Finding the Logline

A logline is a brief synopsis of a story's plot, identifying the central conflict, the main characters, and offering an emotional hook that makes the story enticing to readers.

Some people write these summaries with such elegance and brightness that they make these mini descriptions a siren's call.

Bywater Books publisher, Salem West is a master at the logline. Here's an example: The logline for Book 3 in the Charlie Mack Motown Mysteries.

Someone is murdering the homeless in Detroit's Cass Corridor--by immolation. Charlie Mack faces the most difficult case of her career when she goes undercover as a street person--mixing with the gangs, do-gooders, and the down-and-out to uncover evidence the police can't continue to ignore.

Sounds pretty juicy doesn't it?

Published by Bywater Books

Well, here's what Salem wrote for my short story, "Finding Jimmy Baldwin", in Crime Ink: Iconic-An anthology of Crime fiction Inspired by Queer Icons. Available September 2.

A poignant tale of friendship, longing, and loss set against the vibrant, volatile rhythms of 1950s Harlem. When celebrated writer Jimmy Baldwin vanishes, Roy Willoughby—his oldest friend, once his fiercest protector—embarks on a search that becomes as much about memory as it is about truth. In cafés and crowded tenements, through smoky jazz and shattered silences, Roy confronts the ache of unspoken love, the scars of war, and the weight of a country that cages Black brilliance. This is a story of two boys grown into men—adrift, bound, and forever reaching for home.

Let me know if you enjoy "Finding Jimmy Baldwin". It's a bit noirish. And, there are 25 other delicious stories in this unique anthology. You can buy it here, or from your favorite Indie Bookstore.