I’d also like to thank beta readers Dr. James K. Woosley and Evelyn Hively for their invaluable comments.
The style of this book, and subsequent books in the series, may seem unusual to you. However, there is a reason for that: I chose to use a more Victorian English writing style than my usual. So, as nearly as I can make it, the spelling is British, and phrasing, expressions, and euphemisms are based on those of Victorian England, including the more frequent use of adverbs, which is currently out of fashion but was very much the style in the late 1800s. Also for those of you who know me as a writer of hard SF/mystery, I am using, for the most part, the science of the day, and so the SF is correct per the period—though it may have been disproven later. This can result in some interesting juxtapositions, and I have a lot of fun with them. I hope you, the reader, do too.
—Stephanie Osborn
Huntsville, AL
May 2015
About the Author
—::—
Few can claim the varied background of Stephanie Osborn, the Interstellar Woman of Mystery.
Veteran of more than 20 years in the civilian space program, as well as various military space defense programs, she worked on numerous space shuttle flights and the International Space Station, and counts the training of astronauts on her resumé. Her space experience also includes Spacelab and ISS operations, variable star astrophysics, Martian aeolian geophysics, radiation physics, and nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons effects.
Stephanie holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in four sciences: astronomy, physics, chemistry and mathematics, and she is “fluent” in several more, including geology and anatomy.
In addition she possesses a license of ministry, has been a duly sworn, certified police officer, and is a National Weather Service certified storm spotter.
Her travels have taken her to the top of Pikes Peak, across the world’s highest suspension bridge, down gold mines, in the footsteps of dinosaurs, through groves of giant Sequoias, and even to the volcanoes of the Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwest, where she was present for several phreatic eruptions of Mount St. Helens.
Now retired from space work, Stephanie has trained her sights on writing. She has authored, co-authored, or contributed to nearly 25 books, including the celebrated science-fiction mystery, Burnout: The Mystery of Space Shuttle STS-281. She is the co-author of the Cresperian Saga book series, and currently writes the critically acclaimed Displaced Detective Series, described as “Sherlock Holmes meets The X-Files.” She released the paranormal/horror novella El Vengador, based on a true story, in 2013 as an ebook.
In addition to her writing work, the Interstellar Woman of Mystery now happily “pays it forward,” teaching math and science through numerous media including radio, podcasting and public speaking, as well as working with SIGMA, the science-fiction think tank.
The Mystery continues.
Endnotes
—::—
[1] “Yes my friend,” in Portuguese.
[2] “Pardon me,” Portuguese.
[3] “The agreement is still in effect,” Portuguese.
[4] “No,” Portuguese.
[5] “…in light of this news,” lit., “…with sight on this news,” Portuguese.
[6] “Competitors, rivals,” Portuguese.
[7] “My curador [or] curandero,” a traditional Native healer or medicine man, in this case specifically one who uses a psychoactive plant brew called yage, more commonly known as ayawasca or ayahuasca, rendered in Portuguese.
[8] “Very good,” Portuguese.
[9] “To-day” is an archaic form of the modern “today,” in common use in the 1880s and prior; this novel is set in the early 1880s.
[10] “Clark” is the British pronunciation of the word “clerk.” It is also the source of the surname Clark.
[11] “She of the Divine Pillar,” ancient Egyptian; likely a reference to patron goddess Hathor.
[12] “To-night” is an archaic form of the modern “tonight,” in common use in the 1880s and prior.
[13] To prevent execution of a plan, usually (but not always) by means of diversionary statements. A Victorian slang term.
[14] “Incredible!”
[15] “The Good Night’s Sleep,” Arabic.
[16] Detective; Victorian usage.
[17] Simple in the head; simpleton; Victorian usage.
[18] Mashed fava beans; this is a traditional Egyptian breakfast.
[19] “Captain, may my friend smoke his pipe?” Arabic.
[20] “Of course, my friend.” Arabic.
[21] “The coal is below, so it will be safe. But tell him to beware the crocodiles! Do not let him lose his tobacco pipe!” Arabic.
[22] “Excellent point, my friend!” Arabic.
[23] “Clew, clews” are the archaic forms of the modern “clue(s),” in common use in the 1880s and prior.
[24] “My friend,” French.
[25] “To-morrow” is an archaic form of the modern “tomorrow,” in common use in the 1880s and prior.
[26] “Valley of the Kings,” Arabic.
[27] “The Place of the Children of the Pharaoh,” Arabic; more commonly known as the Valley of the Queens.
[28] “Cañon” is the original Spanish spelling of the Americanized “canyon.” The Americanization was developed in the mid-1800s, but “cañon” remained in usage through the period of this story, after which time (roughly 1890s) the Americanization began to be used more frequently; but it was not fully superseded by “canyon” in English-speaking countries until sometime in the middle of the 20th century, as books from the first half of that century can still be found using the Spanish form. Spanish speakers still use the original “cañon.”
[29] A type of cheap novel of sensational, melodramatic style, popular in Victorian Britain. It eventually evolved into the pulp novel of the early 20th century.
[30] “Blasting, drafting,” Arabic; usually used in reference to a severe dust or sand storm. It is now the official meteorological name for a sandstorm or dust storm.
[31] Victorian liquor cabinet. Most had locks, and some were intended to be portable, as for picnics, camping and such.
[32] “My friends,” French.
[33] Hazing or initiation ritual, French.
[34] “That’s beautiful, that is!” French.
[35] “It’s magnificent!” French.
[36] “Fetch the crane!” Arabic.
[37] “Bowlder” is an archaic form of the modern “boulder,” in common use in the 1880s and prior.
[38] Affairs of the heart, matters of the heart.
[39] Victorian slang for a person of low morals or a vagrant of an unpleasant sort.
[40] A swindler, a phony, fraud; derived from the French for quacks who sold “patent medicine,” of which alcohol was usually the primary ingredient.
[41] “Affairs of the heart,” French.
[42] Warning, caution; French.
[43] “In a mass,” or in a group; Latin or French.
[44] Head scarf, veil; the cloth that covers a Muslim woman’s head and shoulders: Arabic
[45] “The Valley of Kings,” Egyptian.
[46] “Valley of the Gates of the Kings,” Egyptian; an alternate naming of The Valley of the Kings.
[47] “The Place of the Children of the Pharaoh,” Egyptian; the formal name of The Valley of the Queens.
[48] A chain, usually decorative and hung from a belt, on which women carried keys, household tools, and similar. Common in the Victorian era.
[49] Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy, Part 1: The Inferno, most commonly paraphrased.
[50] “Venomous-snake-snake,” from the Egyptian/Arabic word haje. Used to refer to either the Egyptian cobra or asp, though in this case it is the cobra, Naja haje, that is referenced, a relative of the cobras of India. It may then be literally translated as “cobra-snake.”
[51] Greek via Latin. Lit. “by itself,” can be rendered loosely, “as such.”
[52] Chamber pot.
[53] Shrubbery or brush; an area overgrown with brambles, brush, or cane.
[54] “Master,” Arabic. In this case it is intended to indicate the chief physician.
[55] “Good friend,” Arabic.
[56] Standing stone, from the French.
[57] “Pardon me,” French.
[58] lit., “Our Thing.” Italian.
[59] “Mode of operation,” Latin.
[60] “The heart has its reasons, which reason knows not.” French; Blaise Pascal.
[61] The syndrome of side effects produced by high doses of quinine.
[62] “And the two of you,” German.
[63] “Why yes, Doctor, you are correct,” Portuguese.
[64] “…the excellent records,” Spanish.
[65] “My friends,” Haitian Creole.
[66] Dark of the Moon, Arabic.
[67] A traditional Egyptian dish of rice, macaroni, and lentils with a tomato-vinegar sauce.
You have just finished reading
SHERLOCK HOLMES
AND THE MUMMY'S CURSE
SHERLOCK HOLMES: GENTLEMAN AEGIS, BOOK 1
by Stephanie Osborn
Edited by Dave Brzeski
Editor in Chief, Pro Se Productions—Tommy Hancock
Submissions Editor—Rachel Lampi
Director of Corporate Operations—Kristi King-Morgan
Publisher & Pro Se Productions, LLC Chief Executive Officer—Fuller Bumpers
Cover art by Jeffrey Hayes
E-book design by Forrest Dylan Bryant
Sherlock Holmes and the Mummy's Curse is a work of the HOLMES APOCRYPHA imprint
Pro Se Productions, LLC
133 1/2 Broad Street
Batesville, AR, 72501
870-834-4022
[email protected]
www.prose-press.com
Sherlock Holmes and the Mummy's Curse Page 27
