How was Sherlock born?

[Annelie]

Hi Laurie,
I was wondering how and when Sherlock Holmes was born in your mind/heart. Has he always been the retired detective in there? Or was he younger as you were, too? How do you, when you slip inside Russel to write your book, see the much older husband?
If that is too private, just ignore my question, thats perfectly fine with me.
Best
Annelie

[Laurie]

Seeing just the title of "How was Sherlock Born?" I had all these visions of his birth. In a furious lightning storm, in a flash from the brow of Zeus, left under a tree by a gypsy--but no, you're just talking about me.

More prosaically, then, I think it took a while for Holmes to become real in my own mind, since I was more focussed on Russell at first. But he began to grow on me as a person. He was older when I began writing him, but I am rapidly catching up on him, and he no longer seems to me very old. Grey-haired, perhaps, but hey, he's only in his sixties!

[Annelie]

Thanks Laurie!
I see him as being 35-40 when I write about him. And yeah, I can relate to you having written so many Russel-Holmes novels. Its a little addictive to write about Holmes...
Cheers
Annelie