Tag: Creative Writing
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On Writing and Storytelling: Kelly, Jim, and the Quiet Art of Being Chosen
🕯️ Author’s Note: The Quiet Bravery of Being Chosen There’s a moment in Comings and Goings—just after the party, just before the kiss—where Jim steps into Kelly’s apartment and into something quieter, more deliberate. It’s not just a change of setting. It’s a shift in emotional gravity. When she opened the door, I stepped into…
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About My GoFundMe: 63% and Counting—Thank You, and a Little More Honesty
63% and Counting—Thank You, and a Little More Honesty We’ve reached 63% of the first benchmark goal on my GoFundMe campaign, and I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who’s donated so far. Your generosity means more than I can express—especially during a time that’s equal parts exciting and daunting. I’ll admit,…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Writing First-Time Intimacy with Emotional Grace
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Love and Sex, Love, Sex, & Relationships, Personal History, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Sex, Writing as a Craft📝 Soft Light, Quiet Courage: Writing First-Time Intimacy with Emotional Grace There’s a moment in Comings and Goings—quiet, unadorned—where Jim confesses to Kelly that his first time didn’t last long. He’s not ashamed. Just honest. And Kelly, in turn, doesn’t flinch, correct, or console. She simply says: “Then it was perfect. You were kind. You…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Writing Intimacy as Emotional Truth
🛗 Between Floors and Feelings: Writing Intimacy as Emotional Truth In Reunion: Coda, there’s a moment suspended in time—an elevator ride, a kiss, and a song that shouldn’t belong. It’s not a grand gesture or a climactic reveal. It’s quiet. Intentional. Sacred. “The elevator is unusually empty as we step inside. The Musak version of…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Why a Prologue Was Necessary: Reopening the Door to Jim Garraty’s Emotional Past
Why a Prologue Was Necessary: Reopening the Door to Jim Garraty’s Emotional Past When I returned to the world of Reunion: A Story nearly 25 years after its original publication, I wasn’t simply revisiting old characters—I was confronting the emotional residue they left behind. Reunion: Coda demanded more than a sequel; it required a bridge.…
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Typos, Royalties, and the Indie Hustle
Midmonth Musings from the Garratyverse Late Afternoon, Saturday, August 16, 2025 – Miami, Florida Hi, everyone. Here’s a little update on my writing life and book sales for August—such as they are. I’m not exactly launching a new project at the moment, and honestly, my royalties this month will barely cover the spare change Stephen…
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Garratyverse Motif Map: Memory, Music, and Emotional Echo
Introduction to My Motif Map Understanding the Threads That Weave My Stories When I begin to dive into a story, I often find myself tracing patterns—recurring symbols, images, or themes—that act as connective tissue running through the narrative. I call this intricate web a “motif map.” For me, a motif map is more than just…
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Understanding ‘Reunion: Coda’: Why the High School Chapters Matter
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Book Reviews, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in South Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami Senior High SchoolWhy the High School Chapters Matter: A Reflection (and Rebuttal) I didn’t hate high school. I didn’t romanticize it either—not like those who peaked there and never quite came down. But South Miami Senior High gave me something I didn’t expect: a sense of community. I sang in the choral department, wrote for the newspaper,…
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Writing Intimacy with Reverence: A Scene from ‘Comings and Goings’
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Billy Joel, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Love, Sex, & Relationships, Music, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda🛋️ Writing Intimacy with Reverence: A Scene from Comings and Goings There’s a scene in Comings and Goings that still lingers with me—not because it’s dramatic, but because it’s quiet. It’s Jim Garraty, nineteen, sitting in Kelly’s apartment in Mission Hill, letting the world slow down long enough to feel something real. It’s a moment…
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A Breath Between Heartbeats, Now Protected
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Copyright, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, U.S. Copyright OfficeLate Morning, Friday, August 15, 2025 – Miami, Florida Well, folks, it’s official: Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen is now under copyright protection. As I may have mentioned earlier this summer, I registered my short story—a “breath between heartbeats” set between Reunion: A Story and Reunion: Coda—with the United States Copyright…
A Certain Point of View, Too 