Laurie R. King

First pre-publication review for THE ART OF DETECTION comes from Kirkus, who suspends their traditional curmudgeonliness to say: ‘e2’80’9cKing’e2’80’99s imagination is as generous as ever, and her use of the Sherlockian canon to ventilate contemporary issues is clever and impassioned.’e2’80’9d

My blushes, Watson.

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Weds was a 24 hour day with nearly eight of that spent behind the wheel, to Berkeley for an interview and Sacramento for a talk to the Sacto State friends of the library, great people and boy, they sure put on a great buffet following’e2’80’a6

But most of all I’e2’80’99m working flat out trying to finish TOUCHSTONE, so I’e2’80’99m hoping you forgive the brevity of the post. I’e2’80’99ll finish up the April questions when my brain is my own again.

Q: What made you pick theology as the focus of Mary’s studies (other than it being the focus of your own studies, if anything)?

A: Pure coincidence, that Russell happens to be interested in the same things I am. Remember, I’e2’80’99m just the editor here, I don’e2’80’99t make any of it up, right? Besides, when you’e2’80’99re writing a crime novel, any human passion is grist for the mill, from theology to stamp collecting. If you can write about it from the point of view of the passionate one, you can present a valid reason for murder.

Q: Alyss asks, Firstly, what makes your publishers decide where to send your books or is to to do with which countries order them? We have a very big problem obtaining LRK’s here and I was just wondering how to solve the problem. Secondly, what made you take the chance to write Mary Russell? Sherlock Holmes is one of the most loved and famous classic characters of fiction. It was a big chance that you took too write this. How did you think the public would react to it?

A: I’e2’80’99m not sure where ‘e2’80’9chere’e2’80’9d is, but assuming it’e2’80’99s a country that doesn’e2’80’99t publish LRK in its own language, and you’e2’80’99re trying to order US editions, all I can suggest is that you get in touch with one of the bookstores I sign at (my local store is on the bottom of my web site) and they can ship them. Although this is a problem for countries like Cuba. You might watch my site for specific places in the UK where I’e2’80’99ll be signing in September, I’e2’80’99ll put them up by July or so, and you could order directly from them. And of course, there’e2’80’99s Amazon.

I wrote Mary Russell because she was what I wanted to write, and frankly, I didn’e2’80’99t think at all about any public reaction. I don’e2’80’99t know that many first time writers actually believe that the story they’e2’80’99re telling will ever be seen by an actual stranger’e2’80’94and someone who actually paid for the privilege? Wow.