The Book Bond: About Me

My name is John Cox (aka "zencat"), and I've been a long-time fan of the literary James Bond. My interest was sparked when I read John Gardner's first continuation novel, License Renewed, in 1981. As I devoured each new Gardner book, I also discovered my father's stash of old Ian Fleming paperbacks. Doctor No, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Casino Royale...the original Ian Fleming books were amazing! And while I enjoyed the movies along with everyone else, I found the Bond of the novels -- the Book Bond -- to be just as exciting. Maybe even more so.

My passion only grew with each subsequent continuation novelist -- Raymond Benson, Charlie Higson, Samantha Weinberg -- and I eventually came to know some of the authors and the powers behind the scenes at Ian Fleming Publications. I've contributed to websites such as CommanderBond.net, and have written articles for OO7 Magazine, Collecting 007, and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. I've also had an essay on Bond appear in the book James Bond in the 21st Century, and my interview with continuation novelist Raymond Benson is featured in Tied In: The Business, History and Craft of Media Tie-In Writing.

For the past several years I've run The Young Bond Dossier, a website devoted to Charlie Higson's superb Young Bond series. I was honored when IFP selected my news to feed the official Young Bond website as well as their own Ian Fleming website. In "real-life" I'm a Hollywood screenwriter. My first produced film, Boot Camp, was released in 2008. I also write a blog about my other great passion, Harry Houdini.

Now with the launch of a new series of a-list authored James Bond novels, I've turned my attention to this blog, The Book Bond, where I will focus like Goldfinger's laser beam (or buzz-saw if we are talking about the book) on all that's happening in the world of the literary 007.

Hope you enjoy.