A "cryptic" interview with Jeffrey Deaver

Nick Higham interviews Jeffrey Deaver about his new Bond novel inside St Andrew Church in Holborn, London. This interview was filmed in July 2010 when the book was still only known as "Project X."

Final briefing with author Jeffery Deaver and Corinne Turner of Ian Fleming Publications ahead of Bondlaunch

PROJECT X TITLE AND COVER ART TO BE REVEALED IN DUBAI!

Bond author Jeffery Deaver has just tweeted the news that the title and cover art for his new James Bond novel will be revealed this week at his event in Dubai.

Click here for details on the Dubai event. Thanks to [dark] at the CommanderBond.net forums for the tip-off.

Project X makes Best of 2011

Jeffrey Deaver's upcoming James Bond novel has made the Guardian's list of The best books of 2011. Damn straight!

U.S. will get Project X two weeks after UK

I've confirmed with our friends at Simon & Schuster that the release date for Jeffery's Deaver's Untitled James Bond Novel is June 14, 2011.

That means U.S. fans will have to wait an addition two weeks for the book, which is released in the UK on May 28 (Ian Fleming's birthday). The last James Bond continuation novel, Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks, was released in the U.S. and UK on the same day.

As we reported last month, Jeffery Deaver will reveal some of the first details of his new reboot Bond book at a special event in Dubai on January 18th. Fans on the CBn forums are debating whether this means one of the "several exotic locations" featured in the book will indeed be Dubai. Hey, I like the idea!

Deaver to hold first Project X event in Dubai, Jan. 18

Gulf News reports that Jeffery Deaver will be part of a special "007-inspired" Emirates Lit Festival event in Dubai on January 18, 2011.

The event will mark Deaver's first public appearance as a James Bond author. He will discuss his love of all things Bond and reveal "a little bit about his new book Project X."

Deaver's Bond evening will take place at the stunning 900-seat theatre at Al Mamzar, known as the Dubai Cultural and Scientific Association.

"Jeffery Deaver's return to Dubai should not missed," said Isobel Abulhoul, Festival Director. "His 2010 Emirates Lit Fest event was one of the most popular with festival-goers and I know his Bond evening will be another festival highlight."

Following his event, fans will have the opportunity to meet the author at a signing session where he will sign special bookplates which can be inserted into his still untitled Bond novel when it is released on May 28, 2011.

Says Deaver, "I'm quite excited about returning to Dubai to take part in this James Bond-inspired Emirates Lit Fest event. During my last trip, I found Dubai to be a truly inspirational city - a place of awe-inspiring sights, fascinating cultures and remarkable people."

Lucy Hale, Sales & Marketing Director Hodder & Stoughton, added: "Hodder's authors have always enjoyed their visits to Dubai and we've had some great events with the Emirates Airline Festival. We're very excited about the publication of Project X and thrilled that they are putting on this special evening for Jeffery Deaver."

Tickets will be priced at 70dhs for the stalls and 30dhs for the balcony and can be purchased online from www.emirateslitfest.com from 3rd January 2011.

Deaver's new Bond will be released for the Kindle

This just appeared on Amazon. Looks like Jeffery Deaver's new Untitled James Bond novel will be released for the Kindle on the same day as the hardcover, June 14, 2011. This marks the first eBook release of a Bond novel simultaneous with the hardcover first edition.

Hey, like the description says, this is James Bond "for the new millennium."

The 14 original Ian Fleming James Bond novels are currently available for the Kindle, as is the most recent continuation novel, Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks.

Pre-order the Italian Project X

The Italian edition of Jeffery Deaver's new James Bond novel, codenamed "Project X", can be pre-ordered from Amazon's new Italian website, Amazon.it.

The listing shows the publisher as Rizzoli and a release date of June 1, 2011.

A personal message from Deaver, Jeffery Deaver

Project X U.S. edition hits Amazon with teaser cover art

The U.S. edition of Jeffrey Deaver's highly anticipated upcoming James Bond novel is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com. The website has also revealed publisher Simon & Schuster's very own "teaser" cover art. Nice!

Click to enlarge

The new novel, codenamed "Project X", will be released in the UK on May 28, 2011. Interestingly, the U.S. date on Amazon shows June 14, 2011 (we'll see if that date sticks). Amazon is also listing the abridged and unabridged audiobooks.

Project X manuscript imminent

A recent update on the official Project X website has confirmed that Jeffery Deaver is nearly finished with the manuscript for his new James Bond novel due for release May 28, 2011.

28.10.10 – Stop press: Rumours of a manuscript

Rumours are circulating that Mr Deaver has nearly finished writing Project X, and that the papers will soon be delivered to a top-secret location. This is causing huge excitement in the Hodder and Ian Fleming offices and we can’t wait to read it. Although, like you, we’re going to have to wait until May next year to discover James Bond’s latest adventure.

In early October Deaver reveled in a Q&A on his official website, "It's largely completed, though there'll be some more editing to do (you can never do too much rewriting)."

Top Secret Project X event today in London

Ian Fleming Publications and Hodder & Stoughton invited “a very small handful of people” to a "Top Secret" meeting with new James Bond author Jeffery Deaver today.

In true Bond style, the one-on-one meetings with the author took place in the crypt of St Andrews church in Holborn, London. The location was only revealed to attendees after they RSVP'd, and it was not revealed in advance that the meeting would be with Deaver (who recently arrived in the UK to start his latest book tour).

UPDATE: You can now read a first hand account of this ultra-mysterious meeting at the CommanderBond.net forums.

Deaver’s 007 will be a younger Bond

During his recent US book tour (promoting The Burning Wire), newly minted James Bond continuation author Jeffery Deaver revealed some choice new information about his upcoming Bond novel codenamed Project X.

First off, Deaver’s 007 will be a young Bond. Deaver confirmed that Project X will be a contemporary “reboot” and will feature a James Bond somewhere around 28-30 years of age. “We haven’t exactly settled on an age yet,” he says. Born in the 1980s, Bond will be a veteran of the Afghan War (Operation Herrick) and part of an elite new double-oh section which specialized in assassination and whose agents are disavowed if ever compromised. Fans on the CBn forums have tagged this new Bond, "XBond."

But Deaver took pains to point out that while this is a new, younger James Bond, he will still be very much the complex and somewhat dark character created by Ian Fleming.

Deaver revealed the story will span 4 or 5 days and will retain classic elements including M (who will be male again), Miss Moneypenny, and Mary Goodnight. Bond will still have a housekeeper, although it will not be the Scottish May (Deaver hinted at a Pakistani or Indian nationality). Also, prompted by my question, Deaver assures that the book will be spiced up with some nice Flemingesque sex.

Currently there is no title, but Deaver says he’s come up with a list of some 45 titles to choose from. He hinted that the title would refer specifically to the object of Bond’s investigation, so it doesn’t sound like we’ll get a generic Bond title like Devil May Care (although with 45 selections there must certainly a few generics in there, so it’s a little early to say for sure).

While the official Project X countdown clock shows a May 28, 2011 release date (Ian Fleming’s birthday), Deaver noted that this is a Saturday, so it’s not certain whether the book will be released on that exact day.

Deaver said he and IFP have some nice web-based promotions planned (currently there is a teaser on the Project X website promising a “one-of-a-kind event”), so keep checking The Book Bond for the latest breaking news on Project X.

Deaver talks titles, release date

At a book signing in Los Angeles today, newly minted Bond author Jeffery Deaver revealed that he has list of 45 possible titles for his Bond novel currently known as "Project X."

Devear says he and IFP are seeking a title that works for the book and also echoes the great Bondian titles of Ian Fleming.

He also pointed out that because May 28, 2011 is on Saturday, chances are Project X will not be released on that precise day, but sometime around that date. May 28 is Ian Fleming's birthday and currently the official Project X countdown clock due date.

Jeffery Deaver reveals Project X details

Dr. Shatterhand's Botanical Garden has posted a terrific video interview with new Bond continuation novelist Jeffery Deaver from his book signing in Virginia this week. Deaver reveals some major new details about his new Bond novel codenamed Project X. In fact, these details could be considered SPOILERS for those who want to stay 100% pure.

Click here to read

Bond authors show support for Deaver

With the announcement of Jeffery Deaver as the new James Bond continuation author, past Bond authors have shown their support.

Tweeting from the road during his recent world book tour, Young Bond author Charlie Higson says, "Good luck with the gig. From one Bond scribe to another."

Simon Gardner, speaking on behalf of his late father, John Gardner (Bond author from 1981 to 1996) says, "JG was a big fan he would be sending his best wishes if he was still with us. Good luck with the gig from all @johngardnercom."

Finally, Raymond Benson, Bond scribe from 1997 to 2002 says, "Jeffery Deaver and I are good friends. We served on the Jury (with Val Kilmer!) of the 2005 Noir in Festival (film noir festival) in Courmayeur, Italy, and have participated in many writer conferences together. Great guy."

Yes, you can already pre-order "Project X"

Leading fansite CommanderBond.net points out that the just-announced new Bond novel by Jeffery Deaver, codenamed "Project X", is already available for pre-order at Amazon.co.uk. Mind you this is the UK edition from Hodder & Stoughton. The U.S. edition from Simon & Schuster has yet to appear on Amazon.

In regards to whether or not this contemporary novel marks an end to period James Bond adventures (such as the Young Bond series), Corinne Turner, managing director of Ian Fleming Publications tells us, “Don’t worry we haven’t left the past behind entirely, but it’s nice to do something different – and keep everyone guessing!”

Keep up with all the latest on Project X at the official website and on Twitter.

Could Project X spell the end of Young Bond?

Bond fans are still buzzing over the announcement of a new adult James Bond continuation novel by Jeffery Deaver (codenamed Project X) due for release in May of next year. But within the announcement is a cord of concern for those of us who have hopes for a Young Bond Series 2.

The new novel will be set in modern times, abandoning the idea of locking the literary James Bond within the original Ian Fleming timeline. Of course, the Young Bond series has taken full advantage of this idea, setting the action in the early 1930s.

So if Bond is headed to the present, does that mean we will see no more adventures set in the past? Does this mean Young Bond 2 -- should Charlie Higson decide he’d like to do it -- is now off the IFP drawing board?

I put the question to our very own “M”, Corinne Turner, managing director of Ian Fleming Publications, who sent this encouraging response:

“Don’t worry we haven’t left the past behind entirely, but it’s nice to do something different – and keep everyone guessing!”

Good news.

Jeffery Deaver to pen new Bond novel!

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.

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.

www.jamesbondprojectx.com

Click here for a video of Deaver discussing his writing process.

Charlie Higson reveals, “I know what Project X is”

So what does Charlie Higson know about IFP’s Top Secret new project codenamed “Project X” and due to be revealed on Ian Fleming’s birthday on Friday?

Well, Evan Willnow (aka Mister Asterix) from CommanderBond.net asked Charlie directly during his appearance last night at the St. Louis County Library, and Charlie’s answer was nothing less than intriguing. But I’m going to make you go to CBn to read it. So go!

CBn: So what is Project X, Mr. Higson?