Tag: Novels
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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.…
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The Garratyverse: Official Guide to the Books by Alex Diaz‑Granados
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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…
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Bridging Two Stories: An Excerpt from ‘Reunion: Coda’
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a Craft✨ Introductory Note for the Excerpt When I first wrote Reunion: A Story back in 1998, I believed it was complete—a self‑contained tale about a man haunted by a moment he never fully understood. I didn’t know then that I would return to Jim Garraty’s world decades later, or that the emotional fault lines of…
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Three Times Jim Garraty Walked Through a Door
Three Times Jim Garraty Walked Through a Door In the hush between daylightand whatever comes after,there’s a man who keeps finding himselfat the threshold of his own life. Once, he walked back into memory—a reunion no one warned him would achein the soft places he’d tried to outgrow.He learned that the past isn’t a ghost;it’s…
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Florida Heat, DST Fog, and the Best‑Laid Plans
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Blogging, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Spring in Florida, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty ChroniclesMonday, March 9, 2026, Orlando, Florida Hi, everyone. My internal clock is still wobbling after yesterday’s switch to Daylight Saving Time, so I’m running behind my usual blog‑writing rhythm. I’m groggy, sluggish, and more than a little irritated—not just because I forgot about the time change, but because today is one of those hot, sticky…
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On Writing and Storytelling: A Surreal Little Moment from the Audiobook Release
+ 🎧 A Surreal Little Moment from the Audiobook Release One of the strangest and most wonderful parts of releasing an audiobook is hearing a narrator bring your scenes to life. You think you know every beat of your own story… and then someone else performs it, and suddenly it feels new again. What really…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Meanwhile, in the Land of ACX…
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Books, 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: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftThursday, February 12, 2026 — Orlando, Florida “Patience, he thought. So much of this was patience—waiting, and thinking, and doing things right. So much of all this, so much of all living was patience and thinking.”—Gary Paulsen, Hatchet Hi, everyone! It’s been nearly 24 hours since I sent off the audio files for Reunion: Coda…
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Writing Progress: Chapter 20 of Reunion: Coda
Mid- to Late Morning, Friday, November 8, 2024, Miami, Florida Greetings, Constant Readers. It’s another warm, humid late fall day here in South Florida as I prepare for the last day of my regular workweek. The temperature is 82°F (28°C) under sunny skies, but with humidity at 73% and the wind blowing from the east…
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Struggling with Writer’s Block: A Personal Update
Midday, Friday, June 28, 2024, Madison, New Hampshire Hi, everyone. This is going to be a brief post. I had a tough time falling asleep last night, so when I woke up this morning, it was past 9. Naturally, if I write a long blog post now, my carefully planned schedule will be messed up…
