The Man with the Golden Typewriter: Ian Fleming's James Bond Letters

Amazon is now listing an intriguing new book, The Man with the Golden Typewriter: Ian Fleming's James Bond Letters, edited by Fergus Fleming. The listing does not include a book description, but the Ian Fleming Publications logo tells us it's official. Release date is November 3, 2015. This one looks like a must.

Pre-order on Amazon.com (U.S.)

Pre-order on Amazon.co.uk (UK)

Thanks to the gang at CommanderBond.net for the alert.

ANTHONY HOROWITZ launches new official website

Bond author Anthony Horowitz has launched a newly redesigned official website. Here you'll be able to keep up with the author's Trigger Mortis event appearances and whatnot. The site also has fourms. Anthony writes:

So welcome to my new website!

The whole idea is to help keep me in touch with my audience…and, of course, vice versa. Whenever I’m out doing talks or signings, my movements will be posted here. If there's any news, I’ll try to make sure it appears on this site first.

Publication day for my new James Bond novel, TRIGGER MORTIS is on September 8th and I have that to look forward to. I’ll be on tour in the UK and then in America and Canada. There are two or three literary festivals penciled.

Visit the new site at: www.anthonyhorowitz.com. The author is also very active on Twitter @AnthonyHorowitz.

TRIGGER MORTIS cover art tweaks

You might have noticed that the cover art on Amazon for Anthony Horowitz's new James Bond novel, Trigger Mortis, has undergone a bit of change. As you can see from the comparison below, "A James Bond Novel" has been dropped in favor of just "James Bond," and the main title is now orange with the author's name in black. What gives?

Trigger Mortis original art (left) and current online cover (right).

I'm told that Orion is simply experimenting with different approaches as the final cover is not yet entirely set. Proof editions sent out earlier this month used the original design. I'll be curious to see if this new design turns out to be closer to the final cover. Or maybe the book will be released with more than one design? Collectors, start your engines!

Trigger Mortis is based in part on unpublished Ian Fleming material. It will be released on September 8, 2015 in both the U.S. and UK.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis U.S. edition.
Pre-order Trigger Mortis UK edition.

CHRISTOPHER WOOD eBooks no longer available

Christopher Wood's two novelizations of the James Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker are no longer available as eBooks. The eBooks were released in 2013 and completed a full set of continuation eBooks. Now Amazon has no listing for either book. I'm not sure why this is. Maybe Drax and Jaws got 'em!

Thanks to @GhostAgentK on Twitter for the alert.

Gardner's BOND in the era of Brosnan

Here's a 1995 Italian combo edition of John Gardner's Scorpius and Win, Lose or Die. The cover image of Bond is clearly modeled on Connery, but there's also something about it that feels very much like John Gardner's Bond -- older, more conservative, formal. An interesting take on 007 at the dawn of the Brosnan film era.

John Gardner's Scorpius was first published in 1988 (click to see a vintage ad). Win, Lose or Die appeared in 1989.

Read about the collision between Brosnan and Gardner's Bond: SILHOUETTE-GATE.

Vintage to release THE SPECTRE TRILOGY in October

In what looks to be a gentle tie-in with the new James Bond film, SPECTRE, Vintage books will release The SPECTRE Trilogy on October 1st. The book collects the Ian Fleming novels, Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only Live Twice.

These three novels had previously been collected and published under the title The Blofeld Trilogy in 2009.

You can pre-order The SPECTRE Trilogy now at Amazon.co.uk (UK) and Amazon.com (U.S.).

TRIGGER MORTIS U.S. proof

Looks like U.S. publisher Harper Collins has also issued a Trigger Mortis proof, although not quite in the same spectacular fashion as in the UK. Note the cover includes a blurb reading: "Pussy Galore is Back!" This doesn't appear on the online cover art. I wonder if this will appear on the final book jacket?

Click to enlarge.

I don't have one of these in hand myself. This image comes from @MatthewChernov on Twitter who reports: "So far, so excellent."

Trigger Mortis is based in part on unpublished Ian Fleming material. Locations include Germany and the United States. It will be released on September 8, 2015 in both the U.S. and UK.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis U.S. edition.
Pre-order Trigger Mortis UK edition.

James Bond will drive a Bentley in TRIGGER MORTIS

Author Anthony Horowitz has confirmed via Twitter that James Bond will be driving a Bentley in his new novel, Trigger Mortis. But which Bentley will Bond be piloting? Will it be the Bentley Mark VI that Bond purchases at the end of Moonraker? Or will it be his beloved Bentley Mark II Continental, "the locomotive", which first appears in Thunderball? As Trigger Mortis is set in 1957 between these novels, Horowitz appears to have his pick. (And, no, I've not yet peeked in the proof to find the answer.)

Trigger Mortis is based in part on unpublished Ian Fleming material. Locations include Germany and the United States. It will be released on September 8, 2015 in both the U.S. and UK.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis UK edition.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis U.S. edition.

Erik Carlsson, 1929-2015

Erik Carlsson, a.k.a. "Mr. Saab", has passed away at age 86. Carlsson was an international rally racing star who assisted author John Gardner in research for his third James Bond novel, Icebreaker. Gardner thanked Carlsson by including him in the book:

Bond then flew via Helsinki to Rovaniemi, to meet up with driving experts, like his old friend Erik Carlsson and the dapper Simo Lampinen. The Driving Course took only a few days, and after a word to the massive Erik Carlsson, who promised to keep an eye on the Silver Beast, he left the hotel near Rovaniemi in the early hours of a bitterly cold morning.

Later Carlsson brings Bond's Saab 900 Turbo north and leaves 007 a note in his glove compartment which reads:

Good luck, Whatever You're Doing... Remember what I've taught you about the left foot!!! -Erik.

Read Erik Carlsson's obituary at The Telegraph.

TRIGGER MORTIS limited edition proof

Yesterday I was thrilled to receive in the mail a Trigger Mortis limited edition proof. The proof came boxed and wrapped in plain paper with a period flavor, much like the announcement postcards that were sent out a few weeks ago. The proof is a hardback signed and numbered by author Anthony Horowitz. It came with a press release and a special letter from Horowitz that reads in part:

Orion have produced this limited, signed edition proof and let me say straight away that I'm delighted with the cover design and the embossed hardboard which quietly references Goldfinger – as you'll see, the story begins two weeks after that particular mission ends. Very, very few copies are going out. You are among the first to be reading this.

Thank you Anthony Horowitz, Orion, IFP, and the good folks at Riot Communications for giving me the opportunity to read Trigger Mortis early. Can't wait!

Trigger Mortis will be released on September 8, 2015 in both the U.S. and UK.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis UK edition.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis U.S. edition.

Higson: TRIGGER MORTIS is "unapologetically Bond"

Former Young Bond author Charlie Higson had tweeted his opinion of Trigger Mortis, the new James Bond novel by Anthony Horowitz. He seems pretty darn ecstatic! His tweet below:

Trigger Mortis is set in 1957 just after the events of Goldfinger, and is based in part on unpublished Ian Fleming material. Locations include West Germany and the United States (Florida and New York), and the book also sees the return of Pussy Galore!

Trigger Mortis will be released on September 8, 2015 in both the U.S. and UK.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis UK edition.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis U.S. edition.