florida With meteorological summer looming just around the corner – June 1, to be exact, when the Atlantic hurricane season officially kicks off – the heat has taken no prisoners. It’s 92°F (33°C) outside, the kind of heat that hangs heavy in the air, pressing against your skin. The…
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Reunion and Beyond: A Writer’s Challenges
Late Morning, Thursday, May 29, 2025, Miami, Florida “The scariest moment is always just before you start.” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft As a storyteller, I’ve faced all kinds of challenges—some big, some small. A lot of it comes down to the nuts and bolts of writing, like finding the…
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Quality Matters in Independent Publishing: Fixing ‘Reunion: Coda’…and Other Matters
Afternoon, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, Miami, Florida Hi, there. It’s another scorching late spring day in South Florida on this last “Hump Day” of May 2025. Outside, it’s 89°F (32°C) under mostly sunny skies. With humidity at 63% and a gentle 9 MPH (15 Km/H) breeze from the southeast, it feels like 98°F (37°C). We’ve…
A Certain Point of View, Too 