Tag: Book Reviews
-

Spring into the Summer Reading Season with a Free Kindle Edition of ‘Reunion: Coda’ (May 30-June 3, 2026)
The summer reading season is here, and who doesn’t love starting it with a free book — whether in print or on Kindle? Beginning tomorrow through Wednesday, the Kindle edition of my novel Reunion: Coda will be free to download on Amazon for a limited time. If you enjoy thoughtful, character‑driven fiction about love, memory,…
-

On Writing and Storytelling: 10 Quotes About Writing (and Writers)
10 Quotes About Writing (and Writers) Selected Reviews of the Jim Garraty Stories The Reunion Duology is a quiet, resonant exploration of connection, regret, and the complicated beauty of second chances. Told across two deeply personal works—Reunion: A Story, a novella, and Reunion: Coda, a novel—the series invites readers into the life of Jim Garraty,…
-

Book Review: ‘Miss Harper Can Do It: A Novel’
Miss Harper Can Do It: A Novel By: Jane Berentson Publisher: Viking Year Published: 2009 Genre(s): Contemporary women’s fiction Miss Harper Can Do It — A Surprisingly Poignant Home‑Front Novel Every now and then, I like to wander outside my usual reading comfort zone. Most of the books on my shelves skew toward the traditionally…
-

On Writing and Storytelling: Stories, Sunshine, and the People Who Read Them
—
by
in 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, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Bogota, Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in Madison (NH), Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 and Onward), Life in South Florida, Life in the Tampa Bay area, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Spring 2026, Spring in Florida, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Writing and Editing, Writing as a CraftThursday, May 14, 2026, Orlando, Florida Hi, there. It’s another scorchingly hot late‑spring afternoon in Central Florida. As I write this, the temperature sits at 87°F (30°C) under mostly sunny skies. With humidity at 42% and a west‑northwest breeze of 11 MPH (17 km/h), the heat index nudges up to a sticky 92°F (33°C). The…
-

On Writing and Storytelling: The Comfort of Lasagna, the Weight of Goodbye
By the time I began writing Reunion: Coda in the spring of 2023, I was facing an uncomfortable truth: this was my third attempt to write a novel since 2015 and my fourth attempt overall. Each previous project had stalled out somewhere between ambition and exhaustion. I knew I couldn’t afford to abandon another one.…
-

When a Florida Spring Gives the Keys to Summer Prematurely
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Denise Longrie, Florida Weather, Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Scrivener 3 for Windows, Spring 2026, Spring in Florida, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Writing and Editing SoftwareFriday, May 1, 2026, Orlando, Florida “God, it was hot! Forget about frying an egg on the sidewalk; this kind of heat would fry an egg inside the chicken.” – Rachel Caine May didn’t stroll in this year — it kicked the door open and asked where the nearest sauna was. Today isn’t so much…
-

The Garratyverse: Official Guide to the Books by Alex Diaz‑Granados
—
by
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, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) LeeThe Garratyverse is a literary universe created by Alex Diaz‑Granados, centered on the life of Jim Garraty and the quiet, formative moments that shape who he becomes. Told through interconnected stories that blend memory, nostalgia, emotional intimacy, and the quiet heroism of everyday people, the Garratyverse explores how small encounters and long‑carried regrets echo across…
-

On Writing and Storytelling: Playing Catch-Up After Replacing a ‘Dead’ PC
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Spring 2026, Spring in Florida, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, The Summer of Two Movies, Writing as a CraftMonday, April 20, 2026, Orlando, Florida Hello there, dear readers! It’s a moody, blustery Monday here in Central Florida, the kind of day when clouds gather like gossiping neighbors and the wind seems intent on rearranging every stray leaf. As I write this, early afternoon is upon us. The thermometer reads a friendly 75°F (24°C),…
-

On Writing and Storytelling: Heat, Humidity, and the Great .kpf Rebuild
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Computers, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Lenovo – IdeaPad S340 15″ Touch-Screen Laptop, Lenovo IdeaCentre (PC), Life in Florida, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Spring 2026, Spring in Florida, The Jim Garraty ChroniclesSaturday, April 18, 2026, Orlando, Florida Hi there. It’s a warm, bright spring day here in Central Florida. The temperature is sitting at 85°F (29°C) under sunny skies, with 55% humidity and a light southwest breeze at 2 MPH (4 km/h). Thanks to the humidity, the heat index is already up to 95°F (34°C). The…
-

A Case of Literary Serendipity: Two Writers, Two Novels – One Year Apart
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, All the Words I Kept Inside, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Book Reviews, Books, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Perfect, Personal Thoughts, Poetry, Pooja (P.J.) Gudka, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Spring 2026, Spring in Florida, Writing a First NovelSunday, April 5, 2026, Orlando, Florida Hello, everyone—and Happy Easter to all who celebrate! I hope your day is filled with chocolate eggs, laughter, and good company. It’s another hot, sticky spring morning here in Central Florida. The sun is playing peekaboo behind the clouds, and the thermometer already reads 82 ° F (28 °…