Buttons – Page 17 – The John H Watson Society

17 October, 2013

Welcome to Molly Carr, JHWS “Brenda,” MA, PhD, Author and Watsonian

The Society is delighted to welcome to Charter Membership the well-known British Watsonian and Sherlockian author, Molly Carr. She writes:

“Unlike many Sherlockians (or, in this case, Watsonians) I came to the canon relatively late in life after visiting East Yorkshire and seeing a memorial to men who marched up from the Indian town of Quetta to Kandahar in 1880. Now, a much earlier Doctorate (which owed more to cantos than crime) and five Holmes/Watson books later I am finding it difficult to write about anything else.”

Dr Carr is a retired Biologist who also has a Doctorate in Victorian Poetry which, surprisingly, has helped her in writing books about Doctor Watson and his wife, Mary Morstan. A voracious reader, a music lover, and a keen photographer, she lives with her like-minded husband in a beautiful spot in Hereford near the Welsh border.

Molly is very keen on all aspects of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, likes travelling abroad, meeting friends and researching any number of subjects. A film buff, especially keen on Max Ophuls, Fritz Lang and her favourite comics, Laurel and Hardy. An avid reader of all genres, member of three societies connected with Holmes, as well as The Friends of Doctor Watson, and The John H Watson Society. She is not to be confused with someone of the same name who writes books on cholesterol!

Molly has written three books about Holmes, The Sign of Fear, A Study in Crimson and In Search of Doctor Watson. Work in Progress: The Noble Spinster. Her most recent book is A Sherlock Holmes Who’s Who from MX Publishing and available on Amazon.

Please extend a warm welcome to Molly Carr into the Society with our greeting to new members:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

17 October, 20139 November, 2014

Molly Carr’s New Book

A Sherlock Holmes Who’s Who

Molly Carr, JHWS

Available from Amazon and MX publishing $18

Ever since A. C. Black & Co. brought out their first Whos Who? of the great and good in 1849 (followed in 1897 by Who Was Who after death intervened and removed their entries to a separate volume) people have been fascinated by the rich and famous. So there is, for example, a Whos Who in cricket, a Whos Who in Agatha Christie. And even a Whos Who in a famous cemetery. So if you have ever wanted to know where Watson bought his boots, or where (and when) Inspectors Lestrade, Bradstreet, Athelney Jones, Hopkins and MacDonald appear in the stories then this is the book for you. How many times is Moriarty mentioned, and what was his henchman, Colonel Moran, up to in an empty house? Who on earth was Acton and, more to the point, who could possibly have been called (by the Great Detective himself) a rival to Sherlock Holmes?

Reviews

This book gives pretty much any listing you might want from the stories. It is divided into 3 sections: 1) People (characters in the stories & even some only mentioned in passing), 2) Places (countries, regions, landmarks, addresses, etc.), & 3) Props (companies, businesses, societies, objects, animals, etc.) I have read the entire Canon & didn’t recall quite a number of these listings. For the Holmes fanatic who wants to know everything.
-Karen Haynes

13 October, 2013

New Quiz Schedule and 1st Monthly Quiz Masters Announced

Please see the Quiz Page for the 13 October announcements of the Weekly and Monthly Quiz Masters and a new quiz schedule that will make it easier to find the time to work on the weekly puzzle.

13 October, 201310 November, 2014

Results: Weekly Quiz #4 and Monthly Quiz #1 with New Schedule (see below; also Answers below)

After grueling competition, the results are in!

Weekly Quiz #4:

Member Individual Category

Denny Dobry “Kirby” took the honors and James O’Leary “Pippin,” Elinor Hickey “Misty”, Ron Lies “Chips” were all close.

Team Member Category

Margie Deck “Gwen” and Sheila Holtgrieve “Daisy” of Seattle continued their near-perfect streak for team honors.

Non-Member Category

Dean Turnbloom, in his final appearance as a non-member (he has joined the Society) took the honors.

Congratulations to these Weekly Quizzers and Weekly Quiz Masters. This was a difficult Weekly Quiz and required determining the best case of logic, textual evidence, and association or relationship to arrive at a string of connected answers that satisfied the clue design in both inductive and deductive directions (working form the beginning or working from the end). There are several possible sets of answers to the clues, but only one has the highest quotient of logic, evidence and association; however, alternatives that were supportable were considered and accepted when the proofs could be presented. The best score in all categories was 8/10.

Monthly Quiz #1
This week’s quiz also was Monthly Quiz #1 among those who were successful in the prior Weekly Quizzes, which partly explains the somewhat diabolical nature of the quiz structure. The Monthly Quiz honors go to:

Member Individual Category

Denny Dobry “Kirby” is our first Monthly Quiz Master with a combined score on all quizzes this month of 47/60.

Team Member Category
Margie Deck “Gwen” and Sheila Holtgrieve “Daisy” are our first Monthly Quiz Masters with a combined score on all quizzes of 47/60.

Non-Member Individual Category

Dean Turnbloom is our first Monthly Quiz Master with a combined score on all quizzes of 47/60.

Congratulations to all of our Quiz Masters. You all now go forward to the Quarterly Quiz and on to the Annual Quiz. As we all now see, participating in every quiz is how you boost your cumulative score towards the Annual Quiz Master honor, a reality shown by the equal scores of 47/60 by all three Quiz Masters. If one misses a week, it can mean a 10 to 20 point difference; of course, if one doesn’t miss a week, it can be a 10 to 20 point advantage . . . diabolique, n’est pas?

Responding to a participant’s excellent suggestion (Dean Turnbloom), Buttons will make it a bit easier for participants to have the time to work on the quizzes by changing the schedule a bit so that a weekend is available to you on every quiz. Therefore, the Weekly Quiz will now be posted on Friday by 4 pm (Pacific) and end on Wednesday at 4 pm (Pacific) when answers have to be received. The next Weekly Quiz will be Friday, 17 October through Wednesday 23 October 2013. Good luck to everyone, and for all of our members who have not participated, please join in the fun. A comment from one of our participants sums up what we gain when we work on the quizzes: ” . . . these [quizzes] are certainly broadening my Canonical knowledge.” Enjoy!

Here are the Weekly #4/Monthly #1 Quiz answers:

Download Week 4 Questions and Answers

13 October, 20139 November, 2014

New From JHWS Members Dan Andriacco and Kieran McMullen

REVIEWERS LOVE IT

Our members, Dan Andriacco “Dutch” and Kieran McMullen “Raleigh,” have written another great book.

Available from Amazon and from MX Publishing $12

It’s a fast-paced and immersive read, barely allowing the reader to take a breath from page to page. But it’s also a remarkable and masterful undertaking – suggestive of something new and fresh, while remaining true to the source that shaped it.
–Better Holmes and Gardens

Above all, the novel is enjoyable. It’s a quick read that can be digested in a few sittings, and the ending leaves the reader hoping for more. Andriacco and McMullen have done a masterful job of blending history, fiction, and Sherlock Holmes in a way that entices and delights.
–Girl Meets Sherlock

In contrast to most tales involving Holmes, The Amateur Executioner takes us into an ambiguous and murky world where right and wrong aren’t always distinguishable. I look forward to reading more about Enoch Hale.
-The Sherlock Holmes Society of London

In telling the story, the authors have done a masterful job in melding actual historic figures with famous fictional characters.
–Kings River Life Magazine

The blending of real characters, real history with fictional characters and fictional history is very well accomplished and at no time does the insertion of these ‘guest stars’ overshadow the very well thought out and exciting plot. There may not be a major part for Holmes to play, but his ‘fingerprints’ are all over the plot and you do gain the impression that this novel could only have been written by a Holmesian, or in this case, two Holmesians. It is a very enjoyable read, fast paced and undoubtedly fun. You see, collaborations can work. And work well.
–David Ruffle

10 October, 2013

Welcome to Dean Turnbloom, JHWS “Stoker” to Charter Membership

The Society is delighted to welcome Dean Turnbloom, JHWS “Stoker” of Southern California to Charter Membership.

Mr. Turnbloom has been participating in the Non-Member Individual Category of the Treasure Hunt and the Weekly Quiz, and has been doing very well. We are honored by his decision to join the Society and would offer our members that you have a formidable quizzer amongst the membership.

Dean’s biography reads:

Dean Turnbloom lives and writes in southern California after growing up in southern Indiana. His political side can be seen in his former avocation as an editorial cartoonist and in his series of books that display the national prize winning cartoons of your favorite editorial cartoonist, Prizewinning Political Cartoons. This series informs the readers about the national contests for editorial cartoonists as well as displaying the work and bios of the cartoonists themselves.

In fiction, Dean’s tastes run to the macabre. His first short story was published in L&L Dreamspell’s Horror edition. He has a self-published short story available for those who would like to sample his work, The Banshee of the Rannoch Moor. His first novel, published by MX Publishing in the UK and available everywhere in both paperback and digital editions is SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE WHITECHAPEL VAMPIRE (a review is found on the Dr Watson’s Library page).

Please welcome Dean with the Society’s traditional greeting to new members:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

10 October, 20139 November, 2014

Dean Turnbloom, JHWS “Stoker”: The Whitechapel Vampire

Victorian England’s most famous consulting detective is hot on the trail of London’s most notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper. But in Sherlock Holmes and the Whitechapel Vampire, Jack is a vampire and Holmes refusal to believe it could be his undoing as the two match wits in this delightfully original first novel.

Available from Amazon and MX Publishing. $17

Reviews:

Sherlock Holmes. Vampires. Watson. Jack the Ripper. Vincent van Gogh? All come together in this excellent pastiche- Sherlock Holmes and the Whitechapel Vampire. Throw in some Italian immigrants, murders in Paris and London and lovely music- enchanting music that will soothe and mesmerize the soul. I really enjoyed Whitechapel the TV series with Rupert Penry-Jones and Phil Smith- so I was set to dig into another Ripper tale, this time with Holmes for added body.

I found this to be a suspense story with just the right amount of clues and bloody gore. Will the vampire be able to be cured? Will he marry his love before she finds out about his dubious past? Will Holmes and Watson find the Ripper before he strikes again? Or leaves for the Big Apple? If you like vampires or are a fan of the ripper, don’t miss this one.
-Maurice

Having a title like “Sherlock Holmes and the Whitechapel Vampire,” it sounds hard to pass up the opportunity to read this book. The idea of having the world’s greatest detective face the forces of the un-dead is hardly a new one, as is Sherlock Holmes vs, Jack the Ripper. Author Dean P. Turnbloom does an expert job of weaving a story with a number of diverse plot points. The novel reads more like a thriller than an actual mystery and features Baron Barlucci, a centuries-old vampire who comes to London in order to cure his vampirism. However, the Baron’s thirst for blood drives him to committing the notorious murders attributed to Jack the Ripper, and soon the world’s greatest sleuth is on his trail.
-Sand

10 October, 2013

Welcome to Francine and Richard Kitts, JHWS “Holly” and “Tally-Ho” as Charter Members

The Society is pleased to welcome two long-time and distinguished Sherlockians to Charter Membership: Francine and Richard Kitts.

Francine is a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, “Lady Francis Trelawney Hope” and the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, as well as numerous other clubs.

Richard is a Baker Street Irregular, “The Battered Tin Dispatch-Box” and is the Co-Founder of the Turf Builders of Baker Street, as well as a number of additional clubs.

Their memberships include:

Francine Kitts:
» The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes (The Third Pillar from the Left)
» The Mini-Tonga Scion Society
» The Montague Street Lodgers of Brooklyn
» Watson’s Tin Dispatchers
» The Baskerville Bash Committee
» The Baker Street Irregulars (Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope)
» Mrs. Hudson’s Cliffdwellers of New Jersey (A Study in Scarlet)
» The Admirable Beach Society

Richard Kitts:
» The Baker Street Irregulars (The Battered Tin Dispatch-Box)
» The Montague Street Lodgers of Brooklyn
» Watson’s Tin Dispatchers
» The Turf Builders of Baker Street (co-Founder)
» Mrs. Hudson’s Cliffdwellers of New Jersey (Cox and Company)
» The Admirable Beach Society

Francine and Richard live on Staten Island, New York. Please join in a warm welcome to our new members.

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

8 October, 2013

What Else Do We Read?

Buttons has been wondering about what other authors we Watsonians read. It may be interesting to have our members write mini-essays on this topic as comments below. We might be surprised by either the variety or the similarity of our reading pleasures. Plus, it is always fascinating to read about the literary interests of our fellow colleagues in literature. Perhaps Buttons may be allowed to start in order to lead the way:

Buttons began reading the Sacred Canon at age 8 and has re-read it completely once every year, either in the winter or the summer, ever since. This year is the 62nd re-reading of the Canon. But, he also re-reads all of the Thomas Hardy novels every fall; all of Dickens every winter; all of Christie’s Poirot every spring; and all of Kenneth Grahame’s novels every summer; plus other things around the edges, such as Solar Pons and Luis Borges in recent years. He has maintained this routine for over 38 years. As such, he seldom ever emerges from the 19th century and almost never is outside British literature, the only exception being his constant reading and re-reading of the ancient Japanese and Chinese poetry he studied at university and the collected poetry of Wallace Stevens each year.

The process of reading, for Buttons anyway, requires a large, comfortable, over-stuffed chair, a footstool, and a proper floor lamp over the left shoulder. A chair-side table is a requisite, in order to manage the coffee, and apple or two, the bowl of nuts, or the odd adult beverage. A black, round #2 pencil and a half-sheet of foolscap is there also in the event a note needs to be made, or a quiz question comes to mind. In fall and winter, a throw is added for the warmth that often precedes the inevitable nap.

Now, what about you? What are your reading interests and habits? Who would care to recommend an author or two who provided you with great pleasure and enjoyment over the years? What is your number one favorite book? Buttons can never read The Hound of the Baskervilles enough, but admits his favorite book remains The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

7 October, 20139 November, 2014

Kumar Bhatia, JHWS “Bobbie” Shares Another Fascinating Insight

Our well-travelled member, Kumar Bhatia, of Dubai and India has sent along this interesting report on the Russian statues of Dr Watson and Mr Holmes. Thank you very much, Kumar–as always–for these glimpses of the world as it honors our heroes.

In April 2007, a monument to Sherlock Holmes was unveiled outside the British Embassy in Moscow. It is the only one of its kind in the world, in that it has Holmes and Watson together. It features a pensive Holmes, clad in his signature cloak and deerstalker, standing and looking slightly upwards with one hand behind his back and holding a pipe in the other, as if contemplating a case. Beside Holmes is Dr Watson, seated on a bench and looking up towards Holmes in admiration, as it were. The statues are life-size and consumed 800 kilos of bronze in casting.

The artist, Andrei Orlov, although inspired by Sidney Paget’s sketches, sculpted Holmes in the likeness of the great Russian actor Vasily Livanov, who played the role of the Master to perfection in many Russian Movies. Orlov modelled Dr Watson after Vitaly Solomin who played Watson to Livanov’s Holmes. Vasily Livanov was the only Russian actor to be awarded the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II which was bestowed upon him in recognition of his great portrayal of Sherlock Holmes.

We are thankful to the Sherlock Holmes Society of India who first posted this article by Kumar Bhatia on its Society’s website.

7 October, 201310 November, 2014

Weekly Quiz #4: 7 October to 12 October 2013 and Monthly Quiz #1: Follow The Clues

Weekly Quiz #4
Monthly Quiz #1

This week’s quiz is also the first Monthly Quiz to find out who will be the First Monthly Quiz Master. All Weekly Quiz Masters who mastered their category (Member Individual, Member Team, Non-Member Individual, Non-Member Team) may compete in the Monthly Quiz in order to move on in the Quarterly and the Annual Quizzes.

This week’s theme is: Follow The Clues. Each question takes you to the next question. You should be able to associate the question and the answer from the top down or from the bottom up. Each answer has something to do with, or is associated in some way with, or is textually associated with the one-word question.

The beginning and ending orientations are to check that you have made the correct starting and ending assumptions and associations. If you have the correct story for the first orientation at the beginning, then you will be on the right track for the rest; and if you have the correct orientation reference at the end, you have likely made the right decisions when solving the clues.

The first submission with the most correct answers will be: 1) the Weekly Quiz Master and/or 2) the Monthly Quiz Master. Good Luck!

Beginning Orientation: Plate
Clue 1: Pugilist.
Clue 2: Boxer.
Clue 3: County
Clue 4: Coal
Clue 5: Cigar
Clue 6: Mutiny
Clue 7: Doctor
Clue 8: Hospital
Clue 9: Tutor
Clue 10: E.C.
Ending Orientation: Gnomon

Download Week 4 Questions

5 October, 2013

Weekly Quiz #3 Results

The results are in! The Quiz Master for Week #3 is Denny Dobry, “Kirby”. He was followed by James O’Leary, “Pippin” in second place.

There were no submissions in the Member Team Category, or Non-Member categories.

Buttons learned that our Quizzees are not too sanguine about Word Scrambles. Next week’s quiz returns to Canonical references that are readable; in fact, it consists of single word clues. You’ll love this one!

Weekly Quiz #4 is also Monthly Quiz #1 for those who are competing in the Monthly Quiz Master challenge. The Monthly Quiz Master will be eligible for the Quarterly challenge as well as the Annual challenge. Monthly quizzes are:

Member Individual Category
Denny Dobry, “Kirby”
James O’Leary, “Pippin”
Elinor Hickey, “Misty”
Ron Lies, “Chips”

Member Team Category
Margie Deck, “Gwen”
Sheila Holtgrieve, “Daisy”

Non-Member Individual Category
Dean Turnbloom

Good luck to you all. Anyone may participate in Weekly Quiz #4 and we look forward to an expanded roster of members, teams and non-members who wish to match wits with the slow boy who mostly lunches. The questions will be posted by 12 noon (Pacific) on Monday 7 October 2013 and will end at 12 Noon (Pacific) on 12 October 2013.

4 October, 2013

The Watsonian: Progress Report on the First Issue

The inaugural issue of The Watsonian is at the printer and we await the final proof. It will print by the end of next week and will be in the mail on schedule, on budget, and way above expectations by 15 October 2013. It is being printed and mailed from Elmwood Park, New Jersey, so those of you on the east coast will receive it first with the rest of the country a few days later, and international mail will take likely up to two weeks. But, it is very much worth the wait!

The journal is 152 pages, perfect bound, and it is beautiful! Our Publisher and Editor, Joanne Yates, has gone far beyond the call of duty and, over hundreds of hours, has produced a fine, fine journal. But, you–our members and authors–have exceeded our wildest expectations. Your papers, articles, and miscellanea are both the highest quality and astonishingly high in quantity. We had to reserve at least four excellent papers for the next issue.

So, the Society is most happy to report a success in the making . . . the first issue of The Watsonian . . . and let’s all hope for many more to follow for a very long time! So, please start your papers and articles and fictional pieces for the April 2014 issue.

4 October, 2013

Say It Isn’t So…

Buttons is just back from a journey of several days, taking clean collars and shirts to the good Doctor whilst he and Mr Holmes are on a case somewhere called Shoscombe… and upon return finds no submissions to the Weekly Quiz #3!!

Whatever shall we do? Can it be the Letter Scrambles are too difficult for the intrepid Quiz Masters of the practice? No, of course not. Will our colleagues in France rise to the challenge? Has Seattle skipped a beat on its perfect record? Alas, a day remains… Aah! I hear carriage wheels against the curb… a firm tread on the stair… Could it be…? Yes, perhaps it could… a quiz participant this way comes! It sounds like the game is a foot, or maybe two feet!

1 October, 2013

Kumar Bhatia, JHWS “Bobbie” Sends This Holmes Song

Our member from Dubai, U.A.E, Kumar Bhatia, JHWS “Bobbie” has sent this interesting song and lyric of the original sheet music for “The Ghost of Sherlock Holmes.” Our great thanks to Kumar for a rare glimpse into a rare collectible.

THE GHOST OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

Don’t start and pray, don’t leave your seats, There’s no cause for alarm :

Though I’ve arrived from warmer spheres, I mean you all no harm.

I am a ghost, a real ghost too, that nightly, earth-wards roams;

In fact I am the sceptre of Detective Sherlock Holmes.