Interesting Interview: Ray Riethmeier

December of 2023 was supposed to be the end of the Interesting Interview series.  I had hit the 100 mark and thought that would be a good place to wrap things up.  But then I got to sit with Ray and Becky Riethmeier at the BSI Luncheon in January, and they expressed their disappointment when I told them that I was hanging it up.  In fact, Ray is SO nice, that I couldn't tell him no when he asked me to continue the series.  (And if you've ever met Ray, you probably can't imagine saying no to such a great guy, either!)

Well, if I was going to keep these interviews chugging along, it seemed only natural that Ray become part of this series.  And let me tell you a little bit about him.  He is unfailingly likeable, which makes him a perfect fit for the Norwegian Explorers, a group that exudes a welcoming vibe like no other I've ever seen.  And have you seen the publications they put out?  You can thank Ray for a lot of that.  Every year, Ray has been part of the machinery that publishes their lovely annuals, and he is also one of the editors of the books that come out at every triennial conference. (Side note: the next one is coming up sooner than you think!)  I've personally never submitted anything to the Norwegian Explorers' annual, but after this interview I plan to just submit something so I can work with Ray!

How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?

A Sherlockian is somebody who has more than just a passing interest in Sherlock Holmes.  A Sherlockian is someone who is a fan of the characters and has integrated some part of the lore into their lives in a meaningful way.  It doesn’t have to be someone who has read the entire Canon numerous times (or even once), nor someone who can win the various trivia quizzes that so many of us fail miserably.  You can take it very seriously, or you can be in it for the fun, and either approach is valid.

How did you become a Sherlockian?

I often want to defend the more casual fans, because you can start anywhere and find yourself drawn into the Canon.  For instance, my Sherlockian story began in 1986 when I encountered the first issue of “The Cases of Sherlock Holmes” from Renegade Press at my local comic shop.  The painted cover attracted my attention, as I was always looking for something new and different.  These weren’t comic book adaptations of the canon; they were Doyle’s original stories copiously illustrated in moody black-and-white by Dan Day, and I immediately fell in love with the authentic Sherlock Holmes stories.  I had, of course, been familiar with Holmes from all the pop-culture references that make him nearly ubiquitous in society, and I had seen a few of the Rathbone films on TV, but once you actually read the original stories by Doyle, I don’t see how anyone can escape their allure.  There was no going back for me after that.

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

I am an attorney who works as an editor of law books, which I’ve done for almost 30 years now (schooled in Indiana, admitted to practice in New York, employed in Minnesota, where I work on Alabama laws).  On the side, I also edit, copyedit, and/or proofread fiction for a variety of publishers, mostly in the pulp fiction community.  As a result, I like to describe myself as “a nitpicker for fun and profit.”  I’m not sure why it took me so long to apply my editorial skills to Sherlock Holmes, but it’s been only the last few years in which I’ve started to work on Sherlockian titles, and I’ve been pleased to put together several anthologies for Belanger Books, including my most recent, The Consultations of Sherlock Holmes, which was released last summer.  I love being able to contribute to Sherlockiana in this way, and I hope that the books I help bring into the world are enjoyed by others.

What is your favorite canonical story?

That’s easy for me: I like “The Adventure of the Dancing Men” best.  It was the second story presented in Dan Day’s illustrated comic series, and so it was an early favorite of mine that has stuck with me ever since.  It also has what I think is the best “cozy” intro in the whole Canon, with Holmes making the “absurdly simple” deduction that Watson was not going to invest in South African securities.  Holmes didn’t really shine his best in the rest of the story, but I think that helped me appreciate him as less than the super-human thinking machine that we often expect him to be.  Holmes can be fallible, and I think that makes him even more appealing.

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

My best friend in the Sherlock Holmes community is Tim Reich, a member of the Norwegian Explorers of Minnesota, my local scion society.  When I moved to Minnesota and discovered the group, Tim was one of the first people who really welcomed me, and his camaraderie helped me feel that I belonged there.  Over the years, we’ve collaborated on a number of projects together, including co-editing the Explorers’ Christmas Annual (which I now co-edit with Phil Bergem, another dear Sherlockian friend).  Tim was the one who convinced me to make my first pilgrimage to New York City for the BSI weekend in January 2018, and our long-suffering wives joined us for that adventure.  He’s just a great guy with a lot of enthusiasm for the Canon, and it can be infectious.  We also share interests in classic rock music and obscure pulp fiction characters.  In addition to our mutual Sherlockian hobby, folks also might enjoy talking to Tim about baseball and beer!

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?

Pastiches.  As much as I adore the original stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle, I like finding new perspectives on the character provided by other writers, particularly in stories that put Holmes and Watson in situations other than those that Doyle did already (and usually did better).  I am particularly drawn to those pastiches that take Holmes out of his usual comfort zone, either in new settings around the world, or crossing over with figures from history or literature, or even investigating true-crime mysteries from the Victorian era.  So long as Holmes remains true to his character, I’ll be happy.  But if he becomes a villain, or if he travels through time, or if he starts accepting applications from ghosts, then I’m out.

You have co-edited The Norwegian Explorers of Minnesota Christmas Annual for quite a few years.  What do you look for in submissions each year?

The Christmas Annual is a great venue for members of the Norwegian Explorers to share their ideas with the rest of us.  I work with Phil Bergem, my co-editor, to come up with a theme for the Annual each year, and then we ask folks to submit whatever strikes their fancy.  We get a lot of great submissions every year, and I’m pleased to note that the Annual has gotten bigger every year that Phil and I have been doing it.  So long as the submissions are related to Sherlock Holmes in some way, they don’t even need to relate to the selected topic (but most of them do).  We tend to include everything submitted, which can make for quite a varied end product.  If the contributor is enthusiastic enough to share his or her creativity with us, then that’s usually sufficient to merit a place in the next Christmas Annual!

As someone who has edited more than a few Sherlockian story anthologies, what advice can you give to writers out there working on their own pastiche and fan fictions?

Oh, wow.  That is such a broad question.  I guess my advice is to remember that, although there are a number of different ways to sort the Canon into a coherent chronology, that doesn’t give writers license to place their stories in any random year and expect them to work.  Your editor should be able to help you with the details and remove any pesky anachronisms, but if you have Watson living at Baker Street when he should be married, or if clients profess to know all about Holmes from the stories in The Strand before any had been published there, or if Holmes is still in London when he should be busy keeping his bees, then we’re going to have to make some more substantial changes!  I do enjoy catching those details when I start going through submissions for the books I edit, and I hope that the writers aren’t put out too much when I suggest ways to fix things.  My job is to make the writers look better, and if it all goes well, then nobody will be able to tell that I was even there.  Oh, and please don’t have our heroes address each other as “John” and “Sherlock.”  (Leave that for the TV productions!)

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?

I spent the last year re-reading the Canon as I received “Letters From Watson” in my email courtesy of the Substack online platform.  After I reread each story, I decided to finish off with a dip into D. Martin Dakin’s A Sherlock Holmes Commentary to see what he had to say about each story.  I found it to be an extremely rewarding experience viewing the Canon through his eyes.  But to stay more on what seems to be the focus of this interview, the single best pastiche I’ve read in the last few years is One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes, written by J. Lawrence Matthews.  It takes a bold, alternative view of Holmes’s life story, but he never really contradicts anything Doyle wrote.  I look forward to whatever additional Holmes books Matthews gives us next!  He did contribute a related story to The Consultations of Sherlock Holmes, but I don’t want to get too cheeky by recommending one of my own books (unless I just did by mentioning it again).

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

It’s certainly not dissipating, that’s for certain.  In 5 or 10 years, we’ll still be trying to figure out how many wives Watson had, where Holmes went to school, what Watson meant by mentioning his “bull pup,” and all your other favorite Canonical conundrums.  Nobody is ever going to have the single, definitive answer to any of these puzzles, and that might be what makes the Canon so enduring and endearing, that it contains such compelling additional mysteries that keep us thinking about the stories for so long.  That may have been Doyle’s true genius, leaving us with all of those unanswered questions that we could ponder long after he put down his pen.

Interesting Interview: Ann Margaret Lewis

Ann Margaret Lewis is one of those familiar faces that you just feel at home with when you see her at Sherlockian events.  I've seen her talk a few times and have always been impressed by the depth of what she knows, no matter the topic.  Some smart people can give off a vibe that makes them feel unapproachable, but that is definitely not the deal with Ann.  She's always surrounded by friends and is quick to talk with anyone in her vicinity.

As you'll see below, Ann has written plenty on Sherlock Holmes, both research-based and pastiche.  But she's also written for DC Comics, Star Wars, and a stand-alone space fantasy novel.  She's won the Independent Book Publisher’s Award, a Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval, and was a finalist for the Catholic Arts and Letters Award for 2010.  See?  I told you she was smart!  But I also said she gives off a welcoming vibe and that comes across very much in this week's Interesting Interview.  So let's get to know Ann Margaret Lewis! 

How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?

A Sherlockian (or Holmesian) is someone who loves Sherlock Holmes, and who participates in activities that celebrate him. 

How did you become a Sherlockian?

After reading all of my mother’s Agatha Christie books in high school, she suggested I read The Hound of the Baskervilles. I was hooked, and I ended up checking the Double Day Complete edition out of the library. I kept checking it out until my mother got me a copy for Christmas. Later in college I connected with The Greek Interpreters of East Lansing, and I was a Sherlockian for life.

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

My day job is working for the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis at their newspaper The Criterion. However, I also write novels and I’m a classical singer. I earn money at all three, so I guess we can say they’re all my professions. I also taught high school English for 10 years, so you could count that as a former profession. 

What is your favorite canonical story?

I have several, but I’ve always been fond of “The Yellow Face.” It’s not that difficult of a mystery, but Holmes character development in that story is quite moving. He admits he made a mistake. It’s interesting when he does that because it shows his humility and growth. 

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

Robert Sharfman of Chicago. He was just made a BSI this year (Killer Evans), and he truly deserves it. He has so many interesting stories, and even at his advanced age, he drives long distances to many scion meetings in the Midwest just because he loves his fellow Sherlockians. I only hope I am as interesting and have as much energy when I reach his age.

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?

It’s hard to pick one, but I really do like film and the portrayals of Holmes on screen. I guess I was influenced by my late dear friend Patricia Ward of the Illustrious Clients of Indianapolis who knew everything about every Holmes portrayal on screen. She taught me a great deal. 

Your book, Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes, collects three mysteries that Sherlock Holmes investigates connected to organized religion.  What drew you to connect the church and Sherlock Holmes?

I am a practicing Catholic (obviously…that’s where I work) and I founded of a scion for “Catholockians” called “The Vatican Cameos.” But what really connected the two concepts for me is that the pope of the time (Leo XIII) is mentioned twice in the canon. In fact, it looks like he is the only person to have hired Holmes twice – for the “sudden death of Cardinal Tosca” and the “missing Vatican cameos.” I figured since Watson pointed that out, I might as well take these untold tales and tell them. Besides, Pope Leo XIII was a really interesting man. In the book I imitate his voice (as translated into English) from his encyclicals along with that of Doyle. It was a challenge, and I really learned a great deal from that project.

As the Sherlockian who probably knows the most about the polyphonic motets of Lassus, can you explain to us lay people just what in the heck those are and why Sherlock Holmes would be writing about them?

Let me see if I can give you the short explanation:

First, all motets are polyphonic, so the term “polyphonic motets” is redundant. (Oopsie, Watson!) But a motet is a piece of religious Renaissance choral music meant for the Mass. The lyrics for the pieces are certain scriptural portions assigned to given days of the Church calendar. The music, as I said, is polyphonic, which means each voice has its own melody line, and those melody lines combine to create an extra-worldly sound. Orlando di Lasso (aka Lassus) was a Renaissance composer of renown during this time, and his harmonies are interesting and different from others of his period. In fact, some of his harmonic patterns were not seen again until the 20th century, which is why I think Holmes found his music compelling.

I wrote about this subject in more detail in two books: Referring to My Notes by BSI Press and 70 Years by Gaslamp: The Illustrious Clients’ Sixth Casebook, so if people want more information on this, they can check those out.

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?

As crazy as it sounds, I think Sherlock Holmes for Dummies is a great book, not only because it’s written by my good friend Steven Doyle, BSI, or because it is an original scholarly work of great depth (it wasn’t meant to be) but because it helps the Sherlockian explain to non-Sherlockians what this Holmes thing is all about. It gives us a language to use to communicate our love for the Great Detective. It’s also a great resource for newbie Sherlockians. While it’s not still in print currently, it’s not hard to find used copies on Amazon. 

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

I think we’ll have new film and TV series to follow, drifting into works based on pastiches (like Enola Holmes). I’m hoping we’ll have some really cool new adaptations of the original canonical stories, but I doubt that’ll happen. Hollywood seems more interested in their own stories rather than those of Doyle. 

Meanwhile, I think our scion groups will start to connect with each other more often and help each other grow. That seems to be happening now as a result of Zoom. Covid made us connect with each other, and suddenly Sherlockians of all different scions started to visit each other in person afterward. I believe that trend will continue because we’ve started to discover how cool all our fellow Sherlockians are. We’re such an interesting bunch. If you haven’t visited a scion from another town, I do recommend it. You meet great people and always have a good time. It’s like finding family wherever you go. 

Several Trustworthy Books of Reference [VALL]

At the BSI Weekend, Peter Eckrich and I debuted our new anthology, Canonical Cornerstones: Foundational Books of a Sherlockian Library, at the Wessex Press dealer's table.  And man, we were not prepared for the reception it received.  It was a whirlwind of signing books until we looked up and the stock of Canonical Cornerstones had completely sold out in less than 90 minutes!

So what made this book such a hot item at the BSI Weekend?  This anthology is a collection of 17 essays by different authors making arguments for 17 books that are important to any Sherlockian library.  And we all love reading about Sherlockian books!

Will you have some of these in your library already?  Hopefully.  

Will you have a different opinion on what 17 titles should make up this list?  Probably.  

Will you enjoy reading everyone's impassioned arguments for their particular title?  Absolutely!

But I'm going to let the table of contents speak for itself, because the contributors are the real selling point for this anthology.

Foreword - Michael Dirda

Introduction -  Peter Eckrich & Rob Nunn

“Shall they not always live in Baker Street?”: Vincent Starrett’s The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes - Ray Betzner

In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes by Michael Harrison - Catherine Cooke

The Baker Street Journal - Peggy MacFarlane

Let Me Recommend This Book: Leslie S. Klinger’s The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes - Peter E. Blau

D. Martin Dakin’s A Sherlock Holmes Commentary - Mike McSwiggin

A Pastiche That Plays the Game: Nicholas Meyer’s Seven-Per-Cent Solution - Anastasia Klimchynskaya

Daniel Stashower’s Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle - Mark Jones

Beyond the Canon: Apocrypha et Cetera - Ross E. Davies

“Only For The Madmen”: Jack Tracy’s Encyclopedia Sherlockiana - Sonia Fetherston

“Respectful, waggish, farcical” — The Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes by Ellery Queen - Timothy J. Johnson

Holmes and Watson: A Miscellany by S. C. Roberts - Roger Johnson

From Holmes to Sherlock by Mattias Bostrom - From Concept to Classic - Mark Alberstat

Sherlock Holmes for Dummies: Not Just for Dummies - Regina Stinson

The World Bibliography of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson by Ronald Burt De Waal - Ira Brad Matetsky

The Classic Doubleday Omnibus: A Bible All Awry - Russell Merritt

An Era in Profile: Edgar W. Smith's Profile by Gaslight - Dan Andriacco

William Baring-Gould’s The Annotated Sherlock Holmes - Julie McKuras

You can see why I'm so excited about this book!  Since that morning in New York when it sold out so quickly, Peter and I have been receiving messages left and right from readers who are enjoying the different essays in this collection.  So, if the idea of this book interests you, head over to Wessex Press to grab a copy.  You'll be gad that you did!

The Events Occurred Which I am Now About To Summarise [ENGR]

Last weekend was the annual Sherlock Holmes Birthday Weekend in New York.  If you were anywhere on the Sherlockian internet, I'm sure you saw tons of pictures and posts from people who were there.  

It's always a pleasure to get to see so many friends in one place, and there are many people I honestly spent less than ten seconds with in the hubbub of everything, despite wanting to talk more with them.  This year's weekend had more events than previous ones, with the Gaslight Gala coming back from its Covid hiatus and things starting on Wednesday (or maybe Tuesday, I'm not really sure), so there's always something going on!

My time in New York was split between Sherlockian events, touristy stuff, and carving out time with friends.  I'll try to keep my rundown of the weekend as brief as a synopsis of four packed days can be.

I booked the earliest possible flight out of St. Louis on Thursday and landed in New York around 9am.  Even getting there that early, I was missing things!  As I arrived at the Westin hotel and 10:30, people were leaving for the Doylean honors horse race at The Mysterious Bookshop and The Christopher Morley Memorial Walk had already been going on for half an hour by then.  

I texted Rusty Mason when I hit town and he and his dad, Steve, were waiting for me to get settled in and we headed for lunch at McSorley's Old Ale House.  Jim Hawkins and Rich Krisciunas were with us as we got there and beat the crowd.  That back room really fills up when Sherlockians are in town!  

Once we realized it was time to give our seats up to folks who needed a place to sit, the five of us went to a dessert bar, The Spot.  Fantastic desserts, and even five midwestern and southern guys could appreciate New York takes on classic desserts (even if all of us were too old to recognize the TikTok celebrities that were photographed on the wall).

If you've never been to the weekend, one thing you need to know is that there is a ton of food.  My next stop was another meal, this one at an Italian restaurant with Rusty, Jim, and Cynthia and Bill Mason.  After that, Rusty and I were off to see Back to the Future: The Musical on Broadway.  Not Sherlockian, but definitely fun.

Every night of the weekend ends at Rosie Dunn's, with a revolving cast of people to spend time with.  One thing that hit me differently this year was how tired I was all of the time.  I had fun conversations with lots of folks on many different topics (The Simpsons, Dolly Parton, etc.), but it would be a lost cause for me to try to tell you which night things went down at the pub.  But trust me, if you're in New York for the Birthday Weekend, Rosie Dunn's should be on your itinerary.

A newer tradition at this weekend is folks who have been invested into the BSI getting together for breakfast with their classmates on Friday morning.  This was my class's second year gathering, and it's great to have a dedicated time to spend with people around a meal.

One great thing about the Westin's location is its relative closeness to the New York Public Library.  Even if you don't get to go inside every year, walking by those beautiful lions out front and knowing you're close to so many books is wonderful.  But this year, Crystal Noll, Heather Holloway, Rusty Mason and I went to visit their Treasures from the Archives exhibit.  It had everything from Civil Rights flyers to Charles Dickens's writing desk to the Bill of Rights.

After that, it was time for the William Gillette Luncheon.  I somehow signed up early enough to get a table right up front.  In fact, I was sitting with some of the afternoon's performers!  Two skits were performed to laughs, a nice meal was had, and everyone got to see each other in one of big events of weekend.

And that night was the event that the whole weekend revolved around: The BSI Dinner.  This is the event that the rest of the weekend has grown up around, but I think it's important to point out that this is the only invite-only event of the weekend.  Everything else is open to everyone and everywhere you go, people are happy to welcome friends old, new, and ones they haven't yet met.

This is the event that probably gets recapped the most, so I will keep mine brief.  There were some great toasts and talks, which will be in the Spring issue of the Baker Street Journal, and of course everyone is always clamoring to learn who will be included in this years investiture class.  It's been shared elsewhere, but I will post the picture of my notes from that night.  

The list of investitures always makes me happy.  It's a combination of recognition of those folks I have known to be doing great work in Sherlockiana and names of people I haven't met yet but look forward to getting to know in the future.

After the dinner, everyone goes downstairs to enjoy an hour or so at the Yale Club, and then people make their way to Rosie Dunn's to meet up with everyone from the Gaslight Gala.  Two things stood out to me from this part of the night.  

1. While everyone from the BSI Dinner flooded into the Yale Club's lounge, one other patron was determined to sit in his armchair and read a newspaper amid the clamor of all of us.  I wish I had that kind of focus!  

2. By the time we were kicked out of Rosie Dunn's, it was POURING rain outside.  It took my suit a day and a half to dry from that onslaught of rain.

Saturday kicks off with the Dealer's Room with Sherlockians selling all kinds of things.  Wessex Press and BSI Press debut their new titles here, and Belanger Books and MX Publishing have tables with their latest books as well.  If those four aren't enough to drain your wallet, there are plenty of individuals selling enough old books and ephemera to fill your suitcase.

One of Wessex Press's new books this year is one I'm very proud of, Canonical Cornerstones: Foundational Books of a Sherlockian Library.  This is an anthology that Peter Eckrich and I oversaw and will be the subject of its own blog post at a later date.  It was great to get to sign copies for everyone who picked one up, but unfortunately not everyone could get one because it sold out in less than 90 minutes!  Every time I think of how excited people were to check this book out, it just makes me smile.

After that, it was back to the Yale Club for the BSI Luncheon.  Even though, this has BSI in the title, this event is open to everyone and in the past few years it has been selling out very quickly.  It's a nice time for everyone to mingle and talk with everyone from across the country.  It's always fun to see who ends up at your table.  As usual, I had a good group this year: Rudy Altergott, Peter and Joe Eckrich, Brian and Derrick Belanger, Max Magee, Ed Petit, and Ray and Becky Riethmeier.

That night, I had dinner with Ray Betzner, Ashley Polasek, and Tim Greer.  You couldn't ask for more pleasant company!  It's interesting that with this being a Sherlockian weekend, so many of my conversations with folks were about other topics.  That night's conversation wandered from heist movies to theater performances to college commencements.  I've found that Sherlockiana is a great jumping-off point for meeting folks and we then build our friendships from there.  (Well, maybe it wasn't all non-Sherlockian... we may have tried out our Nigel Bruce impressions)

Sunday always brings one of my favorite events of the weekend, the ASH Brunch.  It's the wind-down event where people can move around and visit with one another without any kind of program (and there's as much bacon as you want).  I've equated this event to the last day of summer camp.  People are comparing notes of what they saw and did over the past few days and making plans for the upcoming year.  As its time for folks to catch their flights, they drift off one by one until the locals have their city back.

I'm not standing on anything, there's just that much of a height difference.

I had one more stop on my weekend, though.  I'm a big Muppets fan, so I made a trip over to Queens to the Museum of the Moving Image where they had a Jim Henson exhibit that included all kinds of original Muppets and the sign that was used in the Muppet Show.

By this time, winter weather was hitting the Midwest and causing delays with flights across the country.  Luckily, I was only delayed by an hour and a half (which allowed me to get last week's Interesting Interview posted) but I know others had a much longer wait.  It sounds like everyone eventually made it home safely, with suitcases of new books and brain attics full of good memories.  I'm already looking forward to next year's weekend.

Interesting Interview: Brad Keefauver

Long ago, in the far-off year of 2018, I interviewed my friend Brad Keefauver.  He was the second Interesting Though Elementary participant and he has told me for years that he would like to redo his interview, now knowing how long this project would go on.  I always told him he could redo his piece after my 100th interview.  And since last month was interview number 100, it was time for me to make good on my promise.

How can I sum this guy up in a paragraph?  I can't, but here are some highlights.  Brad has been a Sherlockian since the 80s, and documented his early years in the delightful memoir, The Rise and Fall of an Eighties Sherlockian.  He is the co-founder of The Sherlockian Chronologist Guild, slowly but surely bringing respectability to that branch of our hobby.  He was the co-editor of The Monstrum Opus of Sherlock Holmes, and has written enough titles of his own that would make any author proud.  But his highest achievement in my mind is that he is so forward thinking and open armed when it comes to Sherlockiana.  Brad rarely shies away from trying new things or welcoming new people.  For a hobby that has been around for a century or so, both of those aspects are vitally important to keep things fresh.  So it's time to get some fresh answers from everyone's favorite Sherlockian, Brad Keefauver!

How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?

1. A sentient being who has made Sherlock Holmes an ongoing part of their existence. 2. A Holmesian being described by an American. 3. Something described as being like Sherlock Holmes or done in a fashion reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes. 

How did you become a Sherlockian?

That evolution had so many steps that it’s hard to document. Reading “The Speckled Band” in junior high lit class didn’t spark it as much as the preview to The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes the next year. Having to write a high school term paper took me to the Canon for the first time, as Holmes seemed more interesting than other characters of classic fiction. And then in college, Sherlock Holmes’s War of the Worlds by Manly W. Wellman and Wade Wellman started me on a binge of all the pastiches in that publishing wave that came after The Seven-Per-Cent Solution. A French class field trip to Chicago put Michael Harrison’s anthology Beyond Baker Street in my hands for the whole bus trip home, which showed me that Sherlockians existed. And my longtime partner and spouse, the good Carter found a Sherlock Holmes society called the Double-Barrelled Tiger Cubs of Champaign-Urbana which became my entry point into the Sherlockian social world, at which point I finally acknowledged that, yes, I was that thing called a Sherlockian.

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

I’m a software analyst, which doesn’t affect how I enjoy being a Sherlockian as much as being a Sherlockian has helped me be a software analyst. I can honestly claim Sherlockian chronology helped get me a job, as part of the interview process was to do a presentation on the subject of your choice. Somehow that worked.

What is your favorite canonical story?

I don’t want to say “Illustrious Client.” But I think it’s “Illustrious Client.” So sensational!

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

The genius Paul Thomas Miller. Such a clever boy.

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?

Sherlockians that are fun to go to breakfast, lunch, or non-banquet-dinner with. (Eight people at a table is just too many, though there have been exceptions!)

As one of the founding members of the Sherlockian Chronologist Guild, why should people pay more attention to the chronology of the Canon?

Pushing to put the stories into your own personal sequence reveals so much of what you think of Holmes and Watson’s lives. It’s not just about dates, it’s about their relationship and the influences other people had on it.

The Watsonian Weekly podcast has been around for more than 4 1/2 years, why do you think people find Dr. Watson so interesting after all of these years?

Well, that he’s Sherlock Holmes’s buddy, mainly. But we’re seeing more and more Watson-centered Sherlockian productions, especially in 2024 with Sherlock & Co. and the upcoming CBS Watson series because there’s so much uncharted territory to explore there. Watson is like bigfoot, an intriguing crypto-character whom we do not know nearly as much about as we’d like to.

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?

Okay, I hate to say it, but Angels of Darkness in the BSI Manuscript Series. It’s so terribly awful and a counterpoint to the genius Conan Doyle displayed in the Canon. But it gives us a pre-Canon Dr. Watson and a version of A Study in Scarlet that raises all sorts of questions. Sir Montague Brown could have been Sherlock Holmes in disguise for all we know!

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

More widespread and multi-channel than anyone can keep up with. A steadfast core of Sherlockian bees will still be buzzing around the classic hives, but new ideas and ways of celebrating Holmes and Watson will come from places we can’t yet imagine, even if we’re in a post-apocalyptic bunker community dependent upon Rusty Mason waving hand-drawn puppets on sticks around to adapt the Canon for feral children.

An Interview with the Creator of Sherlock & Co. - Joel Emery

I'm not a huge fan of Sherlockian adaptations.  I'm not opposed to adaptations, though.  I am happy to check something out and see what creators are doing with Holmes and Watson, even if that means sitting through Holmes and Watson.  Most adaptations have some kind of spin to add to the Canon, and quite frankly, it's usually too much spin for me.  I prefer to stick to the source material most of the time and read scholarship around that.  

So when I heard people buzzing after the first episode of the podcast Sherlock & Co., I knew I would check it out, but wasn't in a big hurry.  John Watson returns to London after an injury and tries his hand at true crime podcasting, because everyone has a podcast now.  The premise sounded clever.  I figured I would think the show was fine, but something that ultimately wasn't for me.  Man, was I wrong.

Anytime I try a new show, I give it three episodes to find its groove before passing judgement.  Sherlock & Co. is one of the rare shows that had me sold by the end of the first episode.  The sound quality and acting is impeccable.  The plan is to modernize the entire Canon, and each case takes two to three episodes to complete, so the creators are playing a long game here.  There is a lot to enjoy in this show that I could go on and on about: John's abilities as a podcaster, "Mrs. Hudson," Archie, Mrs. Watson, etc. 

I'm a stickler for canonical fidelity, and Sherlock & Co. nails it.  But what I enjoy the most are all of the updates that keep these cases fresh.  How does "Thor Bridge" tie in to Instagram and and video games?  I won't spill the beans, but will tell you that it was done brilliantly.  And Baron Gruner?  Oh man, Sherlock & Co.'s version of him is unnervingly true to life and bothersome.

Now, when you hear, "modernize," comparisons to Sherlock and Elementary are inevitable.  I'm going to stake my claim right here and now and say that Sherlock & Co. is hands down better than either of them.  I strongly recommend anyone who enjoys Sherlock Holmes to check out Sherlock & Co.  Give it a few episodes and see what you think.  

So my mini-review here has all been a way to pave the road for an interview with the show's creator, Joel Emery.  Joel was happy to talk about his new project via email, and I think anyone who is already enjoying the show or is interested in it will enjoy what he has to say about his process:

How did you get into audio production?

I suppose, at this risk of sounding cynical about the media industry - we had no money or connections! So we needed a field of the industry that required neither of those things to get our work out there. Podcasting was and remains free for the most part and overheads are very manageable, so we put together a show that we had always wanted to do called The Offensive. It followed a fictional Premier League football team in a documentary style. It was very sweary, very coarse, a satire of the modern game and it ran every week for five years. It was obviously rushed together in our spare time, we cast hundreds of actors over that time and by the end of it we had acquired a bunch of skills that we threw into the next project and the next and the next. And now, thank god, we don't do it in our spare time - we do it for a living.

Americans don't naturally gravitate to audio dramas.  How would you sell this form of storytelling to those of us across the pond?

Neither do Brits I can tell you! Audio drama remains an acquired taste (I find anyway). We're often looking at ways into presenting stories that are audio dramas but ultimately don't feel like them. It often requires deconstructing the form a little and latching the shows onto a more recognised form. For example, John Watson is a true-crime podcaster, he constantly speaks to the listener and I will deliberately put together dialogue that reads as real as possible. He makes mistakes, he has technical issues, things crop up that he wasn't expecting, we're limited by his editing, his microphone coverage and so on. This, believe it or not, is familiar ground for the average podcast listener - and this vehicle is what we try and use as a gateway drug to audio drama. Yes it's an audio drama - but be assured we're doing everything we can behind the scenes to make it not feel like one. 

I would sell audio drama like this - it's great for improving focus. Lots of exercises out there to improve focus are boring and difficult, so if you want to work on how you consume media and flex your imagination muscles - do it with something that has a story, do it with something fun and interesting. Audio drama is right up there as a fun workout for your brain. I believe also colouring books are as well, but you're going to look like an idiot in public if you're doing that. Unless you're aged 7 and under of course.

With all of the characters out there, what drew you to Sherlock Holmes and John Watson?

Goalhanger Podcasts (the production company that owns the show) told us to! It was not something that occurred to us. I think for Sherlock outsiders it can often look like a very saturated market, we couldn't really understand why Goalhanger saw this gap to exploit. That was until Tony Pastor at Goalhanger showed me the full Sherlock catalogue, all those short stories that had basically been neglected by mainstream broadcasters and movie studios for an entire generation. After reading "The Red Headed League" we were completely on board. I think if you don't know the stories you always start with the characters. And what great characters. Watson is perfect for this form, a realist, an everyman story-teller, and Sherlock is the perfect counterweight to that.

What is the typical process of adapting a story for the podcast?

Read it about 4 times, listen to Stephen Fry narrate it a couple of times. I actually listened to I Hear Of Sherlock Everywhere with Raymond G. Farney and I ended up buying his book A Study In Sherlock and it's really handy as a writer as it works as Watson's casebook. It compiles each adventure into details, evidence, perpetrators, timeframes, locations, dates - everything just brought down to key points. All the while, even from the first reading, I'll be noting down how it would work in modern day, how it would work in audio and how we can add something refreshing as well. Also comedy, our show is a light comedy most of the time so I'm also looking for those moments. We're only a few weeks ahead of the latest uploaded episodes so we'll make sure the cast get the scripts at the earliest window possible. Once it's all edited together we'll talk about pickups, how clear is the mystery, how formed are the new characters for this story, what lines need to be tweaked etc.

(Joel appeared on episode 275 of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere, and is definitely worth a listen.)

How do you decide the chronology of your stories?

It's a great question with a boring answer I'm afraid. Sherlock Holmes has a number of different types of story, and it was important for us that we presented that variation of form right from the off. If we had started with 4 murder cases in a row, we would have cultivated an audience that was expecting blood and guts. But a lot of the time Sherlock Holmes stories are characters needing something looked into, needing a problem solved. Sometimes Sherlock is just re-collecting a story. And that's the reason we started with "Illustrious Client" - there's a hint of a murder, but mostly it's something that needs to be solved. Then we did "Noble Bachelor," no murder, just intrigue. By the time we came to "The Problem of Thor Bridge" and for our first murder investigation, our Watson is terrified at the idea of being involved with something so unusual to his modern sensibilities, army surgeon or otherwise - so it gives us a little growth in that sense. And from this point onwards we're trying to show people who aren't familiar with the original stories just how varied Conan Doyle made these adventures. How they bounced around from all sorts of places, to all sorts of problems, from all sorts of villains and victims. It's not just about Moriarty vs Sherlock, there's so much out there so we just want to really keep them on their feet. It was a big decision at the time, to break the original order and actually ignore the chronology of Watson's accounts and to find our own route through the canon. We don't regret our decision at all, it is a lot of fun deciding the next place to go.

Which character is the most fun to write for?

Watson. 100% Watson. Sherlock Holmes is intellectually intimidating! Watson is brilliant too but Sherlock Holmes uses efficient, accurate language, his deductions are lengthy but precise and it can take me a while to put them together... yes I may be prouder of Sherlock's lines but Watson is definitely more fun. 

What is your favorite of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories?

Baskervilles I find really, really cool. The scale of it, branching out from something so small captivates me... But it's a different trip to Dartmoor that I prefer; "Silver Blaze" is the one I have enjoyed the most. I expect this to change, I'm constantly reading the stories, over and over. And I'm constantly reading analysis on the stories so I can absolutely picture myself falling in love with another adventure but that one is currently the leader of the pack for me. It's intrigue wrapped in fun and that's exactly what we like to get our hands on.

Can you give a hint of what's in store for Sherlock & Co. in 2024?

Well we're closing in on our first million downloads, so it looks like the show will grow from strength to strength. Maybe there will be some well-known voices, that's something we're looking into. For our super-fans we're putting together our fan club and subscriber-only content and getting merch designs off the ground. But as for the stories - I can definitely promise the novels, which one we'll start with.. we're not sure. But that's taking some of our focus now, how do we package them, how many parts do we release in order to tell those stories.. the list goes on! We're so fortunate to be working with this material and to be the biggest audio drama in the UK right now is reflective of our hard work, our amazing cast and Conan Doyle's flamboyant, brilliant, gripping adventures.

Interesting Interview: Jerry Kegley

For the final Interesting Interview of 2023, let's get to know one of the friendliest and most outgoing Sherlockians out there, Jerry Kegley.  Jerry has been running a scion for longer than some Sherlockians have been alive and every time I see him, his fires seem to be burning brighter and brighter!  Seriously, this guy seems to never flag in his devotion to Holmes and Watson.

Jerry and his wife Chrys run one of the BSI Weekend's biggest events, and it was created as a way to include everyone.  Folks, Jerry Kegley is the personification of a big tent Sherlockian.  And if you've ever gotten to meet him in real life, that holds true in every way.  Jerry welcomes everyone in this hobby and never makes a newbie feel like they need to prove themselves to be included in his fun.  I think you'll see that this attitude continues through his answers this week!

How do you define the word “Sherlockian”? 

This answer has evolved over time. When I was new to this community, I thought a Sherlockian was someone with more than a passing acquaintance with Sherlock Holmes. A Sherlockian was a scholar, or an erudite individual who studied the Canon and had specialized knowledge on related topics. This somewhat strident view has softened considerably as my association with Mr. Holmes creeps toward its sixth decade. People come at things in many ways and my feeling now is all Holmes is good Holmes. If you sit at the table, then you’re a Sherlockian. A vast feast is laid before you and it’s your choice on how much or how little to partake.      

How did you become a Sherlockian?

As a youth, the Universal films of Rathbone and Bruce were my gateway drug. Note, that the 20th Century Fox offerings were not a part of the early equation. My Holmes was a “Noir” adjacent Nazi hunting Detective/Spy very much of the era in which the movies were produced. This changed when my now Brother-in-law handed me a copy of Doubleday’s The Complete Sherlock Holmes. Mind blown! 

I entered the gaslit Victorian world of Sherlock Holmes where a part of me has resided ever since.  The second part of this story involved relocating to California from Illinois when I was eighteen. With few friends early on, and little social interaction, I discovered the local scion society and met some kindred spirits. Many of these people are in my own scion, The Curious Collectors of Baker Street, and are among my closest friends to this day.     

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

I am a retired Assistant Vice President, Communications Regional Manager for Bank of America. In retirement, I do commission painting of wargame miniatures under the moniker of Colonel Winky’s Warriors.  

The funny thing is that being a Sherlockian might have been a big part of getting my foot in the door at BofA in the first place. Part of my resume contained copies of the CCOBS’ newsletter as samples of my writing. As a bit of an aside, before entering the corporate world I worked five years as a Private Investigator doing sub rosa work. You might say this question is backwards as being a Sherlockian has affected how I enjoyed my profession.  

What is your favorite canonical story?

Hands down Hound of the Baskervilles. Going back to the gifting of The Complete Sherlock Holmes from my Brother-in-law, he recommended that I start with HOUN. Most of the literature that I was interested in then was of the gothic or horror genre like Dracula, Frankenstein, or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Hound’s milieu hit that touchstone and left an indelible mark. The Sherlock Holmes as he was written came to life and as I said above, mind blown!

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

Jeff Hart, BSI.  If you want to talk to a font of knowledge on topics from Sherlock Holmes, film, TV, comic books, and literature in general and back along a divergent route, then spend some time with Jeff. 

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?

Victorian Military History. In this case, Watson’s adventures in Afghanistan, the Indian Mutiny, Boer War, Colonel Sebastian Moran, etc. I’ve written about Watson’s wound, who he might be inspired by, and a myriad of articles on Canonical military matters. I am also an avid tabletop historic miniatures wargamer so this era in colonial warfare is often of inspiration. I’d have to say it’s my second passion next to Mr. Holmes. 

You and your wife Chrys serve as co-presidents of The Curious Collectors of Baker Street.  What is it like running a scion with your spouse?

Special! To be able to share a labor of love with the one you love is a blessing. Chrys and I have been at the helm of the CCOBS for 32 years, which is one less than we’ve been married. We kid each other that marriage is a blood sport and the CCOBS has caused some of that blood to be shed but we would not have it any other way. Having Chrys at my side and vice versa is of immense benefit, as we can function as sounding boards for ideas, issues, and the like. The fact that we hold this strong of a common interest in what is supposed to be a hobby is rare to me. 

One of the proudest moments of my life was when Mike Whelan called her name and invested her in the BSI. Not because she is my wife… (Okay, I love that my wife is a BSI), but because I know how hard she worked to deserve the honor.

Coincidentally, the insert item that I sent to the BSI for inclusion in the 2024 BSI Dinner packets is a write up of Chrys and my 32 years with the CCOBS.   

Lost in New York with a Bunch of Sherlockians has become a BSI Weekend mainstay.  How did that start and how have you seen it evolve over the years?

As one attends the BSI Weekend from year to year, the cadre of likeminded individuals grows and flourishes around you. The only drawback is finding a space you can all hang out in. By 2002 (I’ve been attending the BSI Weekend since 1995, Chrys since 1996) this had become evident to us, and the question was now how do we manage Saturday night? As we sat in our hotel room on Wednesday of that year’s bacchanalia, that very question was posed. Chrys, to the rest of our disbelief said, “Let’s have an event.” She proceeded to pull the phone book (yes, there still was such a thing) out of the bedside table and looked up restaurants with banquet rooms. One of the first she came across was the now defunct Kennedy’s on West 57th. Phone calls were made, and we stopped by and set up the first Lost. 

It would be an overstatement to say our first gathering was a resounding success. Through word of mouth, we rounded up fourteen of our Sherlockian friends in the Library Room at Kennedy’s. There would be ten more dinners there and eleven more in three different locals that have come to be known as “Lost In New York With A Bunch Of Sherlockians.” The event had been established as a Saturday night refuge for the “disjecta membra” of the BSI Weekend, it now has become a sold-out nightcap. 

Lost is another labor of love for Chrys, and I. It’s our way of giving back to a community that has given us so much. 

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?

That’s a tough one, there are so many deserving of a plug. Beyond the rabbit hole inducing classics like Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street or The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. I must give a nod to Mitch Cullin’s A Slight Trick of the Mind (2005). Mitch’s take on an aging Holmes losing those mental faculties he was renowned for was both moving and insightful. The film Mr. Holmes with Ian McKellen was based on this book.

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

Right where it should be, vibrant and strong. Although, I hope during that time, we see another shot in the arm (pun intended) akin to the one that took place more recently with the Downey Jr. films, BBC Sherlock, and Elementary on TV and the plethora of reading material the “Free Sherlock” movement brought us. We have seen the Golden and Silver Age of Sherlockiana, how about Platinum?