Jeffrey Deaver turned down a second BOND

A loyal reader from North Carolina recently attended a book signing for Jeffrey Deaver's new novel, The Burial Hour. Deaver was the author of the 2011 James Bond continuation novel, Carte Blanche, which rebooted 007 into the present day. At the time the author said he was open to writing another Bond, and that he might set it in Australia.

During the signing Deaver was asked if there were any plans for that second Bond novel. Deaver revealed that he had been approached to do one, but decided to turn it down. He said he didn't care for the amount of creative oversight and the monetary split that comes with doing a Bond novel.

Will we ever see a continuation of that modern day James Bond timeline? If so, it appears it won't be Deaver doing it.

Thanks to our friend in NC for this.

BOND around the world

I took a little trip around the web today and pulled down several international covers for Carte Blanche and Solo that I hadn't seen or shared before. Enjoy.

You can read my Book Bond reviews of Solo (HERE) and Carte Blanche (HERE).

WHATCULTURE.COM counts down the "10 Unadapted 007 Stories We’d Love To See Made Next"

Whatculture.com has posted a blog counting down 10 continuation novels that could make good Bond films. It's a pretty thoughtful list, although I would have swapped out #4 Scorpius in favor of Brokenclaw, which I think could make a great Craig-era Bond. Read: "Bond 24: 10 Unadapted 007 Stories We’d Love To See Made Next."

If you don't feel like clicking through, here's the list:

10. High Time To Kill (Raymond Benson)

9. Young Bond (Charlie Higson)

8. License Renewed (John Gardner)

7. For Special Services (John Gardner)

6. Icebreaker (John Gardner)

5. Devil May Care (Sebastian Faulks)

4. Scorpius (John Gardner)

3. Colonel Sun (Kingsley Amis)

2. The Man With The Red Tattoo (Raymond Benson)

1. Carte Blanche (Jeffery Deaver)

JAMES BOND: LE DOSSIER SECRET

Our good friend Kevin Collette of Our Man From Bond Street has joined the ranks of Bond author with the release of his book, James Bond Le Dossier Secret. Here's a translation of the French blurb from Kevin.

Did you know that... 

One of the very first early screen treatment of Casino Royale had James Bond replaced by a … Girl as the main character of the plot? 

Alfred Hitchock was activately courted by Ian Fleming for directing the very first Cinematographic James Bond adventure? 

George Lucas & Steven Spielberg created the adventures of Indiana Jones after being rejected by Albert Broccoli as potential directors of a James Bond movie?

Author Ian Fleming intended originally to have James Bond dying at the end of From Russia With Love. 

All this and more. 

More. 

Much more is revealed in Kevin Collette 's very first essay on the James Bond phenomenon, which took the world by surprise at the movies way back in 1962 – the very year our writer was born.

With an exclusive foreword penned by the delightful Miss Rachel Grant – aka Peaceful Fountain of Desire in Die Another Day) the book packs 200 pages of information even the most die-hard fans of 007 will find entertaining – including exclusive ITWs with Raymond Benson, Sam Rolfe, Jeffery Deaver and others famous Bond people and distinguished 007 connoiseurs from all over the world . 

A movie critic for more than thirty years, Kevin Collette has been truly mesmerized by the first James Bond movie he saw as a kid in a theater in 1971. The film was Diamonds Are Forever, and the kid never recovered since…

James Bond Le Dossier Secret will be released in France this month. Watch Our Man From Bond Street for details.

UPDATE: Pre-order here.

Raymond Benson and Jeffery Deaver team up for ICE COLD

Bond authors Jeffery Deaver and Raymond Benson have joined forces and will be editing a new Mystery Writers of America anthology of short stories called, ICE COLD: Tales of Mystery and Intrigue from the Cold War. The book will be published in 2014. Here is the press release announcing the project.

The Publications Committee of Mystery Writers of America is delighted to invite our members to submit original short stories for the next MWA anthology to be published in 2014. We are very pleased to announce that this new anthology of original short stories will be co-edited by Raymond Benson and Jeffery Deaver. These two outstanding writers, the only two American authors of official James Bond novels, have joined forces to edit our annual anthology of original short stories. 

Centered on the Cold War, this book will let our members unleash their own interpretations of a tense and scary era in history. Raymond and Jeff will each write an original story for this exciting anthology and have invited other top MWA members to do so as well: Joseph Finder, John Lescroart, Laura Lippman, J. A. Jance, T. Jefferson Parker, Sara Paretsky, Katherine Neville, and Gayle Lynds with John Sheldon.
Ten new stories will be selected by an expert MWA panel from a pool of blind submissions by our current members. Members in any category of membership may submit stories -- you do not need to be previously published, but you must be a member in good standing (dues paid). 

Please consider joining these ten outstanding authors in this exciting venture. Stay within the theme, and send in your story by February 1st for consideration by our panel of judges. Here is the final title and theme for this thrilling project: 

Ice Cold:

Tales of Mystery and Intrigue from the Cold War

Edited by Jeffery Deaver and Raymond Benson 

“Spies. Femme fatales. Shady diplomats. Covert meetings in foreign cities. Nervous political leaders. Nuclear threats and brinksmanship. Paranoia. The Cold War had all of these and much, much more. The frigid time between 1945 and 1989 was a real-world maze of dead drops, double (and triple) agents, and clandestine meetings—and betrayals.
Sharpen your writing instruments to pen stories set during this terrifying time, when war between the superpowers was a frightening possibility that could be jump- started at the touch of a button. The Cold War background lends itself to a variety of stories—mystery, thriller, pulp, noir—each one highlighting the danger and fear that stalked secret agents, reporters, or even everyday citizens. So flip up the collar on your trench coat, and make sure you aren’t being followed as you step into the shadowy world of the Cold War.”

Watch Raymond Benson's official Facebook page for updates.

CARTE BLANCHE paperback released in UK

A new paperback edition of Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver is released today in the UK. The cover art (left) is radically different than the hardcover and the UK trade paperback edition released earlier this year. The book also contains a new afterward by Jeffery Deaver.

Jeffery Deaver will also be touring the UK starting today. He'll be talking about Carte Blanche and his new Kathryn Dance novel, XO. For a list of Deaver's tour stops, click here.

The Carte Blanche paperback can be purchased on Amazon.co.uk.

Click here to read my Carte Blanche review.

CARTE BLANCHE wins Japan's Best Foreign Novel of 2011

Ian Fleming Publications has announced that Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche has won Japan's Bouken-shouetsu adventure fiction award for the Best Foreign Novel of 2011.

Congratulations to Jeffery Deaver and Japanese publisher Bungei Shunju Ltd on winning this prestigious award.

The Japanese edition of Carte Blanche runs 456 pages with a translation by Makiko Ikeda. It can be purchased at Amazon.co.jp.

James Bond's watch from CARTE BLANCHE

Our friend Dell Deaton has posted on his terrific James Bond Watches blog this look at 007's watch from Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche.

Click to read more at James Bond Watches.

CARTE BLANCHE UK paperback cover art revealed

Here is the surprising new cover art for the UK mass market paperback edition of Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver. It's radically different than the UK trade paperback edition, and also different from the artwork currently showing on Amazon. Publisher Hodder & Stoughton has really gone in a completely new direction with this paperback, and I like that!

The Carte Blanche mass market paperback is due for release on May 24, 2012 and can be pre-ordered now on Amazon.co.uk.

Thanks to Sarah at IFP and Helena at Hodder and Stoughton.

Look inside the 'CARTE BLANCHE' RED EDITION (video)

Some Bond fans and book collectors were somewhat disappointed with Waterstone's Special Edition of Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche, which was basically the regular hardcover in a box with a surprisingly steep price tag. Also disappointing was the price of £1000 for the beautiful Bentley Special Edition, which put it well out of reach for most fans.

I'm not sure if this had anything to do with Hodder & Stoughton's decision to release a third Special Edition of Carte Blanche several months after the book had come out in stores. But I am certainly glad they did, because the Carte Blanche Red Edition is definitely the book to get!

Not only is the Red Edition gorgeous -- it's basically the super pricey Bentley Edition with a red cover -- but it is also eminently affordable at £100. And at the moment it's discounted 35% on Amazon.co.uk, bringing the price down to £65 (with free shipping in the UK).

Instead of me writing about the book and explaining all the coolness within, I've shot a video which I think does the job just as well.

The Carte Blanche Red Edition is limited to 500 copies and can be purchased at Amazon.co.uk.

Thanks to Vickie Boff at Hodder and Stoughton.

CARTE BLANCHE released in Germany

It's taken a while, but Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver has finally been released in Germany with a translation by Thomas Haufschild and as an audiobook read by Dietmar Wunder. Cover art is below. You can buy it on Amazon.de.

Details of Jeffery Deaver's German book tour can be found at his official website.

CARTE BLANCHE RED EDITION in hand

Thanks to the good folks at Hodder & Stoughton, I've scored a limited Carte Blanche Red Edition. It's gorgeous! Watch for my hands-on review with more photos and video showing the embedded bullet, etc., soon.

You can purchase the Carte Blanche Red Edition at Amazon.co.uk.

UPDATE: Look inside the Carte Blanche Red Edition (video)

CARTE BLANCHE Polish paperback

Reader Kamil sends over this cover art for the Polish paperback edition of Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver due for release in March by Wydawnictwo Albatros. Nice to see something a little different.

Thank you, Kamil.

CARTE BLANCHE paperback released today in the USA

The U.S. mass market paperback edition of Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver is released today by Pocket Star. Cover art is similar to what was used on the U.S. hardcover. The book can be purchased for $9.99 on Amazon.com.

Amazon.co.uk also shows a Carte Blanche paperback with a release date today in the UK by Hodder and Stoughton, but I admit I'm totally confused about what's happening with the UK Carte Blanche paperback. Amazon showed a release in November (and I was told it was in stores), yet this appears to be the same book. There's also another UK paperback set for May.

No word yet on any new Bond novel, although I'm hoping that we'll see at least a Skyfall novelization in November.

Click here to read my review of Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver.

First look at the CARTE BLANCHE "RED EDITION"

The good folks at MSE Books have sent over cover art for the special Carte Blanche "Red Edition" coming December 20.

Bound in red leather and limited to just 500 copies, the special edition will have a bullet embedded into the pages which will contain the limitation number. The price is £100 and is available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk.

UPDATE: I've just received word that this edition is NOT signed as I originally reported. Sorry about that.

Special CARTE BLANCHE "RED EDITION" coming Dec 20

Here's a nice little Christmas present!

The good folks at MSE Books in the UK (a great source for special editions and hard to find titles) have alerted me to an all-new special edition of Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche coming our way on December 20.

Known as the "Red Edition", it will be a hardcover bound in red leather with head and tail bands and a ribbion bookmarker. Limited to just 500 copies, it will have a bullet embedded into the pages which will contain the limitation number (now that's pretty cool).

The price is £100 and it is available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk. Unfortunately, there are no photos available yet, but I'm hoping to get some soon.

UPDATE: Photo revealed! Very nice. This appears to be another version of the Bentley Special Edition in red, and at a much more affordable price.

UPDATE 2: I've just received word that this edition is NOT signed as I originally reported. Sorry about that.

CARTE BLANCHE trade paperback released in UK (?)

Carte Blanche has been released in the UK as a trade paperback by Hodder & Stoughton...at least I think it has.

Amazon shows the released date of November 24, but also shows that it will ship in "2 to 4 weeks." (My own order from The Book Depository has yet to ship.) Also, I've seen no fanfare or adverts for this paperback release, and Amazon lists another paperback with this exact same cover art for release in May (I've been told this is the mass market edition).

It's all a little confusing, and is certainly a contrast to Devil May Care, which received new cover art and a major new ad campaign when it was released in trade paperback in 2009.

The U.S. gets the paperback edition of Carte Blanche in January.

Déjá vu, Mr. Bond: The surprising similarities between the continuation novels and the James Bond films

At the recent London press conference announcing the title of the new Bond film, Skyfall, we also learned that the new Bond Girl, played by Bérénice Marlohe, will be named Severin. Sound familiar? It should. Just this year we got a Bond villain named Severan in Jeffery Deaver's continuation Bond novel, Carte Blanche.

Just a coincidence? Could be. But this certainly isn't the first time an idea has mysteriously migrated from a continuation novel into one of the James Bond films. Here's my list of surprising similarities, first published on CBn in 2005, which I've now updated.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

CARTE BLANCHE released in Japan

Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver is released this month in Japan. The Japanese edition of this latest James Bond novel runs 456 pages with a translation by Makiko Ikeda.

Purchase at Amazon.co.jp.