Tag: Writing
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Writing as a Craft: Getting Back into My Routine…in a New Environment
Late Morning, Tuesday, October 29, 2024, Miami, Florida Hi, everyone. It’s a warm, humid, and somewhat cloudy day in the subtropical zone. As I write these words, the temperature is 81°F (27°C) under mostly cloudy conditions. With the wind blowing from the east-northeast at 12 MPH (19 Km/H) and humidity at 64%, the heat index…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: My Third Most Favorite ‘Best Friends Forever’ Scene
“There,” I said. “The one with the long chestnut hair and the blue denim outfit. She’s heading for the lunch line.” Mark squinted and nodded. “Yeah, I see her. She’s pretty. Who is she?” I shrugged. “I don’t remember her name. But she sang ‘We’ll Meet Again’ this morning. She was amazing.” Mark raised his…
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A Novelist’s Soundtrack (Music to Write Stories By)
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you may remember that, for me, music is a vital element of the creative process when I write fiction. The format (screenplay, novella, or novel) doesn’t matter; the emotions and mental images evoked by the songs and other compositions…those matter. As someone who “sees” stories as mini-movies…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: Setting the Stage for the ‘First Time’
In this excerpt from “Reunion: Coda,” the author describes the setting where Jim and Maddie take their relationship to “the next level.”
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Weekend Update, Part the First…and the State of the Novel
On October 6, 2024, the author reflects on their writing journey for “Reunion: Coda” amid stress from an upcoming move to Miami and online banking issues. Despite having completed 19 chapters, the dream of a holiday release seems dim. The weekend was spent relaxing and engaging in leisure activities while contemplating the future.
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Musings for an Autumn Saturday: A Late Start…and a Writer’s Concerns
The author reflects on a chilly Saturday in Madison, New Hampshire, while writing their 1,705th blog post. They express frustration over unproductive novel writing and impending relocation to Miami. Financial stress from moving complicates their creative process, alongside concerns over book sales and perceived validation as a writer. Despite these challenges, they aim to complete…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: Meet the Parents!
In the moments leading to Marty introducing Jim to her parents, the atmosphere is filled with curiosity and tension. As they stroll through a picturesque campus, Jim feels anxious about the unexpected introduction. The meeting, filled with pleasantries, reveals Jim’s aspirations to study history at Harvard. Afterward, the farewell between Marty and Jim is poignant,…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: Jim’s Backstory (The Teen Years Before ‘Reunion: A Story’)
Jot down the backstory of your hero – what made him the way he is? What about him can and should change? What can’t? Since Jim Garraty’s character develops between the Present Day sections of Reunion: A Story (February 1998) and Reunion: Coda (February 2000), we will focus on “teenage Jim” as introduced in the…
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Donating My Book to Conway Public Library
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Donating “Reunion: A Story” to the Conway Public Library, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Shop with PointsOn a beautiful early autumn day in Madison, New Hampshire, the writer reflects on their nearly ten-month stay as they prepare to leave around October 18. They express a sense of time’s fleeting nature and share their motivations for donating a copy of their self-published book, Reunion: A Story, to the local library.
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Donating ‘Reunion: A Story’ to Conway Library: My Journey
On a dreary September morning in Madison, New Hampshire, the author reflects on the rainy weather while planning a donation of their novella, “Reunion: A Story,” to the Conway Public Library. After challenges in executing a personal delivery, the author arranged for the book to be mailed directly to the library. While grappling with creative…