I am giving away 10 copies of TRIGGER MORTIS

As you may have noticed there is currently a banner for the release of the US paperback of TRIGGER MORTIS on this blog. Therefore I wish to make it clear that I do not receive any money for that banner. Instead I have been offered 10 copies of the book to use for a competition here on the blog. In other words one can say that the readers and not me are the ones gaining on this advert.

And the task to be able to win is easy and will only take you less then a minute.

1. First of all. hit the LIKE button over at the blogs Facebook page.

2. Then comment with your favourite James Bond collectable (For example Corgi DB5) on this pagepost!

This will automaticity let you be on of the contenders for 10 copies of the US TRIGGER MORTIS paperbacks that I am giving away.

Please note: Usually there is not many people who take part in these kinds of contests and since I am giving away 10 copies of the book your chance to win is quite big.

The contest ends in seven days on September 20th.

Trigger Mortis released in glorius US paperback Today

Today saw the release of Anthony Horowitz fantastic James Bond novel in paperback in America.

I have earlier written a blog post about how the fantastic illustration by Patrick Leger evolved. I received my copy of the book today and I must say that the design is even better then I dared to hope it would be. The spine is fantastic and what looks to be yellow on the below picture is actually more neon green then yellow.

But there is something that I have never seen or actually felt before with this book. The thicker cover paper bare the feeling of sandpaper at a grit of approximately P1200. This is totally new to me. I also like that the pages of the book seems to be made of mixed paper.

TRIGER MORTIS is a fantastic James Bond novel. especially the chapter when the villain Jason Sin explains to James Bond why he does what he intend to do.

Collecting James Bond novels is mostly about collecting old books since the new ones do not have a great cover design. I mean who can forgive the artworks they used on the Raymond Benson books.

Also, in the UK, when Orion books released the paperback. They tried to broaden the target audience by making the cover speak more to women. Here on the US version they do not do that. They now what the book is and stays faithfully to that audience. This is exact what I would have done. Maybe it all debends on the UK hardback selling much better then the US. I do not know.

One thing is certain. It is a great novel, with a great cover and I would love for this to happen all over again with the same author in a year or two. A new author trying to write a Bond novel will be like Lazenby talking over after Sean. Anthony Horowitz placed the bar high with Trigger Mortis.

Lazenby signed an ULTRA RARE 007 poster

As many of you know I got the chance to meet George Lazenby in Oslo Norway the other day. And I have promised the blog readers to share my interview with him.
All this will come soon because I have over one hour of video footage to look at and try to make my first video out of so I beg of some patience.

Now this blogs soul purpose is to share knowledge and thoughts on the James Bond novels. But when an opportunity to meet Mr 007 himself arrives the rules don't apply.

But since it is Mr Lazenby's 77 birthday today I thought I would share a moment in Oslo with you when he signed my ultra rare movie poster for ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE.

The artwork of George and Diana was never used so this poster never actually made it to the printers. In all my years of James Bond collecting (many by now) I have never seen this artwork on anything except on the cover of 007 Magazine #27 that came out in 1994 and since then I have always wished to have this hanging on my wall.

I asked Mr Lazenby if he knew anything about the poster and why it was withdrawn but he said he had never even seen this artwork up until last week when I showed him.

Mr Lazenby asked me if I wanted him to sign "007" after his name but I wanted him to sign "The other fellow". The line in the film that we hard core fans love so much.

I received this poster from my two dear friends Thomas Nixdorf at "THE NIXDORF COLLECTION - James Bond Poster & Art Archive" that owned the artwork and this has then been recreated peace by peace by the wonderful Peter Lorenz at Illustrated 007

 

 

 

I read the early hardbacks of Ian Fleming

I am currently re-reading the Fleming novels and have so far read CASINO ROYALE and  LIVE AND LET DIE and I am now reading MOONRAKER.

But I believe that they way I am reading the books is a bit different from other James Bond collectors.
Early copies from the UK hardback editions is hard to come by and cost a fortune. Many collectors by them and put them in boxes and maybe look at them from time to time.

I am actually reading the oldest Cape editions I have in my collection. The MOONRAKER hardback I am reading right now is a 1955 second impression.

So why am I not reading a modern paperback. Well first of all I wish to be certain that the text in the novels are like Ian Fleming wrote them. I am not sure if this goes for his books but other authors sometimes gets modernised by the estate to make the story more readable for a younger audience.

Another reason for reading the older prints is that they are as close to the 50´s and 60´s that I will ever come and it is something special about going to bed with an early edition of MOONRAKER. You are holding in a book released before the big James Bond bonanza ever took place.

It feels genuine in some way. Like going back in time. Like the difference between watching Dr. No on your TV or at the cinema.

What printing of the James Bond books do you read? Do you dare to read any of your high valued books or are they put away safely. Please comment below. I would love to hear it.

Where there only three double O's? 007, 008 and 0011

How many double O's would you say there is? Well if you watch the James Bond films made by Eon Productions you would say that there are many of them. But if you read the Ian Fleming books you might say that there are far less.

In the third James Bond novel by Ian Fleming titled MOONRAKER we do get an answer to this question.

As early as on page 12 it reads.

Bond had told her as much. often, and he and the two other members of the OO Section had at various times made determined assaults on her virtue.

On Page 14 it continues.

Oh, and the powder-wine says that 008's got out. He's in Berlin, resting. Isn't it wonderful!

And what about 0011? It was two months since he had vanished into the Dirty Half-mile in Singapore. Not a word since. While he, Bond, No. 007, the senior of the three men in the Service who had earned the double o number, sat at his comfortable desk doing paper-work and flirting with their secretary. 

So at this stage, in 1955 when MOONRAKER was first released their where only meant to be three Double O agents.  

And to me that sounds so odd. I believe that many of you have thought, just like me. That there must have been at least seven agents and that they started with 001 and went onwards to 007.
To have only three agents, and not in a numerical order, numbered 007, 008 and 0011 does not make sense and I am looking forward to learn more about why this is so.

After reading this blog post my wife tells me that she finds it possible that they were all agents from the start with just a number like Agent 8 but when he has made his second kill becomes 008 (since two kills are needed to become a double O. This is not a bad theory.  

Do you know? Please comment below and dont forget to mention your source.

Below you can see the Swedish first edition of MOONRAKER released in 1956 and titled ATTACK

Ask George Lazenby anything you want!

On September 1st there will be a big party held in Oslo, Norway celebrating James Bond and especially ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE.
And as special guest there is no other then the lead himself George Lazenby.

I am sure this will be an amazing evening with first a screening of the film (in 4K with an amazing picture quality like you have never seen the film before) and then a Q& A with George Lazenby and then a gala party all night long.

I am sure you have heard of Morten Staingrimsen. He is the Norwegian James Bond fan who have made this evening possible.

I will attend this evening and have been granted a one on one interview with George Lazenby. But I do not wish be the only fanatic, able to ask him whatever I like. I want the readers of this blog to come up with most of the questions. This is truly rare opportunity for us fans that no Bond fan can miss out on. If I know George Lazenby correctly he is the one actor to tell us the truth

So please comment below or on Facebook with your questions for the "One time Bond" and hopefully your question will be asked by me on September 1 st.

I know two questions I have for him: 

1. Do you still get paid in some way for your appearance in OHMSS by Epn Productions or Danjaq?

2. How does it feel to have your body swooped on official DVD/BD covers where they use your face but not your body. 

Below is a official but still very heavy photoshoped picture of Lazenby as Bond.

If you wish to attend this event and meet other James Bond fans as well there are just a few tickets left. You can buy them right here and also read more about the gala itself.

My visit to Ian Fleming's grave

August 12 is not a day to celebrate since most of us know that on August 12, 1964 Ian Fleming passed away at age 56 after having his second heart attack the day before. At age 56 Ian Fleming passed away way too early.

So today I will honour his memory by sharing with you my trip to his grave that I made in May this year.

I woke up at a hotel in Whitstable, England after I had attended the Whitlit festival and there special Ian Fleming evening, A great event that I am glad I did not miss. I was in a hurry from early on that day. I had planed a trip to Ian Fleming's grave on the other side of England. I also had a plane to catch to take me back to Sweden later that day.

From Whitstable I took a bus to some other town due to a train station restoration taking place and from there I continued my trip to London. In London I changed trains and continued my journey to Swindon.
In Swindon I asked a cabdriver what it would cost me to first find a florist and then go to Sevenhampton. He said that he wanted to keep the taximeter running during our trip but insured me that it would not cost me over £55.

It took some time to actually find a florist that could provide me with great flowers. When we finally found a shop I decided on pink and white roses, nine of them.The pink colour meaning gratitude and white colour meaning sympathy. and then we were of to Sevenhampton.

The graveyard is not easy to find and there is actually no road all the way to it. It seems to be on private property. So I decided not to make a run for it but to ring the doorbell on the closest residence and ask for permission.
An older women opened the door and I was fortunate because her husband had been the British ambassador in Sweden and they had loved our country. I was therefore granted to go to the church and tomb where Ian and his wife Ann and their son Casper is buried.

The surroundings was totally quiet and in the background I could see a lot of cows enjoying their lunch. It was a very peaceful place and I was lucky to have good weather also. 

On the tomb there is one plaque for each member of the family.

Ian Fleming was the first to pass away, in 1964 and on his plaque it reads "In memoriam Ian Fleming" and on top of that it says "Omnia perfunctus vitae praemia, marces" which is a line by Titus Lucretius, a Roman philosopher and means according to the BBC "You are rotting away now after having had a good life". A bit to harsh if you ask me but Ian seems to have been just like that.

The second to pass away was Fleing's son Casper who suffered from mental illness and committed suicide in 1975 only 23 years old. Even more to early then his father.
On his plaque it reads "Casper Robert Fleming 1952 - 1975" and the quote used says "To cease upon the midnight with no pain". It is a poem by John Keats and is called "Ode to a Nightingale"

The last person in the family to pass away is Ann Fleming who passed away in 1981 after she had lost both her husband and son.
On her plaque it reads "Ann Geraldine Mary Fleming 1913-1981" the quote borrowed reads "There is none like her, none" This line comes from the poem "Maud" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

So to honour them all I placed seven flowers below Ian's plaque and one each on Casper's and Ann's plaque.

And then it was all the way back to London and Heathrow to catch my flight back to Sweden. I arrived to the gate just seven minutes before take off.

I have never seen great pictures from this place and therefore I took it upon me to try and change that. I therefore hope you enjoy the photos below. You can click on them to make them bigger.

 

Blog post number 100 in less then 10 months with over 35 000 pageviews

Who would have thought that today the blog celebrates its one hundred blog post.

Ten month ago I decided to start a blog about the literary James Bond that so often feels to be forgotten. The blog was an attempt to get James Bond fans to explore the books written by Ian Fleming. You would be amazed at how many fans out there have never ever actually read the books.

I myself read them a log time ago in Swedish and am now re-reading them in English for the first time. and it is a blast.

During these ten months the blog has been a great success according to me with over 35 000 page views. I have received much praise but also critic for my spelling and grammar and that's fine. I have always had a difficulty in spelling and English in not my main language so please bare that in mind when reading a blog post.

The blog is also on Instagram showing pictures of books with great artworks or pictures of things associated with the literary world of James Bond. The Instagram account can be found here.

I myself is also on Twitter were I try to spread links to articles I read about James Bond. So if you have a link or wish to read others work about James Bond come join me here!

The same goes with Pinterest where I collect pictures from the blog and also pictures of books and others that are connected to the literary world of James Bond. See the pictures here!

The Blog also have a small You tube channel with more to come. You can follow it here!

And last but not least the blogs Facebook page have now past over 500 followers which is amazing in my world. Make sure not to miss any post by joining the page here.

Just for the fun of it I created the below picture to mess with the fans who have yet to read an Ian Fleming novel. All fans should try him out. Please share the picture if you wish to.

Thanks for your kind support to this blog. I am enjoying every minute of running it and read your comments on it.

Ian Flemings YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE script sold for £47.500

A few days back I wrote about a first edition of Casino Royale being sold at Sotheby's for £40 000. You can read that blog post here.

At that very same auction a oner of a kind James Bond collectable was also up for sale.

This very unique item was 255 pages of Ian Flemings typescript of of his thirteenth James Bond novel YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. 65 of these pages seems to have not made by Ian Fleming.

This is what the auction firm wrote about the lot up for sale:

WORKING TYPESCRIPT OF FLEMING'S TWELFTH BOND NOVEL, THE FINAL INSTALMENT OF THE 'BLOFELD TRILOGY'. It was also the first novel to be conceived and written after the beginning of the film franchise. Fleming had become fascinated with Japan on a 1959 visit. In 1962 he returned to the country, having decided that it would be the setting of his next Bond book (his research notes from the tip were sold at auction in 2002), and he began writing the novel shortly thereafter. By April 1963 the manuscript was completed and ready to be typed. His typist, Jean Frampton (who had typed all Fleming's manuscripts from For Your Eyes Only of 1959) produced eight copies for distribution to the editorial staff at Cape. The novel was printed in December 1963.

with extensive corrections and proof markings by a copy-editor in purple ball-point, the corrected text then checked by the author in blue ball-point WITH SUBSTANTIVE AUTOGRAPH REVISIONS TO APPROXIMATELY 65 PAGES, mostly single words or short phrases but including one eight-line textual addition (p.228), further textual revisions added in a second editorial hand (presumably representing additional authorial revisions made in another typescript) in red ball-point, and also with occasional editorial queries in green ink (pp.26, 192, 197), the first four pages (contents, dedication, divisional title, and first page of text) supplied in contemporary photocopy from another copy of the typescript, the remainder being carbon copy typescript, 255 pages, post quarto (260 x 206mm), March-May 1963, punch holes, held together by a prong fastener in a blue folder labelled "You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming", lacking title page, some abrasion at punch holes, light marks, tears to folder 

The typescript sold for no less then an amazing £47.500. No way near what I myself could ever spend on a James Bond Item. Lets just hope that the buyer was an institute that excepts visitors.

CASINO ROYALE signed first edition sold for £40.000

When CASINO ROYALE was released in 1953 it cost 10 shilling to buy and only 4 728 prints were produced.

On July 12 Sothebys London had a book auction containing six lots connected to James Bond author Ian Fleming. In the end only two of them got sold.

The first item to get sold was lot 159: Fleming, Ian CASINO ROYALE. JONATHAN CAPE, 1953. The book was estimated to sell for between £40.000 - £50.000.

The book was by Sothebys described as below:

8vo, FIRST EDITION, AUTHOR'S PRESENTATION COPY FROM THE EARLY BOUND STOCK, INSCRIBED ON FRONT ENDPAPER ("To | Ralph. |We have now both | reduced our remainders | by one copy!"), together with note of explanation by recipient beneath ("I having told Ian, from the depths of my publishing experience, that he would be lucky if he made £200 out of this, his first thriller!! R.A."), original black cloth lettered in red on spine and with heart design on upper cover, some browning and spotting, head and foot of spine very slightly bumped.

Seeing these prices one can be sure that there will not be many of us fans who will own a true first edition of Casino Royale. Do you have one?