(Banner made by my friend Lyn, using images of Jeremy Brett and a quote from my own Sherlock novel-in-progress.)
It could well be said that the Sherlock Holmes fandom was the very first fandom. I mean, until the creation of this skinny, ascerbic bloodhound, there was never anything quite like fanboys or fangirls in the world. But when Doyle attempted to kill off his famous creation, the worldwide reaction was extraordinary; some men in London wore black armbands in mourning, and nearly everyone was clamoring for the great detective's return. Even Queen Victoria herself asked for him to be brought back, and so ultimately, Doyle was forced to yield.
Sherlockiana is one of the most recent of my fandoms. I read Holmes years ago and found it interesting, but...it didn't really do much for me. On a whim, I bought The Complete Sherlock Holmes for my husband, who likes mysteries, and started reading one story just to clarify something to myself; I forget now what it was. What I didn't forget was that I couldn't stop at just one story. I devoured nearly the entire canon and became irreversibly hooked. I bought the series on audio CD to listen to at work, snapped up the Granada television DVDs featuring Jeremy Brett, and joined the nearest active Holmes club I could find. I even added "Be inducted into the Baker Street Irregulars" to my personal 'bucket list.'
I did, and didn't, start writing fan fiction. The fun thing about Sherlock Holmes is that he's public domain; people can legitimately publish their fan fiction about him. So that's my intention, if and when I ever get this darned novel finished. I tend to be a little tight-lipped about it; however, if you ever read the last volume of my LXG fanfic series, you'll find out the basics.
Meanwhile, linkage!
Sherlockian Who's Who -- a worldwide network of people who are members of Sherlockian societies. It's also a great way to find societies near you.
Sherlockian Calendar -- also a great networking site. Find out what Sherlockian events are coming up in the weeks ahead.
The White Rose Irregulars of York (PA) -- my society! Run by our very own Mrs. Hudson. I'm known as the "Mini-Watson" because I take the minutes at all of our meetings.
Mystery Visits -- the official website of "the" Sherlock Holmes. This gentleman is the most amazing impersonator I have ever seen, of any fictional character. If you ever get the chance to see him, GO. (He's also lovely when he's just being himself.) Here you can read about my own first meeting with him, which I will never forget.
Hounds of the Internet -- the email subscription list for fans around the world; this was how I established nearly all of my own Sherlockian connections.
Camden House -- the complete Sherlock Holmes, online, complete with Sidney Paget illustrations. Run by my good friend R.W.
My Sherlock store -- t-shirts, coffee mugs, tote bags and more, all featuring Sherlockian designs created by yours truly.
These are files for my own personal use in my work on Sherlockiana, but they're here for other people to use also. Have fun.
Reference Pages
A listing of all the canon stories and their common abbreviations
A table of all the canon villains, their crimes and fates (Under construction -- LOTS of plot spoilers)
A brief look at the known Holmes family tree