Annie's Book Stop of Worcester

Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester is happy to have CV Shea on our Author Spotlight blog. Shea was here last Friday with his book Sherlock Holmes From A to Z, talking about all sorts of interesting information from the Holmesiana universe!

Thanks for joining us! For readers unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe what you write? 

I’m a Sherlock Holmes fan. My book is basically a ‘dictionary’ of everything contained in the Holmes Canon.

What was the inspiration for your book? What were the steps you took to bring it from initial inspiration to the finished book?

Many people think Sherlock Holmes was a drug addict. It was my belief that this was not true, so I embarked on researching every story in the Canon to determine how often Holmes’ drug use was actually mentioned. This process evolved into Sherlock Holmes From A to Z.

What draws you to the particular genre or style that you write? What do you think draws readers to these kinds of books?

I’ve always been a fan of Victorian England (provided I was one of the wealthy ones).  Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made it appear like a great time to have experienced, and with that, Holmes became a favorite.

What else can we expect from you in the near future?

I am presently working on a new book entitled The Definitive Guide to Sherlock Holmes.

What does your writing space look like? What do you need to have around you while writing or editing?

A large computer screen, my notes, and all the reference materials I’m currently using. It is always neat; I despise a mess. I like to know where everything is at all times. Stopping to look for something that should be right at hand, drives me nuts.

Do you have any favorite foods or drinks that must be in the vicinity (or must be avoided) while you’re writing or editing a piece of work?

A glass of good wine is always within reach.

What do you consider the most challenging part of the writing process? And how do you overcome that?

Doing it. That may sound crazy, but just sitting down and doing it sometimes is the most difficult thing for me to do, I always have something else I’d rather be doing, napping for instance!!!

What are your passions when you’re not writing? How do you make time for your non-writing hobbies/things you love?

I love to travel and photograph everything I see.

Thank you very much for joining us, CV Shea, and for coming out to our store to talk! ABSW at 65 James Street still has signed copies of Sherlock Holmes from A to Z for folks to pick up and enjoy.