Earlier this morning, I noticed a modest uptick in my Kindle Direct Publishing royalties—someone picked up a paperback copy of Save Me the Aisle Seat, my first self-published book. It’s a collection of movie reviews originally written for the now-closed site Epinions, and while it’s not my favorite of the four titles I’ve released, it holds a special place in my heart.

I rushed to publish Save Me the Aisle Seat in 2012 so my mom could see it while she was still with us. Looking back, I wish I’d edited the reviews more carefully—some give away too much plot, and the structure feels uneven compared to my fiction work. But the introduction, which I wrote specifically for the book, still feels true and heartfelt. And despite my reservations, readers seem to appreciate it: it holds a 4.7-star average on Amazon, with every review being positive.

I’ve considered retiring the book, but I probably won’t. It’s the only one my mom saw before she passed in 2015, and even as her dementia progressed, she kept her copy close. That memory alone makes it worth keeping in my catalog.

On the audiobook front, all three of my Jim Garraty stories—Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, and Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen—are currently in production through ACX, Amazon’s audiobook platform.

I’ve never been a big audiobook listener myself (I’ve had hearing loss since childhood), but I’ve come to appreciate the format’s reach. One longtime reader told me she now listens exclusively, and that nudged me to explore Audible as a way to share these stories with a wider audience.

Here’s the current status of the Garratyverse audiobooks:

• Reunion: A Story – Narrated by Brandon Padilla. Final production due December 1, 2025
• Reunion: Coda – Narrated by Stefan (Steve) Lee. Final production due February 4, 2026
• Comings and Goings – Narrated by Bryan Haddock. Final production due October 30, 2025

Assuming all goes smoothly, Comings and Goings will be available on Audible starting November 1, followed by the Reunion Duology.

I’m hopeful this new format will resonate with listeners who might have hesitated to try the print or Kindle editions. And for those who prefer reading, all three titles remain available in those formats, with Expanded Distribution available for libraries.

Thanks, as always, for your support. Whether you read, listen, or simply follow along, I’m grateful to share this journey with you.