Throughout literature, we're constantly warned of the dangers inherent in revisiting the past.  "You can't go home again," Thomas Wolfe admonishes us.  "Do not say, 'Why were the old days better than these,'  King Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes, adding 'For it is not wise to ask such questions.'" And finally, from another Canon, Victor Trevor's father has this bit of wisdom: "Of all ghosts, the ghosts of our old lovers are the worst."*  Bill Kirtland would argue that he wasn't trying to do any of these things.

If you are like than you have to spend a lot of time travelling. Whether that be by bus/train/tube/cab/car/plane. During my excursions I tend to bring a book, either physical or kindle, and read. But I must say, there are time when I'm trying to read on the Tube in London and, my goodness, it's difficult. People piling in like that train is the one and only train that will get them to their next destination.

I feel great when my books are released to the public. Sure, it's a bit nerve-wracking to send my fledgling child of a manuscript into the hands of complete strangers, but it's also delightful and invigorating. What could be better than that?

Well, it's an even greater thrill when my stories become e-books, because they suddenly become accessible to a whole new audience.

During a recent holiday to the South of France, I took a copy of Barefoot (second edition) along to the beautiful town of Narbonne which features at the start of chapter eleven.

Husband took a photo of me holding it beside the lovely canal de la Robine which I pictured quite accurately when I wrote about it – even though I’d never seen it before.

If you can filter out the British accent (pardon me, Steve), this is a delightfully illuminating talk with much that is of practical use...please enjoy and share with your friends...

On Saturday I was lucky enough to take part in the live Sherlock Holmes debate 3.  A group of Holmesian experts got together in London and via the internet to debate which was the best story in the original Sherlock Holmes canon.

I argued in favour of The Six Napoleons but faced passionate competition and things did get a bit heated – especially when we started discussing A Scandal in Bohemia. 

We began the week with The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,  Rathbone's second outing as Holmes, and considered by many (moi included) to be his best, and maybe even one of the best Holmes movies ever made.  We are going to end it tomorrow with Dressed to Kill; his last Holmes outing.

Only seven years separate them, but the artistic and personal gulf  for the Baz  is chasmic (ie "like a chasm" - I believe in making up new words).  

Courtesy of the talented TikiLizzy we present one of the quirkiest and poignant-est (what? it's a word, or should be) fan vids we know of. The song, of course is "Sherlock Holmes" by Sparks. The content is The Baz, in all his multifarious Holmesy glory. Enjoy.

(If you've got the time go to Youtube and read the comments - I guarantee you'll feel a little bit fuzzy and warm (well, mostly).

Here are the pictures from the terrific signing at the world famous Warwick's Books...

A happy fan

Thanks to everyone who made this signing such a fantastic success!!!

As it's THE Week (like THE Woman, only different), I asked Matt - the pal who let me have the Adventures of SH caps - to do some more of same from The Hound of the Baskervilles (I would do my own, but I'm a loooong way from most of my Baz movies atm). Like the total babe he is, he did 'em for me tonight.