The presentation by James D. Best discusses the art of storytelling, highlighting its historical significance and its role in entertainment, moral education, and cultural transmission. Best shares insights from his own writing journey, outlining key elements of great storytelling, including character development, tension, and the importance of both protagonists and antagonists. He concludes with a preview of his upcoming work, 'Murder at Thumb Butte,' which blends elements of a traditional Western with a mystery plot.

1. A Presentation on Storytelling James D. Best Author of Tempest at Dawn, The Shopkeeper, Leadville, The Shut Mouth Society, & The Digital Organization Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story

2. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Working on Murder at Thumb Butte

3. A Little Background Started writing fiction in 1998 Previously wrote non-fiction The Digital Organization Magazine columns Journal articles First book written Tempest at Dawn Last book published Tempest at Dawn Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story

4. Tempest at Dawn Twelve year project Novelization of 1787 Constitutional Convention Inside Chamber—True to Madison’s notes Outside Chamber — Conjecture based on solid circumstantial evidence Accurate character presentation Alternating Points of View Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story

5. The Westerns The Shopkeeper Leadville Different Kind of Western First person Strong historic theme Mining instead of cowboys Unusual hero & bad guys Appeals to women Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story

6. The Shut Mouth Society Started as a sequel to Tempest at Dawn Changed direction for Lincoln bicentennial Chase/Suspense plot Contemporary story with a strong historical theme Used what I knew Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story

7. Storytelling Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story

8. What is storytelling Possibly the real oldest profession Storytelling takes the reader/listener to another time, another place Storytelling can … Entertain, Provide moral lessons, Transmit culture/heritage to the next generation, Encourage social change Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story

9. In the first fifth of the story, put the protagonist up a tree In the middle of the story, throw rocks at the protagonist In the final fifth of the story, get the protagonist out of the tree Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story How do you tell a story?

10. Great literature is also great storytelling Books read down the generations must be well written and good stories Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story

11. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Raymond Chandler “ It might reasonably be said that all art at some time and in some manner becomes mass entertainment, and that if it does not it dies and is forgotten. ”

12. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Tension Tension between characters Plot tension Tension reflected in dialogue Or even tension in time or place

13. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Protagonist Cerebral—Sherlock Homes, Nancy Drew Action—Dirk Pitt, The Bride Thinking Champion—Philip Marlowe, Joan of Arc

14. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story The Protagonist Roy Rogers Flawed Hero The Anti-Hero The Wholesome Hero John Wayne Chigurh

15. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Traditional Hero—As Defined by Raymond Chandler “… down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. He is the hero; he is everything. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor—by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world. “The story is this man’s adventure in search of a hidden truth, and it would be no adventure if it did not happen to a man fit for adventure. If there were enough like him, the world would be a very safe place to live in, without becoming too dull to be worth living in.”

16. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Antagonist The antagonist makes the story interesting Must be formidable Misdirection common No norm, so wide open F. Murray Abraham Salieri

17. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story The Antagonist can be: A place A child Time A longing An animal A comic

18. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story The Antagonist is often: A villain

19. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story My favorite theatrical villain Alan Rickman Professor Snape Sheriff of Nottingham Hans Gruber Elliot Marston

20. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Villainy and Redemption Darth Vader Anakin Skywalker Moll Flanders

21. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Mrs. Iselin, a.k.a The Queen of Diamonds Villainy with Demagoguery

22. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Villainy disguised with a phony niceness Eddie Haskell

23. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Relentless Villainy Wile E. Coyote

24. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Depraved Villains Hannibal Lecter Cujo Voldemort Amon Goeth

25. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story The Ghost of Christmas Past Dorian Gray Inner Villainy

26. Great storytelling A story you care about—The Plot With people you care about—Characterization Transport audience—Description Eavesdrop on interesting conversations—Dialogue Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story Gets our hero out of the tree

27. Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story What next? Murder at Thumb Butte Prescott, Arizona, 1880 A who-done-it disguised as a traditional Western Steve, Jeff, and Joseph will be back

28. Always do right—this will gratify some and astonish the rest. Mark Twain (1835–1910) Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story

29. Thank You Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story