Summer reads

Since publishing my first novel Boston Boys Club in 2007, my books have been associated with summer. They're light, fun and breezy reads, perfect for the beach or pool (and they make for good towel weights too.)

As I set my sights on finishing my next novel (working title is Six Neckties because it's my sixth book and the theme revolves around New England and Miami weddings), I hope you or one of your friends may consider one of my five novels for your summer travels.


The books are available on Amazon, at some Barnes and Noble stores, Books and Books in Coral Gables and Calamus Books in downtown Boston.  Happy summer and happy reading!

Below is a sweet review of the Spanish version of Take the Lead or Tomar La Iniciativa.  Gracias Gaby Franz por leer mi libro. :)

Debo reconocer que cuando leí el resumen de esta novela no me llamó mucho la atención. Pero como Johnny Diaz era un autor que nunca había leído le di una oportunidad. Y sólo puedo decirles que amé esta novela.

Ha llegado a mis manos en un momento en mi vida en el que me hizo revivir muchas cosas pasadas con mi padre. Desafortunadamente falleció hace casi dos meses y sentí en carne propia muchas de las vivencias de Gabriel, el protagonista de esta fantástica historia.

Un relato muy humano, muy real, creíble hasta la médula.

Ha pasado a ser una de mis historias favoritas.

Me enamoré de la forma de escribir de Johnny, de su forma de sentir, de su forma de expresar tanto sentimiento contenido.

Quiero darle las gracias al autor. Sé que sólo es una única palabra para tantas que me ha dado, para tantos recuerdos que me ha hecho revivir y volver a sentir y reír y llorar al mismo tiempo.

Esta tal vez es una reseña algo extraña, pero sólo me sale escribir qué sentía mientras leía y cómo me sentí al llegar al final: paz, esperanza, dolor liberado, entendimiento.

Oh Ogunquit

Folks have been asking me, "Johnny, what are you working on?" So I thought I'd post a little teaser about where the book will be set. 

Unlike my previous novels that were set in Boston, Providence and Miami, I'm shifting the story just a little north to Ogunquit.

Ogunquit? Maine? Oui, Ogunquit! When I lived in Boston for 10 years, I enjoyed embarking on day trips and the small artsy town of Ogunquit was one of my favorite destinations. Whether it was walking along the cliff walk where the Atlantic beach breezes greeted visitors or passing by the shoulder-to-shoulder small Victorian inns flanked by crushes of pansies, mums and other flowers, this small town was a New England post card come to life.

That's me on the right with my wingman in Ogunquit 

Even munching on a haddock fish sandwich was relaxing in Perkins Cove, the small harbor of lobster shacks, cedar-shingled shops and art stores. I enjoyed leaning against the dock's wood railing to watch the small collection of bobbing sailboats, fishing vessels and row boats. I always imagined, what would it be like to live here so I am setting a fictional story there. 

This book, to be called Six Neckties, centers around Tommy (yes, that Tommy Perez from Boston Boys Club and Beantown Cubans) who is always the best man but never the groom. He lives in Ogunquit where he's a New England-based correspondent for a national magazine. (Hey, it can happen.)  His assignments dispatch him to cover celebrity weddings and writing profiles of ordinary folks doing amazing things. On his down time, he winds up being the best man or giving the toast at his friends' weddings who all seem to be getting hitched since same sex marriage is legal in most states (including Florida!)  The book follows Tommy's search for his own groom.

I was up in Ogunquit recently snapping photos and doing research. I wanted to see how the town compared from my earlier trips in the summer. Two words: BRRRR and BRRRR!  It was a bone-rattling 30 degrees so the town was empty and everything was closed like something out of The Walking Dead but thankfully, no zombies.  As I wandered about, I felt like I had the whole place to myself which was cool and eerie at the same time. For my Dunkin' Donuts fix, I had to head over to the neighboring town of Wells.

Anyway, here are some photos from that trip.