The precise difference between story and plot changes depending on your source. A friend of mine once said that story contains all the meaning—theme, character, the DNA of a work’s soul. Plot, he claimed, is just the roadmap. I didn’t argue. I like maps. I'm a plothead. The idea that one bad decision could destroy… Continue reading Story vs Plot
Sherlock Jr (1924) Sherlock Jr. (1924) is a dazzling showcase of Buster Keaton’s inventive brilliance, blending slapstick, surrealism, and cinematic sleight-of-hand into a compact, breathless marvel. As a projectionist who dreams himself into a detective film, Keaton uses groundbreaking visual tricks—seamless edits, dream logic transitions, and meta-movie magic—to explore the boundary between film and reality.… Continue reading My Favorite Films of the 1920s
Since I started my blog, I've posted about the cover after every publication. This is the latest version. At the very end, I'll tell you what might be coming next. If you've read my cover posts of the past, feel free to skip to the end. My first novel was Goodnight Irene (2018). It was… Continue reading Covers and Plans
After months of riddles, red herrings, and locked doors with no keys, I’m thrilled to announce that It’s About Impossible Crime is finally out in the world. If you’ve been following the blog, you already know I’ve teased bits of these stories for some time and an early version of one was free to read… Continue reading It’s About Impossible Crime
I'm satisfied with the cover. I could fret over it longer, but it does what I wanted and it pleases my eye. Of course, if Matt had been able to continue on the project, it would have turned out better. This was an early bit of work he did. But then, he is an artist.… Continue reading The final step
James Scott Byrnside 