Letters of Mary

Among the many unexpected joys I have discovered in being a writer has been the extraordinary community that has formed around the Mary Russell stories.  People with little in common geographically or even socially come together online in mutual affection for Russell & Holmes—and, even more amazing, forge lasting friendships when they come together physically…

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Tattooed with COOL

Okay, my life as a writer is now officially cool.  A lovely woman by the name of Winn Goll is wearing Russell and Holmes on her skin.  Or at any rate, versions of Russell and Holmes—feline versions: These fabulous (and no doubt painful) tattoos (yes, the needle kind) were done by Greg Whitehead at Scapegoat…

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“Clash of the Books,” Part II

(For part I of Sabrina Flynn’s award-winning “Clash of the Books,” scroll down to yesterday’s post, or wait until Tuesday for the entire story.)   II   “Run, you fools!” A lash of flame descended with a sizzling snap.  The detectives and librarian ran, taking cover in the Natural Sciences aisle.  Black smoke gathered, writhing…

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Contest winner: “Clash of the Books”

Every year we run a contest celebrating National Library Week, asking readers to talk about their love for libraries.  This year I posed the challenge of explaining what “library” means,  to someone like a Martian—and said that there would be extra points if the essay/poem/etc mentioned Kate Martinelli, whose 20th anniversary 2013 is. I loved…

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Beeb

Did anyone out there listen to the BBC Radio production of Beekeeper’s Apprentice?  Any thoughts? If you missed it, they’re running it for the next six days.

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A Conan Doyle mystery

As I’m sure you remember, when Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes are in San Francisco (in Locked Rooms) reference is made to Arthur Conan Doyle’s visit to the city the previous year, during his Spiritualist tour.  Well, it seems that the good doctor visited Russell’s very neighborhood during his trip: a house not 100 yards…

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Life in Baker Street

I’m in New York, for the annual festivities of the Baker Street Irregulars, that wild-and-crazy bunch of Sherlockians (it began as a drinking society, after all) that inexplicably welcomed me to its (mostly) manly bosom a couple of years ago. Tonight begins with a distinguished speaker’s lecture, to get things off in the properly academic…

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Cotterill’s Kung Fu Sherlock

A Study in Sherlock, the superest anthology of the fall season, goes on sale October 24th.  Several of the authors have written posts for the Study in Sherlock blog, which we’ll be posting over the next few days.  Also exciting is my co-editor Les Klinger’s Twitter interview (Twinterview?) with Mary Russell, beginning next week.  First…

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Garden Party TwInvitation

You say your Royal Wedding invite got lost in the mail?  The White House staff seems to be ignoring you this summer? Well, fret no longer, your invitation to the social event of the season–nay, the year, is here.  If you’re feeling social, drop in and chat with Mary Russell and friends (Will that husband…

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A Grand Game

As I said yesterday, 2011 looks to be all-Sherlock, all the time in LRK-land—and it will start in January, when I go to New York for the annual dinner of the Baker Street Irregulars and sign copies of: The Grand Game, Volume One Eds. Leslie S. Klinger and Laurie R. King The Grand Game is…

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