Step into a world where Sherlock Holmes rubs elbows with Houdini, Nikola Tesla powers fantastical inventions, and characters from classic literature walk side by side in a richly imagined alternate universe. Author John Pirillo, creator of The Baker Street Universe, has spent a lifetime steeped in the stories of Verne, Wells, and Conan Doyle—tales that not only sparked his love for reading but also ignited a boundless creative drive. In this interview, Pirillo shares how childhood afternoons buried in books turned into a lifelong passion for storytelling, why human decency is the heartbeat of his fiction, and how a cluttered writing space and a cold Zevia Cola help him bring entire worlds to life.
John Pirillo’s Baker Street Universe series is a genre-blending tribute to the golden age of imagination, where anything is possible and no hero stands alone. Set in an alternate Victorian-era London, the stories blend mystery, adventure, and speculative science as Holmes, Watson, and a rotating cast—including Houdini, Tesla, and Verne—team up to face threats that span dimensions and defy logic. It’s a genre-blending tribute to the golden age of imagination, where anything is possible and no hero stands alone.
Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: My earliest literary influences were the class comics of the fifties…My parents would read to me War of the Worlds, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and then later Atom Age Combat, GI Joe, Superman, Spiderman, Challengers of the Unknown, then when I could read for myself from libraires…Edgar Rice Burroughs…everything. Robert Heinlein. Isaac Asimov, L. Sprague de Camp, A.E. Van Vogt, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells…and pretty much any book I could get my hands on to read…from autobiographies to biographies, science, art and so on.
Q: What’s a memory of a story or book that made you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: All of the books I read made me want to write, and I would create my own stories in my mind and out loud when I played as a child.
Q: Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work? What impact have they had on your writing?
A: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jules Verne, Herbert George Wells, L. Sprague de Camp, Robert Heinlein, Arthur Conan Doyle.
Q: What’s been the most unexpected lesson you’ve learned about yourself through writing?
A: That I have to deal with my own emotions, which I withdrew from because of early abuse in my childhood…relative to women and speaking up.
Q: How do you nurture your creativity when life gets busy or overwhelming?
A: I meditate. Taught it for decades. Still do it every day.
Q: What’s one writing habit you can’t live without and one you wish you could break?
A: Writing every day I can’t live without. I wish I could break the habit of not making a good living from it. Ha-ha!
Q: What’s the best piece of advice another writer has given you about storytelling?
A: Don’t edit yourself as you write.
Q: When do you feel most “in the zone” with your writing—early mornings, late nights, or somewhere in between?
A: When I’m not exhausted, which since Covid has been daily.
Q: What’s a book that changed how you think about writing or storytelling?
A: I’ve read thousands by now…and quite frankly, they all have left some influence.
Q: Do you find inspiration in other art forms (music, film, visual art)? If so, how does it shape your work?
A: I compose music, create art, write poety, have written screenplays and plays. Love anything Dali, fractal, abstract, realistic.
Q: Do you have your own circle of writer friends? If so, what other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
A: Only those who contact me for help and tips.
Q: If you could collaborate with any writer, past or present, who would it be, and what would you create together?
A: Arthur Conan Doyle. Would love to do Urban Fantasy mysteries with him.
Q: What themes do you find yourself returning to again and again in your work?
A: Human decency, kindness, forgiveness, real love.
Q: How do you approach writing characters with experiences different from your own?
A: I model characters after real people I know, see on TV, film, or have read about.
Q: Do you ever feel pressure to include (or avoid) certain topics in your writing? Why or why not?
A: I avoid sexual situations, swearing…because I want younger readers to be able to read my work without scarring them.
Q: What’s your go-to snack or drink while writing?
A: Zevia Cola.
Q: What’s a quirky or unexpected detail about your writing space?
A: Clutter.
Q: Do you have any rituals or routines to help you transition into “writer mode”?
A: Being awake.
Q: What’s a challenge you’ve faced in your writing career, and how did you overcome it?
A: Cash flow. Writing is an erratic way to earn money. I have two other sources of regular income so I don’t have to worry over not making money…though I do wish for more as I’m sure all of us would or do.
Q: In your experience, what has been the best way to market your books? Where have you found the greatest return on your investment (whether it be time or money invested?)
A: Best way to market your book is to make sure it’s the best one you got, and to keep writing frequently and make sure your genre is clear in the writing, title and cover.
Q: How do you define success as an author? Has that definition evolved over time?
A: Loving yourself no matter what the outcome. As I age it has become more solidified.
Q: What’s one question readers ask you the most about your books, and what’s your answer?
A: More please! More given.
Q: What do you wish readers understood better about the writing or publishing process?
A: That it’s time consuming especially for the self published authors like myself. Many of us do everything…marketing, writing, editing, proofing, book covers, promotions…
Q: What have you written that you found to be the most fun to write?
A: Sherlock Holmes, The Baker Street Universe.
Q: What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
A: Escape to Adventure…not Holmes. Hard to break free of Holmes stamp.
Q: Do you have an all-time favorite writer, or does your favorite change over time? Who is your favorite writer today?
A: Jim Butcher, James Rollins, and so many more.
Q: What is your favorite genre to read? Do you write in that genre? Has that always been your favorite genre, or has your taste evolved as you have grown as a writer?
A: Urban Fantasy. I do write in that genre. No, science fiction and fantasy were always my most favorite.
Q: What other books would you recommend to our readers in addition to your own?
A: Anything by Dan Brown, Jim Butcher, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, James Rollins, Douglas Preston.
Q: If you could live in the world of one of your books for a day, which would it be and why?
A: The Baker Street Universe…because the world is filled with honesty, integrity and kindness and the will and strength to resist evil of any kind.
Q: If your life were a novel, what would the title be?
A: The Lost Horizon.
Q: What’s a surprising or unusual skill you have that might make its way into a story one day?
A: With my new meditation technique I will be teaching to help my fellow humans experience greater health, happiness and productivity.
Q: What’s a new genre or style you’d love to experiment with in the future?
A: Romance.
Q: What’s one thing you hope readers take away from your latest book?
A: Friendship.
Q: What do you think the future of storytelling looks like in a world of evolving technology?
A: With AI…I’d say it’s infinitely possible to change and keep changing more and more rapidly.
Q: What projects are you working on at the present?
A: I have about two dozens books in the evolving stage, and two more reaching final.
Q: What do your plans for future projects include?
A: Write a new science fiction series which expands our view of technology and humanity in the best possible way.
John Pirillo is the author of the Baker Street Universe series, a genre-blending adventure that reimagines Sherlock Holmes in a world where classic literary characters and historical figures coexist. A lifelong lover of mystery, science fiction, and fantasy, John draws inspiration from authors like Doyle, Verne, Wells, and Burroughs to create rich, imaginative stories. When he’s not writing, he explores music, art, meditation, and the limitless possibilities of parallel worlds.
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Book Summary
When Jack Utley loses his daughter just as his business is about to soar, it seems he’s traded financial gain for Callie’s life. After an encounter with a mysterious woman on the eve of Callie’s funeral, Jack wakes up to find that time has somehow rewound to the morning of Callie’s accident. Jack gets an opportunity that most grieving parents can only dream of – he saves his daughter’s life.
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