Tag: life
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Taste of Memory
🍺 The Taste of Memory: How Beer Became a Quiet Motif of Emotional Growth in the Garratyverse In Reunion: Coda, beer isn’t just a beverage—it’s a threshold. When Mark Prieto hands Jim Garraty his first Heineken, it’s not about rebellion. It’s about presence. About offering comfort without commentary. About saying, I see you, in the…
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Midweek Update: M-Day Plus Three in Orlando
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in 4K UHD Blu-rays, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Blogging, Blu-ray Box Sets, Blu-ray Collection, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Movies, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaMidmorning, Wednesday, September 3, 2025, Orlando, Florida Hey there. It’s my third day living in Bithlo, a suburb not far from Orlando. Florida’s autumn weather is as usual—warm and humid. This Wednesday morning, it’s about 77°F (25°C) with partly sunny skies. Humidity’s at 90%, and there’s a light breeze coming from the south-southwest at around…
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A New Chapter Begins: From Miami to Orlando
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, GoFundMe, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in Miami….Again, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Life in South Florida, Life in the Tampa Bay area, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaMidday, Tuesday, September 2, 2025 – East Orlando, Florida Hello, friends. As you may have noticed from the heading, I’m no longer in South Florida. After decades rooted in Miami, I’ve relocated about 200 miles north to the Orlando area. The move wasn’t smooth—our first attempt on Saturday was derailed by trailer issues that left…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Six Sales, One Soul: A Quiet Celebration of Connection
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Book Reviews, Books, Comings and Goings (Short Story), 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: CodaSix Sales, One Soul: A Quiet Celebration of Connection August has been quietly kind to me. Six sales. Not six hundred, not sixty thousand—just six. But each one feels like a small act of trust, a reader somewhere choosing to spend time inside the emotional architecture I’ve built. Reunion: A Story and Comings and Goings…
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Writing Doesn’t Pay the Movers: An Update from Alex Diaz-Granados
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, GoFundMe, Insomnia, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, TransitionsFriday Afternoon, August 22, 2025 — Miami, Florida Hi, friends. I wish I could sit down today and write about stories—especially those in the Garratyverse—and the quiet ways they unfold. But clarity eludes me at the moment. It’s Laundry Day, and while I’ve got about half an hour before the dryer cycle ends, my mind…
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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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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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Three Poems (Inspired by ‘Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen’)
Three Poems Inspired by “Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen” These three poems draw their inspiration from my short story, Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen (2025, ADG Books via Kindle Direct Publishing). They are composed from the distinct perspectives of both central characters, Jim and Kelly, each offering…
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🚚 Help Alex Find Home: A Journey from Miami to Stability
Life’s Uncertainties Strike Again Life doesn’t always follow a straight path. Sometimes, it throws us curveballs that demand courage, resilience—and a little help from those who care. Right now, I’m facing one of those moments. I’ve launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for an urgent move from Miami to somewhere I can rebuild—Orlando, perhaps,…
A Certain Point of View, Too 