Welcome to Randall Stock, JHWS “Brandy” to Membership

We are honoured to welcome the well-known Sherlockian, Randall Stock, BSI “South African Securities” to Charter Membership. His Sherlockian Who’s Who biography is:

Randall Stock is an inveterate list-maker, long-time Sherlockian, and techie.
His website combines those interests.  Early efforts included conducting a new
poll of BSJ readers to determine the best Holmes stories, analyzing previous
polls, and identifying the best quotations from the Canon.  More recently he’s
focused on researching Conan Doyle rarities, and has lists of the extant copies
of Beeton’s Christmas Annual, Conan Doyle manuscripts, Sidney Paget original
drawings, and other items.
Personal website: http://www.bestofsherlock.com

He is a member of the following:

The Baker Street Irregulars (South African Securities)
» The Pondicherry Lodgers of 44th Street
» The Scowrers and Molly Maguires of San Francisco
» The Hounds of the Internet
» The Knights of the Gnomon

Please extend a warm welcome to Mr Stock with our traditional welcome to new members:  “You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

John H Watson,  JHWS “Teddy” Welcomed into Charter Membership

As Mr Ripley was wont to say . . . “Believe it or not . . .” we extend a warm welcome to the Society to John H Watson of Columbus, Georgia. He writes:

“My name is actually John H. Watson. I am often referred to as Johnny
Watson, due to my uncle, who is still living, is also named John H. Watson. I am
a semi-retired photographer, doing almost exclusively art shows. My website is
www.jwatsonphoto.com.”

Can it be possible that we will–after all these years–have a direct source to the font of revealed truth for answers to such questions as  . . . “Wounded in the arm or leg?” . . . . “Why Jack?” . . . and “How many times have you been married?”

We will offer more on John H Watson’s Sherlockian history and biography when he sends it along to the Society. Until then (and this seems really strange) we welcome you with the immortal words you have heard once before:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

 

Welcome to Carla Coupe, JHWS “Lily”

The Society welcomes new Charter Member, Carla Coupe “Lily” and extends our traditional greeting: “You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Carla writes:

I’ve been a Sherlockian from age ten. Currently, I am a member of Watson’s Tin Box and the Red Circle, and have three published pastiches. One of my stories, “The Book of Tobit,” was included as a notable story in Otto Penzler’s Best American Mystery Stories. I also appeared on NPR’s the Diane Rehm show with Peter Blau and Dan Stashower. And now I’m thrilled to be a charter member of The John H. Watson Society!

Carla lives in Silver Spring, Maryland. We are delighted to have her join us!

“Dash” and Spicy Szechaun

Picture
Spicy Szechaun Beef from Spicy and Tasty in Flushing NY

Harrison Hunt, “Dash,” sends along this photo of a recent evening’s Szechaun choice at Spicy and Tasty in Flushing NY, where he says it is the best spicy beef he has enjoyed.

This is in response to a quiz comment from several months ago wherein Buttons asked for recommendations for spicy beef in response to Founder Bruce Taylor’s love of the said dish. A “Consultation” of five Founders was held in San Rafael, CA and all enjoyed the dish served at the late Col. Ted Schulz’s favourite Szechaun restaurant where a celebration of his life was held.

Treasure Hunt Update: Tuesday Aug 13th

We are in the 13th day of the Treasure Hunt. A number of inquiries by participants have either been answered, clarified, or further frustrated by Buttons.

As of now, we have no final submissions. We know of a number of individuals and teams who are working away, but we have no one yet who has concluded the 100 questions.

The Treasure Hunt ends Monday, September 2, 2013 at 12 Noon Pacific Time.

We would love to hear from you if you are working on it and any feedback you would care to offer. Post comments or questions here.

Welcome to Thomas J. Walker, Author  of “Fort Apache–New York’s Most Violent Precinct,” and Sherlockian

The Society welcomes Thomas J. Walker to Charter Membership. Captain Walker, formerly of the New York Police Department, was the Executive officer of the 41st Precinct known as Fort Apache in the 1970s. He wrote the book of the same name, later made into a movie. He traces his roots in the NYC Police Department back to the Civil War.His background includes assignments as a physicist in the police laboratory, teaching criminal law at the Police Academy, command of Precinct Detective Squads, Executive Officer of three precincts, and Operations Officer of the Bronx where he coordinated police and detective functions at major disasters and riots.

He appeared on the TV show, “The $128,000 Question,” as an expert on Sherlock Holmes and won $32,000. He is a member of the Society of Professional Investigators, and he is a director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Mr Walker is married to Mary Faherty. They have five children and reside in the Bronx.

Please join in extending the Society’s welcome to this most Detective of all of our members:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Welcome to Six New Accomplished Charter Members

Sheila Holtgrieve, JHWS “Daisy”

Sheila joins us from Seattle where she is a member of The Sound of the Baskervilles. She writes:

“I am the librarian of the Sound of the Baskervilles in Seattle, WA. I received the
“Footprints of the Gigantic Hound” award from the club in 2012 for service to
the club. I subscribe to the Baker Street Journal; I am a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London and a member of the Hounds of the Internet. My canonical name is Annie Harrison.”

We are most pleased to have Sheila as a new member and look forward to her participation.

Linnea Dodson, JHWS “Dixie”

Linnea joins us from Maryland where she is a technical writer with a  Master of Science in Writing. She is a member of Watson’s Tin Box, The Red Circle, and Sherlock DC. Linnea is also on the Convention Committee of the Scintillion of Scions.

We look forward to Linnea’s participation in the Society and her contributions to The Watsonian.

Denny Dobry, JHWS “Kirby”

Mr Dobry resides in Reading, Pennsylvania. He has a most interesting expertise in The Game: a full-size replica of the sitting room at 221B Baker Street. He writes:

“My Sherlockian background includes Current Gasogene of the White Rose  Irregulars of York, PA, which I consider my ‘Home’ Scion. I regularly attend meetings of Watson’s Tin Box in Baltimore; The Denizens of the Bar of Gold in Cambridge, Md; and the Regency Irregulars of Phoenixville, PA.  I have most
recently attended meetings of the Six Napoleons of Baltimore and The Epilogues
of Sherlock Holmes in Chatham, NJ.

I contributed a chapter to the BSI’s latest publication of its Manuscript Series-“The Wrong Passage,” and will have an article published next month in the Watson’s Tin Box annual publication, “Irene’s Cabinet”.

I am also a member of the Baker Street Builders, qualifying for membership by constructing a full size re-creation of the 221b Baker Street sitting room in my home in Reading, PA.  Some photos are available as a link to the White Rose Irregular webpage: ”  [Ed. note: You’ve GOT to see these!]

http://www.whiteroseirregulars.net/holmespagejuly22_012.htm

We look forward to hearing more about Denny’s sitting room recreation and period furnishings in issues of The Watsonian.

Robert Ryan, JHWS “Caesar”

Mr Ryan joins us from North London, England where he is a very successful and eclectic writer. His extensive biography is fascinating for its diversity:

Robert Ryan was born in Liverpool and moved south to attend university. He graduated from Brunel with a M.Sc. in Environmental Pollution Science, intending to go into teaching. Instead, he spent two years as a mechanic for a Hot Rod team, racing highly tuned Fords (“the fag-end of motorsport”, as Bernie
Ecclestone calls it) where he became addicted to the smell of Castrol R. Weaning
himself off that, he became a lecturer in Natural Sciences in Kent, while dabbling in journalism. His articles on comic (or graphic novels as they were just becoming known) gurus Alan Moore and Frank Miller found their way into Nick Logan’s The Face magazine, which led to work for the American edition of GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, Telegraph and Arena.

Eventually he took a position on staff at The Sunday Times as Deputy Travel
Editor. It was while on assignment in Seattle that he came across the setting
for his first novel, Underdogs – the ‘lost’ city beneath the sidewalks of downtown – that was called ‘Alice in Wonderland meets Assault on Precinct 13’ by Esquire.

While learning to play the trumpet for his third book, Trans Am, Ryan met Guy
Barker, who, as well as being a great jazz trumpeter, had worked with Anthony
Mingella, notably on “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” Guy read Underdogs and wrote a
‘theme’ for the book, which opened his Mercury-nominated album Soundtrack.
‘Underdogs’ eventually became a fifty-minute suite, featuring extracts from the
book read by RSC actor Anthony Higgins (most recently seen in Michael Dibdin’s
‘Zen’ on BBC), and was performed at The Barbican and the Brecon Jazz Festival
and filmed by the BBC.

Ryan’s next book, Early One Morning, broke into The Sunday Times’ top ten
bestsellers’ list, and began a sequence of historical dramas set in the 20th
century.

He collaborated again with Barker on “dZf,” a film noir-ish reworking of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” which had its World Premiere at Wakefield Rugby Club and its final outing, twenty performances later, in Hong Kong. It was narrated by actor Michael Brandon (“Jerry Springer The Opera,” “Dempsey and Makepeace,” and “Captain America”) and is available on Guy’s double CD, “The Amadeus Project.”

Ryan’s previous book, Signal Red, a novel based on “The Great Train Robbery,” has been optioned by World Pictures and the writing-production team behind the TV drama United, starring David Tennant.

His latest novel, Dead Man’s Land (Simon & Schuster) takes Dr John Watson
to the Western Front of WW1, where he has to solve a crime without the benefit
of his old colleague Sherlock Holmes.

He continues to contribute to The Sunday Times and is working on further jazz
projects with Guy Barker. He lives in North London with his wife, three children, a dog and a deaf cat.

The Society looks forward to Robert’s contributions to The Watsonian and to the furtherance of Dr Watson’s place in the literature.

J. Randolph Cox, JHWS “Champ”

We await Mr Cox’s biography and will expand upon it when received.

Bill Mason, JHWS “Billy”

Bill Mason of Green brier, TN, is the author of Pursuing Sherlock Holmes, a collection of essays and sketches collected from among his articles and conference presentations in the U.S. and Canada. He has been an enthusiastic Sherlockian since age 13 when his mother gave him a copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He is the Founder of The Fresh Rashers of Nashville, and his writing has appeared in The Baker Street Journal, Canadian Holmes, The Serpentine Muse, Beaton’s Christmas Annual, and others.

Mr Mason is retired from government service as an employee of the U.S. Congress and the White House. He is presenting at the 2013 Minneapolis Sherlockian conference.

How delightful to welcome these six accomplished Watsonians and Holmesians/Sherlockians into Charter Membership.

Alexian Gregory’s TV Interview

Our Charter Member, Alexian Gregory, JHWS “Byron,” has appeared on television recently in an extensive and well-done interview regarding the Sherlockian tradition. This is an excellent example of Watosonian/Holmesian publicity. You can watch the segment here:  mms://media.edisonnj.org/ClassicMovies4.wmv

(Don’t be concerned about the Microsoft notice you may encounter; the link is safe)

Mr Dan Andriacco and his Kind Blog Post

One of our Charter Members, Dan Andriacco, “Dutch,” has been most kind to post a note about the Society on his very active and always informative website. You may read it here: http://www.bakerstreetbeat.blogspot.com/

Dan is a prolific author of books on our favourite subject, including:

The Sebastian McCabe – Jeff Cody Series

The Disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore (MX Publishing, 2013)
“The Adventure of the Vatican Cameos” (MX Publishing, E-Story, 2013)
The 1895 Murder (MX Publishing, 2012)
Holmes Sweet Holmes (MX Publishing, 2012)
No Police Like Holmes (MX Publishing, 2011)

The Enoch Hale Series (with Society fellow member, Kieran McMullen, “Raleigh”)

The Amateur Executioner (MX Publishing, 2013)

Sherlock Holmes

“The Adventure of the Magic Umbrella” (MX Publishing, E-Story, 2013)
“The Peculiar Persecution of John Vincent Harden” (MX Publishing, E-Story, 2112)
Baker Street Beat: An Eclectic Collection of Sherlockian Scribblings (MX Publishing, 2011)

We appreciate “Doctor Dan’s” support for helping us become better known to the Watsonian world.

Less Than 24 Hours to the Treasure Hunt!

Tomorrow at 12 Noon Pacific time the questions for First Annual John H Watson Canonical Treasure Hunt will be posted on the Treasure Hunt page. Simply click on “Download File” and save and print it for your use. Good Luck to All!

International Friendship Day: An Article by JHWS Member Kumar Bhatia of Dubai

Our esteemed member, Kumar Bhatia of Dubai, UAE and India, a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of India, has written a poignant view of the friendship between Dr Watson and Mr Holmes. It is particularly appropriate as this is the time of year the United Nations designates as “International Friendship Day.”

We thank Mr Bhatia for his contribution and look forward to its appearance in The Watsonian.

Please click on the link below for Mr. Bhatia’s article in a PDF form (saved in Word 93-2000 so all can access).

rtf.pngDownload file:
a_study_in_friendship_by_kumar_bhatia_w93

New Members’ Comments Page

We have added a Members’ Comments page. This is an old-fashioned “Bulletin Board” where you can ask questions, request information, seek collectibles, post your own quiz questions, discuss the Canon and start a dialogue with other members. It’s just for you. Enjoy!

 Welcome to James McArthur, JHWS “Max”

We are delighted to welcome into Charter Membership, Mr James McArthur of New Orleans.

James writes:

“I don’t presently belong to any other Sherlockian societies. I was formerly a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London. I recently became busy with another interest of Dr. Watson’s literary agent: that of Spiritualism.

I don’t believe there are any Sherlockian societies in the New Orleans area. I understand there was a group called Le Cercle de Sherlock Holmes, but they became inactive about the time (2007 or so) I started to become interested in the Canon.

I am also interested in the Nero Wolfe stories and am a member of The Wolfe Pack: the only member in Louisiana or Mississippi, I’ve been informed.”

We extend a warm welcome and look forward to James’s participation in our Quizzes and activities, and we invite his articles for the journal. Please join in the Society greeting to James:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Welcome to Cade Deverell, JHWS “IVY”

The Society extends a warm welcome to long-time Napa Valley Napoleon of S.H. and The Scowerers and Mollie Maguires of San Francisco member Cade Deverell who resides in San Francisco.

Cade’s memberships include:

» The Napa Valley Napoleons of S.H.
» The Scowrers and Molly Maguires of San Francisco (Reilly)
» The Noble West Enders
» The Knights of the Gnomon

She is an accomplished Quiz Master and devoted Sherlockian with an equally high regard for Dr Watson. We look forward to her participation.

Please extend our traditional greeting to Cade as a new Charter Member:

You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Only 12 More Days Until the Treasure Hunt!

Buttons is working away at the final questions for the Treasure Hunt. Just to give you an idea of the difficulty, Buttons had to discard 30 questions in the string because he could not remember the answers!!  He is now writing them down!  He’s up over 60 questions, all inter-related, and is in high hopes of having the other 40 finished by the end of the weekend.

Don’t miss this if you like quizzes and puzzles!  Great prizes, too!  Tell students!

Welcome to Pamela R. Bodziock, JHWS “Charlie”

Please join in a warm welcome to Pamela R. Bodziock of Monroeville, Pennsylvania who joins us as our 54th Charter Member. Pamela writes:

My name is Pamela R. Bodziock, and I am writing because I am very much interested in joining the John H. Watson Society. I am a relatively new Sherlockian (my personal obsession dates back only to 2009) — but it is worth noting that, when I finished my first Canon excursions with A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four, it was Watson, not Holmes, who was my favorite character.

I am a Teen Services librarian who also — like the good Doctor — fancies myself as something of a writer. I am pleased to say that my Holmes pastiche, The Adventure of the Broken Book, was included in the MX Publishing anthology Sherlock’s Home: The Empty House. (You can also find some articles written by me if you poke around such websites as Women Write About Comics and DC Women Kicking Ass.) Favorite on-screen Watsons include Nigel Bruce, Jude Law, and Lucy Liu.

I am a member of the S.H.S.L., and of the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers.

Please extend welcome to Pamela with our member greeting:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Welcome to Steven and Vickie Savino as Charter Members, JHWS “Buddy” and “Molly”

The Society welcomes Steven G. Savino and Vickie A. Savino to Charter Membership. Former members of the San Francisco Scowerers and Mollie Maguires, they now reside in Guerneville, California along the beautiful Russian River and its famous vineyards where they are oenophiles of distinction. We hope to see them soon at the Napa Valley Napoleons of S.H. and extend a warm welcome to the Society. Please join in welcoming both of our new members with our member greeting:

You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”