HOLMES, WATSON,
AND SALMON
—PART TWO—
Last week, Andrew Salmon shared with us his anecdotes and
thoughts on writing the Fight Card
Sherlock Holmes books and the current collection of his Holmes stories, Queensberry Justice: A Fight Card Sherlock
Holmes Omnibus. This week he shares more about one of the most important
original characters in his Fight Card
Sherlock Holmes stories—Eby Stokes.
********
Eby Stokes is become
an important character in the second and third Fight Card Sherlock Holmes tales. How did the character come to be?
I thought the best way to get Holmes involved in women's
boxing was to have him doing a favor for a female fighter whose boxer husband
has run out on her under mysterious circumstances. She was originally named Liv
Stokes in honor of Elizabeth Stokes, the winner of the first recorded woman's
bare knuckle boxing match in 1722. And I was approaching her introduction into
the tale when real life tragedy struck.
You based the
appearance and illustrated version of Eby Stokes on a particular person. Can
you tell us who and why?
A dear friend of my wife's and myself died suddenly. Her
name was Linda Gavin and she was like a sister to my wife. Linda was
intelligent, compassionate and everyone who knew her thought the world of her.
Her sudden passing hit many people very hard. My wife and myself included.
Dealing with our grief while attempting to make some progress on the tale, I
hit on the idea of honoring Linda's memory by renaming my female boxer. Linda
was a staunch advocate for gender equality and a tough, capable, intelligent
boxer who could go toe to toe with Holmes was a character she would have
appreciated. Thus Liv Stokes became Eby Stokes—Eby being Linda's maiden name.
As the book was to be released a few months after Linda's memorial, I dedicated
the book to her memory, but also asked artist Mike Fyles if he could shape his
depiction of Eby on the cover to match some photos of a young Linda I sent him.
Mike's great and agreed immediately.
Where things got spooky was with his depiction. I sent him
an image of Linda in her youth (boxing is a young person's game) and Eby Stokes
needed to be a young woman. Mike used the photo as his model, but unlike the
old photo, Mike placed Eby's hair pulled down in front of her left shoulder.
What's spooky about that? Well, in later life, Linda always placed her hair in the same spot before a photo. She would
go out of her way to do so. It was something of a joke when posing for
photographs—hold on, wait for Linda to arrange her hair. So how did Mike know about
her hair? I never told him. The photo didn't show it. And yet there it was.
This was yet another indication the character of Eby Stokes was taking on a
life all her own.
This had been evident to me while writing Blood to the Bone as she matched wits with Holmes and Watson and demonstrated
her fighting prowess. To see Mike channel Linda into Eby's appearance with no
prompting from anyone who knew her was a wonderful moment. The reaction readers
have had to her in her first two appearances continue the real life affect
Linda had on people. They were drawn to her, felt comfortable with her, and she
was always ready to help when and where she could. She has infused the
character of Eby Stokes, and I think this has gone a long way to explaining her
instant popularity.
What was your vision
for Queensberry Justice: The Fight Card
Sherlock Holmes Omnibus?
Anyone reading this who owns a copy of the omnibus—you have
my vision of the book. I think it came out great! When you first proposed the
idea of the omnibus, I was flattered and humbled at the idea of collecting the
material in a deluxe format. Discussing the cover art with the brilliant Mike
Fyles, I merely asked for something iconic. Not for my own ego, but rather, for
the concept, which was completely and utterly original.
Getting to be the first at something is a high honor and I'm
proud of all the work the team did on the three books. So why not put the
omnibus out there as a testament? But to Mike. I just said, go iconic and left it in his more than
capable hands. Well, you see the result! He comes back with this incredible
wraparound cover! Of course we had to make the inside live up to the cover! I
think we did. We've got your great foreword, I threw in an introduction, the
books and essays themselves, the brand new short stories, the cover and art
galleries—I mean, wow! What more can one ask for? We've given the reader not
only a nice collection of the original books, but have also invited him or her
behind the curtain at Fight Card Central. A truly immersive experience.
There are a number of
related articles in the omnibus. What is their theme and purpose?
The articles were great fun to do. The idea was, again, that
glimpse behind the curtain at how we got the books done. But also, they allowed
for some of the history to be explored. Not just the fictional history
concerning how Doyle planted the seeds for Fight Card Sherlock Holmes in the
original canon but also the real history of the fight game at that time. I do
know that the revelation of Victorian women's bare knuckle boxing caused a
mini-explosion when we showcased it in the second book, Blood to the Bone. More than one reader and reviewer thought I had
made that up out of whole cloth - a modern retcon of history - and were blown
away when the essays accompanying the book revealed women's bare knuckle boxing
to be fact, not fiction! I believe
this is one of the major achievements of the series outside of just reading
enjoyment. And I hope the forgotten history of these tough, capable women will
continue to grow through the Fight Card Books and journalistic pursuits.
You worked closely
with illustrator Mike Fyles on the covers of the second and third Fight Card Sherlock Holmes novels and
the omnibus. Can you tell us about that collaboration?
Mike Fyles is the best artist in New Pulp. Period. And
that's saying something because there are a number of very good artists at work
today. Seeing his great work over the years, I used to yearn for a Fyles cover
the way the great writers of the 60s yearned for a Robert McGinnis cover. I
approached him for a project many years ago, a project I felt was going to be
truly special and needed the best in the business to frame it. Then I just
crossed my fingers and prayed. He replied favorably and I could breathe again.
It was while working on that project (which will be finished soon) that Mike
and I just clicked. I would give him as much information on a subject as I
could and he would create stunning images which encapsulated all of my hopes
for a character or scene. Bringing him in to the Fight Card team for the debut
of Eby Stokes in Blood to the Bone
just felt right. He's gone on to breathe life into her and Holmes ever since. I
work with these characters on the page, painting word pictures, but he adds so
much detail, soul and makes them unforgettable once his work is viewed in
conjunction with the tales themselves. It's a natural collaboration, we just
click, and the results have blown me away. He's great! And I'm honored to work
with him. As a side note, my depiction of Dr. Moore Agar is based on Mike. What
can I say? He looks like Dr. Agar! Mike and I have many projects ahead of us.
While discussing artists, we shouldn't leave out Carl Yonder
who provided the great cover for Work Capitol, the first Fight Card Sherlock Holmes book. I don't
know Carl well personally, but I am very familiar with his distinctive work on Pirate Eye and elsewhere. He brought a
great feel and tone to the Work Capitol
cover. Carl, like me, had to create something completely new and original. We
were all in uncharted territory. And he did a great job.
It was such a treat to include the cover and art galleries
in the omnibus. The collection was meant to be a captivating showcase for what
Fight Card Books achieved and the work of Carl and Mike was crucial to any
success the individual books received. The omnibus just wouldn't be complete
without them stepping out to take their bows.
You wrote three
Sherlock Holmes short stories exclusive to Queensberry
Justice. Are they connected to the Fight
Card Sherlock Holmes novels?
By the time we were putting together the omnibus, I was well
underway creating the world of Eby Stokes and her important connection to the three
Fight Card books. I liked this idea of connectivity and thought it would be fun
to connect the three books more so than just having them connected under one
cover. This also provided an opportunity to re-visit the Fight Card Sherlock Holmes world one more time. The result was three
new short stories sprinkled strategically through the omnibus. The first kicks
off the omnibus and expands on the training Holmes received before we encounter
him in Work Capitol. The second is
for Eby Stokes fans. It is set before she teams up with Holmes and Watson in Blood to the Bone, and has some
connection to the goings on in Work
Capitol. The third story features Watson in a solo outing and delves deeper
into his mindset before the start of A
Congression of Pallbearers. Hopefully
readers will get the feeling they are reading one long narrative as they work
through the omnibus.
While Sherlock may be
taking a respite from his fistic pursuits, what is in store for Eby Stokes?
To illustrate how dense I could be, as I came to the end of
writing A Congression of Pallbearers,
the third and final book in the omnibus, I found myself being saddened at the
thought of saying goodbye to some of the characters we'd encountered over the
course of the trilogy. I had already decided after the second book and the
impact Eby Stokes made on readers to spin her off into her own series. Plus I
knew I would continue writing Holmes tales. But for some of the other
characters, this was goodbye.
The closer I got to the end of writing the book, my mind
began to muse on the Eby Stokes series and how I'd be faced with filling out
her supporting cast and setting up her world until, duh, I realized, why not
use the characters I was so reluctant to say goodbye to in the original trilogy
in the new series? And so, the Eby Stokes series will be a direct off-shoot of
the Fight Card books.
Queensberry Justice
serves, in a way, as the origin story for Eby Stokes. In her first novel, which
I will hopefully have out later this year, she'll be presented fully formed and
getting down to the Crown's business. Normally so much time has to be put in at
the outset to fill in the protagonist's back story, but here the three Fight
Card books collected in the omnibus do that on a much broader canvas, making
it, in a way, Book One of the Eby Stokes series as well as a fun collection of
Holmes tales.
I've got ideas for the first four novels in the Eby Stokes
series. I hope readers will enjoy getting closer to Eby. Learning more about
her has been fun for the author. I hope it's as much fun for readers. She is
one capable individual.
Here's an exclusive tease of the first novel in progress:
Eby Stokes is working under Mycroft Holmes at Special Branch, heading up a team
of action agents consisting of herself, Dr. Moore Agar (the personal physician
of Sherlock Holmes) and Peter Hayden, a dwarf of considerable abilities from Work Capitol. London is overrun with
spies, anarchists, and dynamite provocateurs and there's a plot brewing with
catastrophic consequences not just for England but the world.
What has creating the
Fight Card Sherlock Holmes novels and
the critical acclaim they have received meant to you as a writer?
I've been fortunate to work with some great folks! Ron
Fortier and Rob Davis at Airship 27, Tommy Hancock at Pro Se Press, and of
course, a certain Mr. Bishop over at Fight Card Books. All of these experiences
have been different, but also rewarding. My Holmes tales for Airship 27 were a
hit with Sherlockians and mystery fans alike. The two awards my work have
garnered, for which I'm eternally grateful, were for Sherlock Holmes tales.
When the invitation to create something utterly new in Holmes history was
suggested to me, I was so honored to be considered for the task.
Suddenly the pressure to get it right was on my shoulders.
Also, there was nowhere for me to hide so to speak. All of my Holmes tales had
been part of anthologies with other writers. Now, it was just me handling the
writing duties. With the rich legacy of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, I had to step
up, center stage, and Get. It. Right. The pressure was on, and I welcomed the
work.
Seeing the positive reactions to the individual books and,
already, strong reaction to the omnibus, has been a wonderful stepping out for
me into the Sherlockian world. The vast army of dedicated Holmes fans are a
true test of a writer's abilities. If one can write Holmes and Watson to a
level which satisfies these passionate fans, then one knows he or she is on the
right track. A writer cannot judge their work. Readers decide if a work is a
success or not. The positive reaction has been heart-warming and encouraging
for me, and I thank everyone who has given these tales a try. I wrote these
tales for readers, and readers have enjoyed them. Mission accomplished. And now
I want to continue the same pattern with the Eby Stokes series, more Holmes
tales eventually, and other projects. The reaction to Fight Card Sherlock Holmes has shown me there are readers eager to
come along for the ride. That's a responsibility I take very seriously and am
so grateful for it. I can promise readers they will always get my absolute best
effort every time. Hold on tight, it's going to be a wild ride!
********
A tip of the non-canonical deerstalker to Andrew as he exits
the interrogation room to hail a hansom cab and heads back to meet Eby Stokes
on the foggy streets of Victorian London...
THE FIGHT CARD SHERLOCK HOLMES OMNIBUS
Fight Card Books
added a bold, new chapter to the rich literary tradition of Sherlock Holmes
with the publication of the first Fight
Card Sherlock Holmes tale, Work
Capitol. The book was an instant hit and two more followed. These tales
covering the years Holmes spent honing his fighting skills in and out of the
boxing ring struck a chord with readers and garnered great reviews. Now, for
the first time, ALL three tales: Work
Capitol, Blood to the Bone and A Congression of Pallbearers are
collected in one action-packed volume. And more!
EXCLUSIVE TO THIS COLLECTION
Three Brand new Fight Card Sherlock Holmes short stories
Foreword by Paul
Bishop, the co-creator of Fight Card
New Introduction by
Andrew Salmon
Cover Galleries for
all 3 books
Sample pages from the
handwritten manuscripts
An alternate version
of one of the
trilogy's most dramatic scenes
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