the back flips I assume that went down to make this acronym work?
thank you for not separating them and for in fact making them inseparable… and for giving him a magnifying glass . thanks
Assuming NASA is anything like NOAA/NWS, they *likely* already had the acronym name figured out because they wanted to call that sensor SHERLOC and WATSON. Also, this will be on the Mars 2020 rover, which as of now doesn’t yet have a name, but since it’ll be launched in 2020 and is going to Mars, well, Mars 2020 rover. (NASA is only so creative, y’all.)
BUT. Because this IS going to go to Mars, it’ll be roving around a planet that we really don’t know a lot about, seeing things that have NEVER been seen before, and just being all magical. I’m not sure what the life cycle of this rover will be (as in the past, rovers have exceeded NASA’s life expectancy forecast), but what I do know is that when this rover is shut down/’dies,’ it’ll be on MARS FOREVER. And, when humans, the first ones going to Mars, greet it, it’ll still BE THERE and this rover, and likely this sensor (since it is looking for organic materials using two types of spectrometery: raman and luminescence) might be a contributing factor to how humanity even GETS to Mars, and maybe even SURVIVES on Mars.
*cries* I just love space so muccccchhhh.
Amazing. JUST last night, I wondered, if the world ends, how the hell do we make sure Sherlock & Watson last forever? Only way would be to send them into space…then THIS!
Sorry for the inactivity recently! School has been really busy and I barely had time to post on Tumblr.
BUT!
Anyways, I went to see the POP SHERLOCK exhibition in Toronto Reference Library two weeks ago, and I thought I should share it with you guys…
(Here’s the program thing!)
Alright! Here we go!
First off, there’s some interesting character info and some non-canon works they are featured in:
Then there are some really nice collection of posters:
I’ve never heard of this movie but LOOK AT HOW HOLMES LOOK AT WATSON AND LOOK AT ME IN THE EYES AND TELL ME IT’S JUST PLATONIC. (Also their lines… flirting at its finest, gentlemen.)
Aaaaaand here’s TPLOSH!!! (I told my friend that this is the “grandfather of johnlock subtext” and she just looked at me and secretly judged me… :’)
A photo of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle…
A cool artwork for Adventure of the Dancing Men.
Bonus: Some info about the 19th century Sherlock fandom literally reviving Sherlock from the dead, but the fanfiction writers at the time already took over (good job, senpais):
Next, here are some interesting… artifacts:
Some DC and Marvel comics featuring Holmes (surprising, because DC literally stands for Detective Comics, but Marvel? wOW):
BONUS! BBC Sherlock mangas! (I wiped out my friend’s face in order to protect her privacy)
Friend: “Can I steal these?”
Me: *takes out a screwdriver kit* “Well let’s find out!”
(JK WE DIDN’T STEAL ANYTHING)
Two plays based on Sherlock Holmes:
First, a musical (interesting…):
Second one, featuring… *drum roll…*: LEONARD NIMOY! The fact that he played both Holmes AND Spock just made me so happy. :’))
Here are some interesting things made based on the stories and/or Holmes:
Collection of toys:
This ADORABLE Lucky Cat (haha, *wink wink*):
This REALLY cool art (egg?) based on The Adventure of the Dancing Men:
Permission from ACD to use Holmes in commercials (his handwriting is just gorgeous):
Here are some really interesting *cough* weird or cringy *cough* ads:
Ahhhh great ads! 8/8 IGN
(LMAO Alright I lost it at Surelocked Homes)
!!!: Because of how some artifacts were arranged, I couldn’t get all of them in one picture, and I lost a few pictures (because I decided to be dumb and use snapchat for some of them) so if there’s anything you guys really want to see, please, feel free to ask me for more pictures since I’m probably going there again (there was a really good Granada pic that I lost *weeps* so I HAVE to go back). I also went to the ACD permanent installation (also at Toronto Reference Library), and I will post pictures of that very soon. Stay tuned!
So I have something to talk about with you guys, and I hope you’ll be excited about it. Confession: I am super nervous about doing this, and about announcing it.
After a long time, and a LOT of internal debate, I have decided to begin the process of editing “Performance in a Leading Role” into an original manuscript.
Many of you have urged me to do this in the past. I’ve been hesitant, and I wanted to be sure that I had completed all I wanted to do in the fannish incarnation of the story first. It’s been seven years since the story was first released (whoa), and I don’t plan to write any more fanfiction in the Sherlock fandom, so I think it’s time.
Another reason I was hesitant is that I’ve always been so honored and touched by the fandom response to this story. You’ve all taken it to your hearts in a way that I never anticipated, but which made the whole process of writing it a joy and one of the most rewarding writing experiences of my life. In a way, the story is as much the fandom’s as it is mine.
But that will never change (I hope). And in the end, it’s a piece of writing I’m proud of and I think I’d like the chance to share it with a wider audience, and hopefully use it to help me build my own writing career.
Initially, I had thought to offer it to the publisher who released “Zero at the Bone,” Dreamspinner Press, which is a fantastic gay romance publisher. But then my illustrious beta tzikeh said “You know, publishing has changed a lot since 2009. I think you could sell it to a mainstream publisher.” I consulted with another published-novelist friend who agreed, so…I am going to swing for the fences on this one.
So, you may have questions. Let me attempt to answer them.
Q: What does this mean for the story’s presence on AO3 and other fandom archives?
A: Honestly, I don’t know. Any change in its status is pretty far in the future (like, years, probably, if it changes at all). For now, nothing will happen. Everything will remain exactly where it is. If it were up to me, the fannish version would be able to remain posted (perhaps locked to registered AO3 users?). That might not be possible. I doubt it’ll be up to me. But if the story is removed from its current archives, you will have TONS of advance notice. And I will be generating a nicely-formatted PDF of the entire series plus all the extras, which will be available for free download.
In point of fact, you can do that anytime! Any work on AO3 can be downloaded in several formats, including pdf. There’s a “download” button in the upper right of every story. It’s always a good idea to save offline copies of your favorite fics, because stories come and go all the time. I’ve often been glad I saved so many BBM fanfics, as most of them are now unavailable.
Q: Will you need to get an agent for this?
A: Yes. If I’m going to shop Big Five publishers I need representation. That’ll be my first step – well, the first step is to complete an edit of the manuscript.
Q: What are you going to change when you edit?
A: Aside from the names, I’ll need to massage the Sherlock character to be less – shall we say, Sherlocky. Luckily being a frigid, difficult jerk isn’t unique to him. The John character will be American and bisexual from the start (not out publicly, but to himself and those close to him). The reason for that is I’m leery of the “gay for you” trope. I will likely downplay or eliminate the Moriarty character. He really never worked very well in the story and the only reason he’s even there at all was that readers sort of expected an appearance. “Sherlock” may still have an acting rival but it won’t be as ominous. I may make a few cuts or even additions to the story as I go along – there are a lot of things that could have used better build-up in previous chapters, but that’s the hazard of publishing serially. I won’t have that problem now, so I can make some changes to help the emotional arcs track better.
Q: What about the sequel and the extras? Will those be incorporated?
A: I don’t know! “Lifetime Achievement” isn’t quite long enough to be a bona fide sequel as it stands but it’s something to think about.
Q: Will you change all the real-people references to fake people?
A: Not right off the bat. I will make some changes needed by an updated timeline (Letterman isn’t on the air anymore, for example, and Alan Rickman has passed away). But it’s not illegal to reference real people in fictional works. It’s possible that if I can sell the manuscript an editor may want some changes, but for now I’m going to leave all those real-Holllywood references as they are.
Q: What about the sexytimes?
A: I may…tone that down a bit. But a lot of the sexy bits in the story do important character work, so I don’t anticipate cutting everything.
Q: Will you change the title?
A: I don’t plan to. I like it. I didn’t change the title of “Zero at the Bone” from its fannish incarnation.
Q: People will be able to figure out that it used to be fanfiction.
A: Probably. It won’t be the first (by a long shot). I’m not ashamed of the story’s origins.
Q: What about works based on it?
A: I don’t have jurisdiction over anyone who’s done fics inspired by or based off of the story. Where it gets uncertain for me is in the realm of translations and podfics. I don’t think it’s my place to ask someone who put in a great deal of work on a translation or a podfic to remove it. I don’t know the right answer to this.
Q: Can we see the new version?
A: Okay, so. I will post general updates about my progress here on my Tumblr, but I am also going to be conducting a lot of the work of editing the manuscript using my Patreon as a workspace. I would love to share some of the process and get input on it from readers, but obviously I can’t do that work publicly. So if you’re interested, becoming a patron there is the way to go.
I have no guarantee that any publisher will want to buy it, of course. But hopefully, someday you’ll all be able to buy the new version!
But again, if you want in on the process and to see the edited material ahead of time, Patreon.
Okay. If there are more questions, please send me an Ask. I probably won’t begin serious work on this editing until I’ve at least finished my rewrite of “Flagstaff,” although I’ve taken a bit of a crack at chapter 1. This won’t be happening overnight, that’s for sure.
I’m excited about the possibilities, and I hope you will be excited about them, too.
@madlori Congrats on this huge step! I absolutely loved Performance in a Leading Role, and I anxiously await the published version (I have no doubt there will be one).
Thank you for sharing your time, talent, and passion with us. We will all be here cheering you on. Cheers!
so the princeton neuroscience lab folks not only use Sherlock with fmri machines to study narrative processing in the brain, they also use fanfiction to teach their models more about the characters
Yesterday I was back working on my Dad’s notes on his Holmesian thoughts and discussions. I stumbled across notes on a debate that was held in The Domininion Pub, Liverpool, back in 1963 [not December, but July] during a Sherlock Holmes readers group. Preface: The Dominion was on the dock road, a seafarers pub, and one of the few that catered to queers. It was known for ‘queer evenings’ a few times a week. My Dad was a regular there. Several of the men were working class Holmesians, not welcome in Holmesian Societies, probably gay or bi, and considered outsiders.
Anyway on to my find: My Dad had drawn out an idea that had been discussed.
At the top: Watson’s Great Cover-Up
Then three subheadings: Cases. Vigilante. Invert.
Under ‘cases’ he has a huge list of the Sherlock Holmes cases including the mentioned but not explained cases. I presume there had been discussion on each one as to how John was twisting or inventing plot to hide things.
Under ‘vigilante’ he has the words Milverton killing. Now we all know that many readers felt that Sherlock had killed Milverton and the unnamed woman who just showed up at the right time to kill Milverton was a lie. [CAM Towers scene reinvented this scenario. Mary there to kill CAM first then kills Sherlock instead] But there are other instances in canon where Holmes displays a habit of being his own form of justice. Another notation which I haven’t even gone into yet is ‘Baskerville. Holmes secretly there.’ And finally ‘LAST’ for His Last Bow. Undercover Holmes could have done many things in the name of Altamont.
Under ‘invert’ is written ‘all’. I think he means ‘ALL’ of the canon Watson’s subtext. Everything proves that Holmes was gay.
But the main thing for me in reading this is that readers were seeing Watson as not just a narrator, a Boswell, but asa spin doctor. Watson himself being Holmes’ ALIBI whenever required. An upstanding doctor, a retired captain of the Queen’s Army, a stalwart citizen, a married man…..a perfect alibi for any dodgy behaviour. Watson was cover for Holmes’ need to go beyond the law at times regarding villains, and also to remain inside it regarding homosexual acts. Watson gave Holmes credibility. Watson was ALWAYS protecting Holmes in every word he wrote. Mofftiss touch on this in TAB repeatedly. John’s spin on Sherlock bleeds into their reality. John creates the legend as well as facilitates it.
I believe the now fandom famous ‘John’s Alibi’ is not an alibi for John but John’s alibi for Sherlock. John is spinning reality. Always has done. And Mofftiss have tried to incorporate this into the show and attempted to modernise it. If John is covering up for Sherlock killing Mary, how layered would that be with the Milverton kill/CAM Towers redo. Sherlock actually states; I killed his wife. Maybe he really did, and the rage from John is the cover up, the staged reaction for form sake.
All thoughts welcome on this.
Oh mercy this is so good.
Bless this precious piece of history @i-love-the-bee-keeper – thank you so much for sharing! I truly believe in my heart of heart this is the case — John-the-spin-doctor has been in control of the narrative, always — as Dr. Watson did in canon because every story is written in codes.
There’s a hidden narrative in every canon story, and I don’t mean just subtext. Albeit this is my personal opinion/speculation as I can’t find any collaborating evidence… but there IS a pattern. Nearly every story in canon is constructed the same way, as in two parts – Holmes and Watson domestics and conversations and/or Watson monologue/conversation about Holmes, then, the case. The signs are usually provided in part one, and as you read through part two you use the signs in part one to decode the real story in part two. Some signs I noticed to-date:
locations (as in NWES of London) in relation to past/present/future,
time (as degrees in a circle) a gauge of gay/straight (as the missing ring/bell, or, an incomplete circle is a reoccurring motif in many stories)
currency (something to do with 7% return/solution – working on this one)
physical features of characters (usually what’s considered defects in the Victorian era=crooked=criminal=gay)
languages and nations (France/French/Latin=heart and love, Germany=logic and the matters of the mind…..)
This is all very overly simplified obviously…. but in regards to Sherlock, I’m probably in the super minority that still believes we are simply never given the whole picture, i.e. the untold stories rather than dream-states. The theatric was for…… solving a past that our modern Sherlock and John never lived but must address, and that past is being manifested in all the M characters (as Mor in ACD canon because it all began with the, um, religious organization in A Study in Scarlet). Case in point:, the last six episodes of Sherlock, with TAB in the middle as a bridge, are all about the M characters: Moran, Morstan, Magnussen, Margrete Thatcher, Morphine (as in what it really means in canon – morphing of different characters, i.e., disguise), and finally Moriarty/Mycroft/Mary with Eurus as M inverted to W and the true meaning of the phrase “the Woman” for both Holmes and Watson.
And the reason our modern Sherlock and John must be the “face” of that past? Because Holmes and Watson are part of the collateral damage, and as an audience, we are being asked to confront what we know and believe to be “the true story” no matter where we stand.
Anyway, my apology for rambling on your post! Glad to see you on my dash once more, welcome back!
Has anyone been to the U of M library and seen any of the Sherlock Holmes collection in person? Is any of it open for public viewing? The website says:
“The collection itself is housed in our secure
underground storage area and is generally not available for viewing on a
tour…”
thank you @bimartin for showing me Bristol and all these great locations. We couldn’t take pictures everywhere, inside the pool for example, but I had an amazing time.
Sherlock Fandom Archive 