Tag: life
-
Understanding ‘Reunion: Coda’: Why the High School Chapters Matter
—
by
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,…
-
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…
-
🚚 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,…
-
On Writing and Storytelling: The Bonds of Friendship in ‘Reunion: Coda’
🧭 Monsters, Memory, and the Men Who Stay Reflecting on the Friendship Between Jim Garraty and Mark Prieto in Reunion: Coda Some friendships aren’t just part of the story—they’re the spine that holds it together. In Reunion: Coda, Jim Garraty and Mark Prieto’s bond spans adolescence and adulthood, joy and heartbreak. It’s not loud. It’s…
-
From Miami to Cape Coral: A Leap Toward Independence
Life has always been a series of chapters for me—some filled with beauty and connection, others with challenge and growth. My time in Miami was one of those transitional chapters: meaningful, necessary, but always intended to be temporary. It was a place to catch my breath, reflect, and prepare for what was next. Now, I’m…
-
The Last Smile
Afternoon, Friday, July 18, 2025, Miami, Florida “Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speakknits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.”― William Shakespeare, Macbeth Today isn’t a good day—not because it’s a “sad anniversary” sort of day, though it is that too—but because daily life feels unusually heavy. I’m overwhelmed by…
-
A Brief Musing for Mid-July 2025
Afternoon, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, Miami, Florida Mid- to late July is never my favorite time of year. There are plenty of reasons. Unless I’ve managed to escape Florida—most recently for a ten-month stint in New Hampshire—the weather is either relentlessly hot, perpetually rainy, or, more often than not, both. The result is that I…
-
3,000 Miles from Home: A Column from Spain
Originally published in Catalyst – February 2, 1989Written in Seville, Spain – November 1988By Alex Diaz-Granados, Columnist SEVILLE, Spain (CCIS Program)One of the most important aspects of an extended trip overseas, especially for young collegians studying abroad (like us here in Spain), is mail from home—and no ritual is more important than the daily search…
-
Poet’s Corner: Boston, 1984 (#2)
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, 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), Poetry, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Romantic Poetry, Writing as a CraftThe Story Boston, 1984. A party Jim Garraty never wanted to attend. A girl who didn’t look away. A night stitched together by mixtapes, quiet courage, and the ache of choosing to stay. Jim isn’t chasing romance—he’s just trying to outrun the noise. But when Kelly Moore enters the room with her drink, her Rachmaninoff…
-
Thunder, Memory, and the Gentle Ache of Longing
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Books, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Going Full Circle: Back to South Florida I Go, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Summer in FloridaThursday Afternoon, July 3, 2025, Miami, Florida “When thunderstorms roll in, you make a choice to either succumb with tears to the gloomy downpour, or smile and look for rainbows.” — Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes: Quotes, Thoughts, & a Little Poetry for Every Day of the Year It’s a dark and stormy… day. I’m…
A Certain Point of View, Too 