2121 replies to this topic

[Trident]

I haven't read about more than the next book, to be published on this day, one year into the future, good old IFP custom as it goes.

I strongly doubt Deaver will do more. Not because he couldn't or won't be interested. What will keep him from doing a series would be his contracts for Rhyme and Dance. I feel sure he'll have a contracted number of books to be published in both series', so he'd probably be well over his ears into work.

[marktmurphy]

I hope he does a series as it'd be nice for them to go in that direction now. If he were the next one-off I'd be less excited because he's not a thrilling name to me. Solid, though.
If he were to do a series he'd be the most successful author they've had so far writing a continuation Bond series. I suppose the signs are that he's not, though.

[Loomis]

This is strange, curiously unexciting news. It's as though IFP are trying to compromise between Benson and Faulks.

[Trident]

I hope he does a series as it'd be nice for them to go in that direction now. If he were the next one-off I'd be less excited because he's not a thrilling name to me. Solid, though.
If he were to do a series he'd be the most successful author they've had so far writing a continuation Bond series. I suppose the signs are that he's not, though.

The problem is, the calibre of Faulks, Deaver and the like are not to get for a series. They either have series of their own, to which they generally are contractually obliged. Or they just don't want to commit themselves further to work that is, at the end of the day, not completely their own. I'm quite excited IFP got Deaver and I'd welcome more than one book from him. But I don't really think we'll get a longer run of Bond from an established thriller veteran as Deaver is. Two is already more than I would hope for, three almost outlandish to expect in todays publishing business.

This is strange, curiously unexciting news. It's as though IFP are trying to compromise between Benson and Faulks.

I'm actually relieved it isn't a name that lets me hope for The Definite Bond To End All Bonds ©. Deaver is perhaps just what that series needs, an old hand able to deliver a decent page-turner that keeps readers excited beyond page 5 or so.

[marktmurphy]

This is strange, curiously unexciting news. It's as though IFP are trying to compromise between Benson and Faulks.

I sort of know what you mean: it's underwhelming in a way because he's not a surprising name, and after Higson and the Moneypenny Diaries and Faulks I was expecting something equally surprising. Like Daniel Craig, I suppose: it's been the decade for shaking Bond up!
But he's solid, and well-regarded it seems, so I'm happy to be getting a fresh Bond book from a proper thriller writer (which neither Failks nor Benson were! ).

[zencat]

One hour ‘till midnight in the UK! Oh I do hope Project X is a new continuation novel, but I expect it’s just some kind of Fleming tribute book. But one can hope!

BTW, chap named Jeffery Deaver is going to be coming through LA on a book tour in June. Mystery novelist. Maybe I'll go see him. Wonder if IFP would ever consider someone like him for a continuation novel? Oh, wait, he’s American. Forget it.

[Trident]

One hour ‘till midnight in the UK! Oh I do hope Project X is a new continuation novel, but I expect it’s just some kind of Fleming tribute book. But one can hope!

BTW, chap named Jeffery Deaver is going to be coming through LA on a book tour in June. Mystery novelist. Maybe I'll go see him. Wonder if IFP would ever consider someone like him for a continuation novel? Oh, wait, he’s American. Forget it.

Oh, if Lee Child can fake the American thriller/landscape/setting/feeling/andsoonyougettheidea, then I suppose Deaver could fake the odd British scene. Bonds are set mostly abroad after all...

[marktmurphy]

To be fair to him, Benson never did a bad job of portraying a Brit so, although I'd prefer a British writer, I'm sure it won't be a problem.

So, I suppose there's not much to talk about now. When are we likely to know the title? How did that work with DMC?

[zencat]

Just got the official press release with a sweet new Project X image. Embargoed until midnight BST (and I'm going to respect it). Stand by.

[godwulf]

I sincerely hope that Deaver's novel isn't set in America. I've been reading my way through the Gardner books, and quite frankly I'm sick of the stories being set over here. At least chances are good that Deaver wouldn't stereotype Americans quite as embarrassingly as Gardner (and occasionally Fleming) did, but still...

By a nice coincidence, Jeffery Deaver is going to be signing his new book here in Scottsdale on June 9th. I haven't been one of his readers, up to now, but it looks like I'm going to have to buy at least one of his books, in order to get close enough to talk with him for a minute (the store owner is funny about that).

Wish something Bond-related existed that I could get Deaver to sign...a copy of the eventual press release, perhaps? A photo of him, with a ghost-like image of Ian Fleming floating in the background? I'll think of something weird. He's probably going to think I'm a stalker before this is over.

[Loomis]

Lest we forget, Deaver was one of the authors who penned an intro for the 2006 Fleming paperbacks (as was Higson). Which would lead one to believe that he may be a Bond fan.

I've just been reading his introduction to CASINO ROYALE in search of clues as to how he's approached his own Bond novel (which I daresay has already been written). Reading between the lines, I suspect that he's emphasised Bond's humanity and vulnerability, while crafting a relatively gritty and hard-hitting plot to put him in, but he also seems a big fan of 007's taste for foie gras, Taittinger champagne and general high living.

BTW, the thing I'm most excited about is the contemporary setting, even though it seems very odd in light of the fact that Higson, Weinberg and Faulks all dealt in period Bond. (Are IFP trying to hint that Bond is a Doctor Who-style immortal?)

Why does this excite me? Well, my reasoning is that period Bond has been done to death. The literary Bond in 2010 is undeniably something new. And there'll be fewer damaging comparisons to Fleming.

[Matt_13]

Why does this excite me? Well, my reasoning is that period Bond has been done to death. The literary Bond in 2010 is undeniably something new. And there'll be fewer damaging comparisons to Fleming.

My thoughts exactly. May 2011? Long wait, but oh well, hopefully it'll be worth it. Now, if only we knew what that second project was! I'm also interested in why IFP decided to use a codename as cryptic as Project X. It seems very odd that they would give a simple continuation release such a veiled pseudonym. I wonder if there is more to the contemporary setting that we are missing.

[terminus]

Maybe they've just not decided on the title yet. Although it is possible that a draft of the novel has been completed, the information we have suggests it isn't and that only an outline has been presented. It's possible that they want to wait to make sure that the novel has an appropriate title, as they'd have us believe Quantum of Solace and Die Another Day have been.

I'd say there's no more to read into this than into Bond 23 as a working title.

[zencat]

IT'S HERE! WEBSITE AND ALL!

http://www.jamesbondprojectx.com/

[DAN LIGHTER]

It's official now! Like zencat just said

[Trident]

http://www.jamesbondprojectx.com/

EDIT: Aw, Zenners beat me to it. Who else...?

[DAN LIGHTER]

Great YouTube clip and he said he is excited, that's good enough for me. Only 365 days to go.

[marktmurphy]

Quite a strangely designed site, that.

[DAN LIGHTER]

Time to crack open a new jeffery thread one now isn't it?

[zencat]

We're gonna need a new section.

[jwheels]

I think this is great news. Deaver will be doing two book signings in Seattle in a couple weeks(one right down the road from where I live)so I'm excited to be able to meet him and to see if he will give any information away.

[chrisno1]

Dutifully read the announcements.
I have never felt an urge to read any of Mr Deaver's novels.
I'm disappointed (as an Englishman) that Glidrose have chosen an American to write the next 007 novel, but then Faulks did such a bad job they probably thought "Hang it! We just need a quality product!"
I think Deaver will get them that; he understands crime and thriller writing. My ony concern is that he won't be able to bring the appropriate Englishness to the character. But I look forward to being surprised!

[Matt_13]

" As far as any parallels between James Bond’s life and mine, there are a few, I’ll admit. I enjoy fast cars - I’ve owned a Maserati and a Jaguar, and I now take my BMW M3 or Infiniti G37 to the track occasionally. I’m a downhill skier and scuba diver. I enjoy single-malt scotch and American bourbons - not vodka, though if I recall from my reading of the James Bond books, the spy himself drank whisky considerably more often than his "shaken, not stirred" martinis.”"

This bodes well.

" Previous authors of official James Bond novels include Sebastian Faulks and Kingsley Amis"

That's not too kind.

[chrisno1]

I think this is great news. Deaver will be doing two book signings in Seattle in a couple weeks(one right down the road from where I live)so I'm excited to be able to meet him and to see if he will give any information away.

I met Jeffrey Deaver about ten years ago in London, when I managed an airport bookstall. His publishers and agent wanted to congratulate my team on selling more Deaver novels than any other outlet in the UK.
It was a very nice Italian meal. He's a very conversational guy and likes to drink Chianti Classico. Unfortunately so do I and that's where my memory of the evening ends! Suffice to say I ate a marvellous veal in masala sauce.

[zencat]

Quite a strangely designed site, that.

That website is sweet! Looks like we are in for a year of hype and roll out. Awesome!

MGM...Bond 23...do what ya gotta do. I'm busy.

[terminus]

As someone said - bring on the Deaver section.

[DAN LIGHTER]

Bond is international, Fleming liked Americans so I see no problem that he is American. He loved Flemings books when he was a kid so it's all good.

[zencat]

Check out this quote from Deaver.

Says Deaver, "My history with Bond goes back fifty years. I was about eight or nine when I picked up my first Bond novel. I was a bit precocious when it came to reading, but I have my parents to thank for that. They had a rule that I was not allowed to watch certain movies, but I could read anything that I could get my hands on. This was ironic since, in the 1950s and early '60s, you'd never see sex or violence on the screen. So, I was allowed to read every Bond book my father brought home or that I could afford with my allowance.

As far as any parallels between Bond's life and mine, there are a few, I'll admit. I enjoy fast cars – I've owned a Maserati and a Jaguar, and I now take my BMW M3 or Infiniti G37 to the track occasionally. I'm a downhill skier and scuba diver. I enjoy single-malt scotch and American bourbons—not vodka, though if I recall from my reading of the Bond books, the spy himself drank whisky considerably more often than his ‘shaken, not-stirred’ martinis."

This man is one of us!

[marktmurphy]

I met Jeffrey Deaver about ten years ago in London, when I managed an airport bookstall. His publishers and agent wanted to congratulate my team on selling more Deaver novels than any other outlet in the UK.
It was a very nice Italian meal. He's a very conversational guy and likes to drink Chianti Classico. Unfortunately so do I and that's where my memory of the evening ends! Suffice to say I ate a marvellous veal in masala sauce.

What a brilliant story! They genuinely got him in person to congratulate you? I love it!

[zencat]

BTW, here is the full uncut PRESS RELEASE for ya 'all.

Press Release

Jeffery Deaver to write the new James Bond novel

www.jamesbondprojectx.com

Ian Fleming Publications Ltd has chosen international bestselling thriller writer, Jeffery Deaver, to write a new James Bond book.

The novel, currently known as Project X, will be published one year from today for Ian Fleming’s birthday – 28 May 2011. It will be published by Jeffery Deaver’s publishers Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and Simon & Schuster in the US.

Jeffery Deaver has written 26 novels and sold more than 20 million books worldwide. His books have topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic and he has been described as ‘the most creative, skilled and intriguing thriller writer in the world’ (Daily Telegraph) and ‘the master of ticking-bomb suspense’ (People magazine).

007 came to life fully-formed in 1952 when Ian Fleming wrote Casino Royale. Since then over 100 million James Bond books have sold worldwide.

In 2004, Deaver won the Crime Writers’ Association’s Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for his book Garden of Beasts. In his acceptance speech he talked about his life-long admiration of Fleming’s writing.

Corinne Turner, Managing Director of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, was in the audience. She explains, ‘I’d always enjoyed Jeffery Deaver’s thrillers, but I particularly liked Garden of Beasts: it demonstrated that he was not only a master of the contemporary American thriller but could also write compelling novels of period suspense within a European setting. I didn’t know anything about the author himself and expected a fairly low key response from him when he received our award.

‘I was surprised and delighted when he spoke very fondly of Ian and about the influence that the Bond books had had on his own writing career. It was at that point that I first thought that James Bond could have an interesting adventure in Jeffery Deaver’s hands.’

Deaver comments, ‘I can’t describe the thrill I felt when first approached by Ian Fleming's estate to ask if I'd be interested in writing the next book in the James Bond series. I began reading them when I was about nine or ten, ignorant of the Cold War politics they explored but enthralled by their sense of adventure and derring-do. I continued to read and reread them, which was fortunate because as a teen and adult I found, of course, nuances, that were invisible to a child.’

He continues, ‘The Bond books were important parts of my life – both literarily and personally. They appealed to me as wonderful stories but they also stood as singular examples of a thriller writer’s craft. I learned, through osmosis as well as design, much technique from Mr. Fleming’s work; compactness, attention to detail, heroic though flawed characters, fast-pacing, concrete imagery and straight-forward prose.’

Unlike Sebastian Faulks’ centenary novel, Devil May Care, Project X will be set in the present day. Jeffery Deaver has started work on the book and his title is yet to be revealed.

Jamie Hodder-Williams, CEO of Hodder & Stoughton, comments, “Hodder & Stoughton is delighted that Jeff has been chosen to write the next James Bond novel, which we will be proud to publish. He’s a total professional, who has been with us for over 17 years and he’s immensely popular with booksellers and readers across all our markets. He’s such a great choice because his blend of fast-paced action with meticulous research will produce a thriller that will both honour Ian Fleming and at the same time be utterly contemporary. I can’t wait to read it.”

Jeffery Deaver is the author of a number of internationally bestselling crime series. He is best known for his Kathryn Dance and Lincoln Rhyme books, most notably The Bone Collector, which was adapted for film in 1999, starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. Deaver has also written two award-winning short story collections, as well as stand-alone novels including Garden of Beasts and The Bodies Left Behind, which was named Novel of the Year at the International Thriller Writers’ Awards in 2009.

Jeffery Deaver was born near Chicago in 1950. Before becoming a full-time author in 1990, he was a journalist, like Fleming, and attorney. He started writing suspense novels on the long commute to and from his office on Wall Street. His books are now translated into 25 languages. Deaver lives in North Carolina.

Jeffery Deaver’s latest Lincoln Rhyme thriller, The Burning Wire, will be published in the US on 1 June and in the UK on 22 July. A standalone thriller titled Edge will follow in November 2010 in both the US and the UK.

The original Fleming novels are published worldwide by Penguin Books.

Statement from Jeffery Deaver

When first approached by Ian Fleming's estate and the publishing company that oversees his work to ask if I'd be interested in writing the next book in the James Bond series, I can't describe the thrill I felt.

My history with Bond goes back fifty years. I was about eight or nine when I picked up my first Bond novel. I was a bit precocious when it came to reading, but I have my parents to thank for that. They had a rule that I was not allowed to watch certain movies, but I could read anything that I could get my hands on. This was ironic since, in the 1950s and early '60s, you'd never see sex or violence on the screen. So, I was allowed to read every Bond book my father brought home or that I could afford with my allowance.

I felt Fleming's influence early. My first narrative fiction, written when I was eleven, was based on Bond. It was about a spy who stole a top-secret airplane from the Russians. The agent was American but had a British connection, having been stationed, like my father, in East Anglia during WWII.

I can still recall the moment when I heard on the news that Fleming had died – I was in my mid-teens. It was as if I had lost a good friend or uncle. Nearly as troubling was the TV anchorman who reported that Bond, too, would die in the final pages of the last book, The Man with the Golden Gun. I was in agony until I could buy it the moment it was released. I read it in one sitting and learned the truth - at least I'd only have to mourn the loss of one of my heroes, not two.

I have won or been nominated for a number of awards for my thriller writing but the one that I'm the most proud of is the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, presented in conjunction with the UK's Crime Writers' Association, for my thriller Garden of Beasts. The award is in the shape of a commando knife that Fleming is said to have carried in his days working for the Naval Intelligence Division during the Second World War. The imposing award sits in the middle of my mantelpiece at home.

I don't want to give much away about the new book yet, except to say that it takes place in the present day and that the story occurs over a short period of time and finds Bond in three or four exotic locations around the globe.

The novel will maintain the persona of James Bond as Fleming created him and the unique tone the author brought to his books, while incorporating my own literary trademarks: detailed research, fast pacing and surprise twists.

As far as any parallels between Bond's life and mine, there are a few, I'll admit. I enjoy fast cars – I've owned a Maserati and a Jaguar, and I now take my BMW M3 or Infiniti G37 to the track occasionally. I'm a downhill skier and scuba diver. I enjoy single-malt scotch and American bourbons—not vodka, though if I recall from my reading of the Bond books, the spy himself drank whisky considerably more often than his "shaken, not-stirred" martinis.

Notes to Editors:

Project X by Jeffery Deaver will be published on 28 May 2011 by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and by Simon & Schuster in the US

All Jeffery Deaver’s books have been published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton and in the US by Simon & Schuster and Penguin. In the US, Pocket Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, publishes the paperback editions of Jeffrey Deaver's books and will also publish Project X in paperback

A photograph of Jeffery Deaver is available through Colman Getty in the UK and Simon & Schuster in the US

Carolyn Mays, Publishing Director, Hodder & Stoughton, is available for interview through Colman Getty

Corinne Turner, Managing Director, Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, is available for interview through Colman Getty

Ian Fleming Publications Ltd is the Fleming family owned company that owns the copyright in the Bond books www.ianfleming.com

For further information about Jeffery Deaver, visit: www.jefferydeaver.com

Bond Books

· Over 100 million Bond books have been sold (and over half the world’s population has seen a Bond film!)


· Ian Fleming wrote 14 James Bond books: Casino Royale (1953); Live and Let Die (1954); Moonraker (1955); Diamonds Are Forever (1956); From Russia with Love (1957); Dr. No (1958); Goldfinger (1959); For your Eyes Only (1960); Thunderball (1961); The Spy Who Loved Me (1962); On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1963); You Only Live Twice (1964); The Man With The Golden Gun (1965) and Octopussy and the Living Daylights (1966)


Fleming’s other works include the children’s favourite, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1964), which was made into a film and stage musical, The Diamond Smugglers (1957) and a collection of travel writings called Thrilling Cities (1963)

The Ian Fleming centenary was celebrated on 28th May 2008 with the publication of Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks. This publication formed the centrepiece to a year of celebrations which included a star-studded gala at the London Palladium, a BBC documentary presented by Joanna Lumley, an exhibition at the Imperial War Museum and a charity golf tournament held in aid of the British Heart Foundation

· Charlie Higson is author of the Young Bond books which are published by Puffin

Samantha Weinberg, writing as Kate Westbrook, is the author of the Moneypenny Diaries

Other previous authors of official James Bond novels include Kingsley Amis, John Gardner and Raymond Benson