Billy Mernit

A good guide for all types of fictional romantic comedy, not just the screenplay. So much of the genre right now focuses on the titillating or the slapstick/immature that it's hard to critically examine how a successful rom-com works. Mernit uses examples starting back with silent classics through to the early 00s that helps writers understand what makes an audience love the story. I highly recommend this for any writer who is interested in character development and interaction, especially if it involves romance.… (mer)

Billy Mernit's first novel "Imagine Me and You" begins with a strong premise. A writer dealing with his partner's absence is blocked with a deadline looming. We as readers buy the idea. As befits a screenwriter by trade, Mernit ably pushes us along the twists and turns of his novel with chapter titles that work as film chapters on a DVD. The story is enjoyable. The locations throughout Los Angeles are inviting. The characters, though, tend to hold me back from believing the world created by Billy's words. Somehow the setup is too apparent. Perhaps a bit too much Deus ex Machina and not enough mystery? A cool blast of Raymond Chandler's fog blowing in from the bay might add a bit more noir to Mernit's sunny creation. I look forward to Billy Mernit's next book.… (mer)