Faulks used Benson's Bedside Compainion

A terrific profile of Sebastian Faulks published in today's Washinton Post has revealed a few juicy new tidbits about his process of creating Devil May Care.

First off, Faulks reiterated that he "hates thrillers, hates thrilling films, they're just not thrilling." The Post revealed that the idea for Faulks to write the Centenary Bond novel "originated with his agent, Gillen Aitken, who sits on the board of Ian Fleming Publishing."

In preparation, Faulks said that he re-read the Fleming books and studied Fleming's style. "It's a journalist's style: short sentences, a lot of active verbs, no semicolons." On how he researched Bond's character he summed it us as being "Pretty easy, you just read the books."

But perhaps the most interesting revelation is that Faulks named Raymond Benson's The James Bond Bedside Companion as a research tool, especially in regards to the cars of Bond. "You look in the index, under 'car' -- it's not that hard."

Benson, who penned six original James Bond adventures between 1997 and 2002, first broke into the Bond publishing world in 1984 with The James Bond Beside Companion. An updated version of the book was released in 1988. In my opinion, it is still the best Bond reference book, being one of the only books to cover both the literary and cinematic 007.

Well chosen, Mr. Faulks.

Penguin revamps their 007 logo

As it is our stated mission to compulsively bring you ALL the latest James Bond literary news no matter how small or trivial, here is our first exciting SCOOP!

Penguin has revamped their Penguin 007 logo.

(Okay, maybe it's not the most exciting scoop. But we're a day old. What do you want?)

This new logo appeared sometime in the last 12 hours on the official Penguin 007 website counting down to the release of Sebastian Faulks' Centenary Bond novel Devil May Care. And in case you've forgotten what the old logo looked like (or don't believe me), just give a clicksee HERE.

Which logo to you like better? I'm on the fence myself.

A long lost appearance of YOUNG BOND at Eton

Our friend Tanner over at the excellent spy blog Double O Section has uncovered “a long lost appearance” of young James Bond at Eton. But he’s unlike the hero of the Charlie Higson novels. In fact, this “Young Bond” is a bully!

In the 1977 fiction biography of The Avengers hero John Steed (John Steed: An Authorized Biography by Tim Heald), we find this passage:

One factor which seems to have contributed to John's unhappiness at this time was the bullying which was an unfortunate feature of life in the school - or at least in those circles in which Steed moved. The main bully was a boy called Bond, later to achieve a certain notoriety in a career not totally unlike Steed's. Indeed their paths were to cross several times in adult life, seldom with profitable results. Although Bond was only two or so years older than Steed (a fact which will doubtless be disputed by Bond and his cronies) he was a great deal bigger. One of his fetishes was to make smaller boys stir his evening mug of cocoa for him, just as in later life he was to make a laughable affectation out of his insistence on dry martini cocktails being stirred rather than shaken. One day he demanded that Steed perform this service. Steed refused. Bond again insisted. 

'Who the hell do you think you are?' enquired Steed, suggesting at the same time that he should pick on someone his own size. 

'Bond, James Bond,' replied the bully, clearly expecting young Steed to fall grovelling at his feet. 

'Well, Bond,' said Steed evenly,'If you'd like to present yourself behind the Fives Courts by Jordan in half an hour's time I'll show you in the only language you apparently understand, precisely why I have no intention of stirring your rotten cocoa.'

Perhaps Charlie Higson can work in an appearance of John Steed in Young Bond 5 to return the favor?

Head on over to Double O Section to read more about this rare John Steed biography, and for a wealth of information on all things SPY.

Welcome to The Literary 007

Welcome to an all-new James Bond web destination; The Literary 007. Here you will find all the latest news on the literary James Bond, with a particular emphasis on the return of the adult 007 in Sebastian Faulks Centenary Bond novel Devil May Care.

We'll also keep up with what's happening with Charlie Higson's megaselling Young Bond series, Samantha Weinberg's Moneypenny Dairies, reprints of the Fleming originals and the continuation novels of Gardner, Benson, and Pearson, and the latest Titan Books reprints of the classic James Bond Daily Express comic strips. We'll also watch out for any literary tie-in's to Bond 22, and anything else Ian Fleming Publications may have planned for 007.

Even though we are brand new, we've launched the site with an archive already packed with James Bond literary news (courtesy our sister site The Young Bond Dossier). So plunge in and get to know the original Bond, James Bond, here at The Literary 007.

And spread the word!

Faulks talks Devil May Care with NPR

Novelist Sebastian Faulks spoke with NPR about his new novel, Engleby, AND his upcoming Centenary James Bond novel Devil May Care.

Faulks noted that he followed Ian Fleming's own prescription of "How To Write A Thriller" (an article Fleming wrote for SHOW Magazine in 1962) which, according to Faulks, specifies writing 2000 words a day combined with snorkeling, martinis, and having dinner with beautiful women.

It's a good interview, and very funny when Faulks talks about how he is already becoming inextricably associated with James Bond in London literary circles.

CLICK HERE to have a listen at the NPR website.