2013: Sherlockian Year in Review

Here are a few highlights from my hectic Holmesian year of 2013! Some of them were personal; others were significant to Sherlockians worldwide. Let’s jump right in!

1. Hiatus insanity: You all know what I mean, just from those two words. The year of 2013 passed without a new episode of BBC Sherlock on our screens, leaving fans to console themselves with Elementary, canonize Watson’s mustache a saint, and wonder if Guy Ritchie will ever finish his promised third film. Thankfully, the late-year announcement that series 3 would begin on New Year’s Day put a smile on all of our faces, right underneath our drawn-on staches. 
2. The Detective, The Woman and The Winking Tree: A special moment for me was the publication of my second novel featuring Holmes, Irene Adler, and a mystery that takes place in an English coastal village. Learn more here.
3. One year as a Babe: Early in the year, I celebrated the first anniversary of my time as part of the Baker Street Babes Podcast. Through the podcast, I met my book publisher and have had a chance to interact with Sherlockians around the world. What I can’t possibly put into words is the joy of being part of a group of women whose beauty and charm is only outdone by their kindness and intelligence. I feel blessed to count myself a part.
4. 221b Con: What a thrill it was to journey to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend the first annual 221b Convention, which featured fantastic panels and parties and gave me a chance to meet hundreds of amazing Sherlockians, as well as several Baker Street Babes in person for the first time. I can’t wait for next year!
5. Saving Undershaw: 2013 brought the wonderful news that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s home, the place where he penned The Hound of the Baskervilles, is no longer under immediate threat of having its architecture destroyed. At the same time, there is still a long journey ahead to see this magnificent piece of history restored. My essay on my own experience of being part of the Undershaw project will be published in an anthology in 2014, and I remain committed to the cause. Learn how you can help here. 
6. Free Sherlock: A late-year gift to all Sherlockians came in December, when a district court in Illinois ruled that all but the final ten Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are fully in the public domain. This ended and clarified a long legal fight and reassured authors and artists of their legal right to carry on the legacy of the world’s greatest detective. Learn about the ruling here.
7. The Adventure of the Crowd-Sourced Adventure: One of my last Holmesian acts of 2013 was the delightful privilege of participating in the crafting of the first-ever crowdsourced Sherlock Holmes story. On the evening of December 29th, I logged on to Facebook and joined a group of other writers for two hours of mad fun as we wrote a pastiche line-by-line, building on one another’s ideas, and sprinted to the finish line in the allotted time.

2013 was a fantastic year, and I’m excited to see what the world of Sherlock Holmes has in store in 2014. What are some of your favorite memories of this past year?

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The Detective, The Woman and The Winking Tree: A Novel of Sherlock Holmes is available from all good bookstores and e-bookstores worldwide including in the USA Amazon,Barnes and Noble and Classic Specialities – and in all electronic formats including Amazon Kindle , iTunes(iPad/iPhone) and Kobo.

The Detective and the Woman: A Novel of Sherlock Holmes is available from all good bookstores and e-bookstores worldwide including in the USA Amazon,Barnes and Noble and Classic Specialities – and in all electronic formats including Amazon Kindle , iTunes(iPad/iPhone) and Kobo.