Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson: Partners, friends and . . .

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson hold an honored place among the ranks of famous male duos such as Laurel and Hardy, Cheech and Chong, and Han Solo and Chewbacca. Indeed, today it’s hard to believe that, in the early drafts of Doyle’s stories, Holmes’s sidekick was named Ormand Sacker. I suspect Sir Arthur must have realized that, since Watson represented “everyman,” he required a more down-to-earth name – John Watson. And with that, it is interesting to note that Watson’s first name is used only three times within the 60 Holmes stories.

All, but four, of the Sherlock Holmes tales are narrated by Watson. But, the character Watson not only serves as a chronicler, but also as a story telling device. Watson often makes his own observations and offers his own theories, which throw the reader off track a bit, and thus make Holmes’s deductions and solutions all the more surprising.

If you have enjoyed any of the many Sherlock Holmes movies and television programs, you may have noticed that writers and actors interpret the character of John Watson in wide-ranging ways. In some adaptations, Watson is a bumbling fool, in others he is a wise and invaluable ally. So, two of the most important decisions I had to make, as I was writing a new collection of Holmes pastiches, were:

“What kind of man was Dr. John Watson?

And, “What was the nature of Sherlock’s and John’s relationship?

To some extent, I drew upon my own experience, as an older man, with long-time male friends. What kind of relationship do I have with some of my better male friends?

You will be able to see how I answered that question if you read my new collection of Holmes adventures – Sherlock Holmes – The Golden Years.  Indeed, in one of the stories in this collection, The Kongo Nkisi Spirit Train, a character chats with Dr. Watson about what he sees as the role Watson plays in Holmes’s life and work.

The five new tales in this collection take place when Holmes and Watson are “retired” – 1912 to 1913. So, I felt it was important to show how their relationship had evolved, mellowed, and become deeper and richer in the decade following their supposed retirement in 1903.

I feel my treatment of Holmes’s and Watson’s relationship does not “violate” The Canon, but rather builds upon it in a believable, logical manner -- given their longevity of Holmes and Watson as colleagues. I would be curious to know what you think.

The book Sherlock Holmes – The Golden Years is AVAILABLE ON AMAZON and most on-line and main-street bookstores.

BOOK GIVEAWAY ON GOODREADS!

Here’s a chance to win a copy of Sherlock Holmes the Golden Years for yourself or a Sherlockian friend. This blog has offered some sneak peeks of this collection of five new Sherlock Holmes adventures, and now you can enter to win a copy of your own.

CLICK HERE   to get to the the Goodreads giveaway page. (You must be a Goodreads member (or become one).

The contest ends January 27, so hurry!

There is also an excerpt you can read and/or download on Goodreads also.

THANKS for following this blog - more to come.

Spiritualism: Holmes vs. Doyle vs. Houdini

 

The book Sherlock Holmes — The Golden Years may seem easy to categorize because it is a collection of five new Sherlock Holmes detective mysteries. However, an even richer reader experience awaits because of the subtle way in which these stories explore other subjects such as Spiritualism.

The Kongo Nkisi Spirit Train tale dips into the supernatural realm as a way to explore the curious incongruity between the highly rational Sherlock Holmes and his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. You may, or may not, know that Doyle spent the latter part of his life strongly advocating for Spiritualism — the belief that it is possible to commune with the spirits of people who have died.

For nearly 30 years, Sir Arthur researched, investigated, and promoted Spiritualism in its many forms. This quest brought Houdini and Conan Doyle together in 1920. And, while they were personal friends, they were hardly allies with regard to Spiritualism. Both men trotted around the globe: Doyle advocating Spiritualism, and Houdini debunking spirit mediums, fortunetellers, and most anyone claiming supernatural powers.

Sir Arthur’s legacy includes twenty-one novels, 150 short stories, and a substantial collection of nonfiction, essays, articles, and memoirs, along with a three-volume collection of poetry. It also includes The New Revelation and The Vital Message, and Doyle’s most substantive book on Spiritualism The History of Spiritualism. Today, a plaque inside the door of the Rochester Square Spiritualist Temple in London reveals that Doyle was a major contributor the construction of the temple in the decade before his death in 1930.

Sherlock Holmes — The Golden Years explores the curious juxtaposition of logic and rationality, represented by Sherlock Holmes, and the supernatural, represented by the man who created this beloved detective. In The Kongo Nkisi Spirit Train Holmes confronts Doyle after he attends a séance at Jean and Arthur’s home. Holmes remarks:

“Like Diogenes, I am, above all, a seeker of truth. And, if it be possible to discover the truth that lies beyond the grave, I myself might expect to find it in deep reflection and lucid prayer, and not around a ill-lit table.”

Whether or not you believe in ghosts and other supernatural phenomena, you are destined to enjoy the true spirit of Sherlock Holmes as he is portrayed in Sherlock Holmes — The Golden Years.

Available on Amazon, and all good bookstores.

G. K. Chesterton and Sherlock Holmes: Two great minds

Gilbert Keith Chesterton was one of those larger than life persons whom you cannot pigeonhole. While it may seem proper to call him a writer, that description sells him short. He was more than a mere wordsmith, because of what he wrote about. The subjects of his writing were what distinguished him as one of the great minds of the 20th century.

Chesterton considered himself to be a journalist, I supposed because he spent most of his life writing for newspapers. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of columns for the Daily News. That’s the equivalent of writing an essay a day, every day, for twelve years. He was considered absent-minded, but that was likely the result of his mind being almost continuously consumed with some new thought that was gestating and finding its way into the next day’s newspaper column or story.

Chesterton took on most of the intellectuals of his time: George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells, Bertrand Russell, and Clarence Darrow.  He tackled what might be called the “big isms” of life: materialism, determinism, moral relativism, socialism, classism, and capitalism. He honored the “common man” and common sense. But what is just as amazing, he did this in a manner that made you chuckle or laugh.

Despite his monumental body of work, Chesterton is often neglected in classrooms, and his work is unknown by many who consider themselves “well educated.” I suppose, that is why he was introduced in a fictional story, “The Curse of the Black Feather,” which is one of the five tales in the collection Sherlock Holmes – The Golden Years by Kim H Krisco. In this tale, G. K. Chesterton brings a curious case to the great detective that sends Holmes and Watson on a series of madcap adventures that reach into the underground labyrinth beneath London, and across the Atlantic to America, as the infamous duo pursue one of the most diabolical villains Holmes has ever encountered.

Hopefully, this brief introduction to Gilbert Keith Chesterton might serve to open the door to the works of this literary giant who deserves to come out of the shadows. For, Chesterton ideas and words are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago. That is something he shares with the most popular fictional character of all time – Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Like Chesterton’s, Holmes’s original stories are also 100 years old, and they too have as much relevance and appeal today, as they did when they were first published.

Keeping the spirit of Sherlock Holmes and G. K. Chesterton alive!

Check out Sherlock Holmes – The Golden Years – at AMAZON, andevery good bookstore.

Sherlock Holmes Himself Interviews His Newest Chronicler

 

OMNIMYSTERY NEWS, a great resource for mystery aficionados worldwide, recently published an interview conducted by Sherlock Holmes himself. Holmes interviewed author Kim Krisco, who recently released – Sherlock Holmes – The Golden Years - five new adventures of the master detective. Here is an excerpt from this interview:

Holmes: I was challenged and exhilarated by all the adventures you created for me — although I came much to close to death in a couple of them. The Cure the Kills … The Kongo Nkisi Spirit Train, among others, allowed me to exercise my singular skills to the maximum.

Krisco: Yes, my stories brought you to the mountains of Scotland, racing across America, and trekking into the jungles of the Belgian Congo. You also "shared the stage" with some turn-of-the-century celebrities: G.K. Chesterton, Leander Starr Jameson, Emmeline Pankhurst, Harry Houdini, and President Theodore Roosevelt, to name a few.

 Holmes: Yes, I will admit that I found the circumstances you put me in both exciting and harrowing … including my reunion with "the woman."

Krisco: Thank you. Yes, I wanted to create a rich "reader experience." I did this in a number of ways: I created detailed historical backgrounds, but I also introduced a bit more action and suspense than one might find in a typical short story from the Doyle canon.

Holmes: I think you succeeded there … and I have the scars and bruises to prove it. However, I shall not complain. You know, I abhor boredom.

Krisco: And, I would not want you to seek relief by way of unnatural drugs.

Holmes: I low blow, sir. And you haling from Colorado that has just legalized marijuana?

Krisco: Touché, sir. Yes, "the high street" can have a different meaning here in Trinidad, Colorado.

To read the COMPLETE OMNIMYSTERY INTERVIEW - CLICK HERE.

Omnimystery News Interview about New Holmes Collection!

 

OMNIMYSTERY NEWS, a great resource for mystery aficionados worldwide, recently interviewed the author of – Sherlock Holmes – The Golden Years, Kim H Krisco.  Below is an excerpt from this interview:

OMN: From a genre perspective, are these stories comparable to those of the original canon?

KHK: At one level, Sherlock Holmes — The Golden Years may seem easy to categorize because it is a series of Sherlock Holmes detective mysteries. But, I wanted to create an even richer "reader experience." I did this in a number of ways: I created detailed historical backgrounds, but I also added more action and suspense than one might find in a typical short story from the Doyle canon. And, I suppose you could say that I even dabbled in the paranormal a bit, especially in my last tale: "The Kongo Nkisi Spirit Train". I dipped into the supernatural realm a little as a way to explore the perplexing incongruity between the highly rational Sherlock Holmes and his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. You may know that Doyle spent the latter part of his life advocating for Spiritualism — the belief that we can commune with the spirits of people who have died. So, it's appropriate to label Sherlock Holmes — The Golden Years as a collection of Sherlock Holmes mysteries … but they are a bit "juicer" than most readers might expect.

OMN: Tell us something about the book that isn't mentioned in the publisher's synopsis.

KHK: The book sheds new light on the real relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler — something that intrigues most fans. These revelations will tug at your heartstrings.

Click here to see the whole interview.

Sherlock Holmes Interviews Kim Krisco – Part 3

 

Mr. Sherlock Holmes conducts a three part interview with Sherlock Holmes author Kim Krisco, who has just released Sherlock Holmes – The Golden Years.  This is the last part – part 3.

Holmes:  I was challenged and exhilarated by all the adventures you created for me . . . including my reunion with “the woman.” I have the scars and bruises to prove it. However, I shall not complain. You know, I abhor boredom.

Krisco:  And, I would not want you to seek relief by way of unnatural drugs.

Holmes: I low blow, sir. And you haling from Colorado that has just legalized marijuana?

Krisco: Tuché, sir. Yes, “the high street” can have a different meaning here in Trinidad, Colorado.

Holmes: I will be merciful sir, to both of us, and change the subject. There is one more thing I wished to ask you before we end this interview: Why did you bring “the woman” into my life again?

Krisco:  I will answer that question as best I can without divulging the details. After all, we don’t wish to blemish the reader’s experience. Let me simply say that I believe Irene Adler, although she might have been reported as dead by some, was, in a manner of speaking, always alive and well within your daily existence. You secreted a portrait of her in your desk drawer, and you carry a gold sovereign on your watch chain that she gave to you as an unwitting witness at her wedding to Godfrey Norton in the church of Saint Monica. Irene Adler has been in your thoughts since you met her. And, as readers will learn, in The Curse of the Black Feather, you have been in her thoughts as well. Your reunion was inevitable.

Holmes:  Even the most disciplined mind may be subject to assault by fantastic notions. In most cases, these pass quickly. The best course of action is to expose these delusions to the cold light of reality, whereupon they will probably wither away.

Krisco:  Once again, you take the words from my mouth . . . I should say off the page of the story The Curse of the Black Feather. As I recall, Watson’s response was similar to what mine is at this moment. With apologies to the Bard and Queen Gertrude,“Methinks the gentleman doth protest too much.”

Holmes: Well sir, with that I think our interview is at an end.

Krisco: But, not your stories. They are just beginning in Sherlock Holmes – The Golden Years. (Available everywhere.)