I've finished a solid draft of the second story. Looking back at my post announcing the idea, I noticed that it took about one month to write. That makes me happy. It means I've done consistent work and my process of outlining has gone smoothly. I do have a few issues with it. One more… Continue reading November Update
I'm still working on the automaton story, temporarily titled Pistol Pete. It’s about an inventor who’s found dead inside a locked room—one that’s constantly watched. No one else is inside, so suspicion falls on the only possible culprit: his cowboy automaton. I've also been mulling over a second story about a multiple murderer. This killer… Continue reading July 24, 2025 Update
I recently read Boris Akunin’s Murder on the Leviathan. It’s as good an Agatha Christie pastiche as you’re likely to find: a closed-circle mystery with an international cast, full of elegant clues, class tensions, and the familiar contrast between social decorum and violence. Akunin writes in lucid, accessible prose that keeps the narrative crystal clear.… Continue reading 7-5-25
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
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
James Scott Byrnside 