Interesting Interview: Naching Kassa

Zoom Sherlockian meetings have opened up the world to Sherlockians that many people wouldn't have otherwise met, including this week's Interesting Interview subject, Naching Kassa.  She is a familiar fact to many of us in the online realm and you know when she chimes in on a conversation or in the chat, there's always an insightful bit of wisdom coming your way.

Naching is a wife, mother, and writer from Eastern Washington State and is a member of the Horror Writers Association, Mystery Writers of America, The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, The Sound of the Baskervilles, The ACD Society, The Crew of the Barque Lone Star, The Beacon Society, The Sherlock Holmes Society of London, The John H. Watson Society, The Hounds of the Internet and the Legion of Zoom.  Now, I dare you to try and read that whole list out loud with a single breath.  The woman is busy!  But she wasn't too busy to share her thoughts on Sherlockiana with us this week, so without further ado, here is this week's interview with Naching Kassa!

How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?

A Sherlockian is someone who admires and studies Sherlock Holmes. Who lives and breathes him. Whether they enjoy the original canonical Holmes, William Gillette, Basil Rathbone, Peter Cushing, Jeremy Brett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller or even Henry Cavill, anyone who celebrates Sherlock Holmes is a Sherlockian to me.

How did you become a Sherlockian?

One late-summer evening, a few months before I turned ten, I walked into the living room and found a new British show on PBS. “What is this?” I asked my older sister, the only person in the room. “It’s a new mystery. Sherlock Holmes,” she answered. I sat down just as David Burke said, “To Sherlock Holmes, she is always the woman.”

And I was hooked.

I had to see every show after that and when my dad discovered this, he came up with a very clever plan. He’d been trying to interest me in the classics and this was his chance. He asked me to read the next story, “The Crooked Man,” before the episode aired so I could explain it to everyone. “The Crooked Man” was the first story I ever read. My dad told me I could write to Sherlock Holmes if I wanted, and so I addressed a letter to 221 B Baker Street and mailed it. The response came the next year, sent from the Abbey National Building Society. It was signed by the secretary to Sherlock Holmes, Sue Brown. That was the moment I became a Sherlockian. I studied everything—the Canon, books, movies, radio shows, magazines—after that.

What is your profession and does that affect how you enjoy being a Sherlockian?

Writing is my main profession. I write mystery and horror. I’m also the talent relations manager for Crystal Lake Publishing, an independent publisher, and I work as an independent contractor for the Horror Writers Association. Being a Sherlockian actually helps with my writing. I’ve written many pastiches for both Belanger Books and MX Books. Surprisingly, I’ve never grown sick of writing or reading Holmes. I think writing adds to the enjoyment.

What is your favorite canonical story?

My favorite canonical story is “The Abbey Grange.” I adore that story. (My canonical name in the Sound of the Baskervilles is Lady Mary Brackenstall.) There are so many facets to it. You have mystery, melodrama, romance, and a near failure on Holmes’ part. I have always loved the beeswing in the wine glasses. But what I love most is Holmes’ opinion on justice. I can think of no better judge—and no better jury in the form of Watson, for that matter. Who wouldn’t want Watson on their jury?

Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?

My husband’s uncle, James Burke. He worked for U.S. Customs in Long Beach, CA, and belonged to the Trained Cormorants of Long Beach. I loved talking to Uncle Jim about all the actors he met while working in customs and, of course, about Sherlock Holmes. He had a great sense of humor and led an interesting life. He passed in 2017 and I miss him very much.

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?

Is there a subset for the darker side of Sherlockiana? For the more monstrous, Gothic side? If there is, that’s what really interests me.

As a pastiche writer, what sparks a good story idea for you?

I guess I find inspiration in everything. The first pastiche I ever wrote was inspired by Lucy Westenra from Dracula. At the time, I was watching Bram Stoker’s Dracula, wondering about the Bloofer Lady, and what happened to her victims. I imagined a boy who she’d bitten becoming an admirer of Sherlock Holmes. This boy, Jimmy Hampstead, would become an Irregular and emulate Holmes by solving mysteries. The story became “The Adventure of Marylebone Manor.” I’m a pantser—I don’t outline my stories—so most of them just come to me. 

You are very active in the horror community. What parallels do you see in that world and the world of Sherlockiana?

Horror writers are wonderful, kind people and so are Sherlockians. They’re both very welcoming and accepting. We don’t care what race you are, who you love, what gender you are, etc.—we want you to be a part of our group. And we will protect you. Both Horror and Sherlockiana owe a little something to Edgar Allen Poe as well. Neither would exist without him.

Finally, Sherlock Holmes fits well in both worlds. He is the constant, whether in a grounded world, where ghosts need not apply, or one populated by eldritch creatures and vampires. He is believable in either one.

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?

As a pastiche writer, I find the Encyclopedia Sherlockiana by Jack Tracy invaluable. And for pure, unadulterated fun, I recommend Sherlock Holmes and The Christmas Demon by James Lovegrove.

I’d like to recommend some Sherlockian games as well. Sherlock Holmes and the Devil’s Daughter is a great video game. Scotland Yard: Sherlock Holmes Edition, The Sherlock Files, Cobble & Fog, and 221B Baker Street are wonderful board games.

Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?

I see Sherlockiana growing. I see my children’s children reading the books, watching the movies and listening to the podcasts. I’m sure there will be new Holmeses (and Watsons) to keep the memory green for many years to come.