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Faulks to write new Bond book

11.07.07 Philip Jones

Sebastian Faulks has written a new James Bond novel to be published by Penguin in the UK and Doubleday in the US. The book, entitled Devil May Care, will be released to mark the centenary of Ian Fleming's birth--28th May 2008.

Faulks said: "I was surprised but flattered to be asked by the Fleming Estate last summer if I would write a one-off Bond book for the Ian Fleming Centenary. I told them that I hadn’t read the books since the age of 13, but if, when I re-read them, I still enjoyed them and could see how I might be able to do something in the same vein, then I would be happy to consider it.  On re-reading, I was surprised by how well the books stood up."

Ian Fleming Publications Ltd announced in July 2006 that a new Bond book had been commissioned. Fleming's last Bond book, Octopussy and the Living Daylights, was published in 1966. Devil May Care is set in the Cold War and the action is played out across two continents, exotic locations and several of the world's most thrilling cities.

Faulks added: "In his house in Jamaica, Ian Fleming used to write a thousand words in the morning, then go snorkelling, have a cocktail, lunch on the terrace, more diving, another thousand words in late afternoon, then more Martinis and glamorous women. In my house in London, I followed this routine exactly, apart from the cocktails, the lunch and the snorkelling."

The book is at the centre of a larger programme of celebratory events that will run throughout 2008. To mark the centenary, Penguin will be creating a special James Bond imprint, Penguin 007--within which Devil May Care will be published in May 2008, as well as launching a new website:www.penguin007.com. Penguin UK publishes all 14 of Fleming's Bond novels, the Charlie Higson Young Bond series, as well as Fleming's children's classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Faulks has written ten books, including eight novels, the most recent of which, Engleby, was published to widespread acclaim in May this year. Faulks remains with his usual publisher, Random House. He said: "I am sure Penguin will do a great job with this book, but I would like to stress that Random House remain my publishers."

Previous authors of official James Bond novels include Kingsley Amis, John Gardner and Raymond Benson.

Philip Jones Penguin Random House James Bond Sebastian Faulks

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