Sebastian Faulks Talks James Bond With The Observer

Ian Fleming centenary author Sebastian Faulks sat down for an interview with The Observer to discuss his two newest novels: the introspective Engelby and the forthcoming James Bond adventure, Devil May Care.

Initially published in May 2007, the character study Engelby, Faulks’ only first-person novel, is due to be published in paperback at the end of the month.

With his 007 novel debuting in May, the interview notes that there will likely be a crossover in sales between the author’s two newest works.

Discussing his surprise at landing the job as the new Bond author, Faulks said: ”I’d just finished Human Traces and it seemed ridiculous. You’ve just spent five years in a Victorian lunatic asylum and then you go on to James Bond. But I think their hope is they’ll get two markets. The more I think about it, the more I think it was clever of them, because the mismatch is intriguing.’

As earlier reported on CommanderBond.net, Faulks completed Devil May Care in six weeks (12 total if counting earlier Fleming research and some ‘tidying up’)–the same amount of time Fleming often devoted to his Bond adventures.

Emphasizing on the narrative’s pace rather than reflection, he said: ‘Bond doesn’t have an inner life. There would be moments when I’d think, we need to gather our thoughts here and have a breather, where in another novel you’d slow the pace, have some description and see what Bond feels about this. But Bond doesn’t reflect. All you can do is move on to the next bomb or shark or car.’

Click here for The Observer’s complete interview with Sebastian Faulks, including much more on Engelby.

Devil May Care is set in 1967 when ‘Bond is damaged, aging and in a sense it is the return of the gunfighter for one last heroic mission.’

CBn will keep you updated with all the latest news and details on Devil May Care. To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

US 'Devil May Care' Cover Art Revealed

EntertainmentWeekly.com has scored an exclusive look at the US cover art of Devil May Care!

EW.com says, ‘take a look. The shadowy, well-coiffed, and tuxedo-ed James Bond figure on the spine seems to indicate Bond fans could be in for an old-school treat.’

Devil May Care will be released on 28 May 2008.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for the most up-to-date literary James Bond news on the web.

Vote For 'Devil May Care' Theme Song

As reported by CBn on 29 January, five theme tunes were to be selected by judges and revealed to the public on 3 March. Earlier today, all five entries were uploaded onto the Devil May Care MySpace profile.

You have a week to listen to each entry and vote for your favourite.

The winning tune will be announced on 17 March and will be included on the Devil May Care audiobook. It will also be made available as a free download via Penguin (penguin.co.uk) and iTunes.

Devil May Care will be released on 28 May 2008.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for the most up-to-date literary James Bond news on the web.

Sebastian Faulks On The Ingredients Of 'Devil May Care'

“It’s a very traditional Bond story. It’s got all the bits that you like about the Bond adventures and none of the boring bits.”

With that statement, bestselling author Sebastian Faulks succinctly summarises the ingredients of his forthcoming James Bond novel, Devil May Care, written to coincide with the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth.

The comments can be found in a brand new interview on the superb – and frequently updated – Devil May Care MySpace page.

Faulks continues, “It’s got pace, adventure, it has not one, but two beautiful women.”

“Ian Fleming loved trains; it has trains. He loved cars; there are cars. There’s also something I’ve discovered; a very, very exotic Cold War vehicle. I can’t really think how better to describe it. And, of course, it has high life. Adventure.”

The author also offered his advice to 007 fans aspiring to write the book’s theme song as part of the world first competition found on the MySpace page.

“If you just imagine, if you try to write a song for a novel which epitomises all the things you’ve liked about Bond before, then you’ll be fairly close, I hope, to what’s in Devil May Care.”

Click here to watch the video interview.

Meanwhile, in an earlier blog entry, Tuuli Shipster, who features on the novel’s cover art, discussed its creation.

“Before I was finally cast, I went to meet the design team at Partners who showed me a mock-up of the cover to give me an idea of what they were ultimately looking for. It is such a striking image and I was delighted when I finally heard I’d been chosen to be a part of it.”

“The shoot itself was great although physically quite demanding. In fact, after seeing the pose required, I practised back bends for a week to make sure I was up to it. It took a whole day to get the right shot and while we were shooting we listened to the Bond theme compilation CD to help get us in the right mood. In any case, it certainly helped me channel my inner Honey Rider!”

Sebastian Faulks’ Devil May Care will be released worldwide on 28 May 2008.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for all the latest Devil May Care news.

Sebastian Faulks' 'Devil My Care' To Be Published In Russia

Back in December of last year, CommanderBond.net reported on the list of international partners signed up to publish Sebastian Faulks’ upcoming James Bond novel, Devil May Care.

The official Ian Fleming centenary website has since been updated with several newly announced publishers for the 007 novel, including Obsidian Publishers in Bulgaria and Artemis in Turkey. In addition, Devil May Care will also make it’s way to Russia thanks to Azbooka Publishers.

The full list of international publishers for Devil May Care follows:

Devil May Care – International Publishers

• BRAZIL – Record
• BULGARIA – Obsidian
• CROATIA – Algoritam
• CZECH REPUBLIC – XYZ
• FINLAND – Gummerus
• FRANCE – Flammarion
• GERMANY – Heyne
• GREECE – Oceanida
• HOLLAND – Bruna
• HUNGARY – Alexandra
• ISRAEL – Penn
• ITALY – Piemme
• MACEDONIA – Kultura
• NORWAY – Schibsteds
• POLAND – Ksiazki
• PORTUGAL – Civilizacao
• RUSSIA – Azbooka
• SLOVENIA – Mladinska Knjiga Zalozba
• SLOVAKIA – Slovart
• SPAIN – Seix Barral
• SWEDEN – Forum
• TURKEY Artemis

Penn (Devil May Care‘s publisher in Israel) Publishing’s Hebrew catalogue is comprised of translations of world classics and best-sellers, and includes both fiction and non-fiction. We are Hebrew publishers of Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, Ian Fleming, Barnes & Noble’s Classics, and more contemporary voices such as David Grossman, Hunter Thompson, and Akhil Sharma. Many of our translations of these timeless stories will be the very first available to the Hebrew-speaking world.

Azbooka Publishers, founded in 1995, is the largest publishing house in Saint Petersburg and one of the three Russian major publishing houses. Each year Azbooka releases over 10 million copies of books in more than 100 series and individual projects. Many of Azbooka’s projects have been awarded prestigious professional prizes and honours. Azbooka’s publishing activity is mainly focused on Russian and foreign classics, contemporary Russian and foreign fiction, children’s books, illustrated dictionaries, reference books on history and art.

Devil May Care will be published by Penguin Books in the UK and its territories (under the new Penguin 007 imprint) and by Doubleday in the US on 28 May.

As previously mentioned by Faulks, Devil May Care is set in 1967 when ‘Bond is damaged, aging and in a sense it is the return of the gunfighter for one last heroic mission.’

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest news and details on Devil May Care. To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

Search Begins For 'Devil May Care' Theme Song

Publisher Penguin and social networking website MySpace have joined forces to deliver a unique online James Bond experience.

A MySpace page has been launched to promote the release of Sebastian Faulks’ highly anticipated James Bond novel, Devil May Care. In addition to some exclusive goodies (such as wallpapers, and a glimpse at the cover art for the upcoming Ian Fleming hardback reissues), 007 fans have the opportunity to compose and perform the official Devil May Care theme song.

The winning track will feature on the Devil May Care audiobook and will also be available to download via iTunes and the Penguin website.

The full press release is below.

Penguin and MySpace Begin Search For James Bond Theme Tune

LONDON – 28.1.2008 – Musicians and James Bond fans across Britain have the rare chance to be a part of 007’s iconic history as Penguin announces its search for the theme tune to Devil May Care, the eagerly awaited new Bond novel written by Sebastian Faulks.

From today visitors to uk.myspace.com/devilmaycarebook have the chance to create an original piece of music for the new Bond book which is published on 28th May, the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth.

The winning track will become the book’s official theme tune and will be featured on the Devil May Care audio book, published on the same day. This will be the first theme tune to accompany a James Bond book and will later be available as a free digital download.

A shortlist of five entries will be selected by a high-profile judging panel, which includes the book’s author, Sebastian Faulks along with respected figures from the world of literature and music, including cult music producer Jazzie B and Matthew Fleming, great nephew of original Bond author Ian Fleming. Dom Cook, Director of Marketing and Content for MySpace UK and Alex Clarke, Penguin Editor of Devil May Care will also judge.

The competition is open to all musicians – both amateur and established artists – with the deadline for entries on 25th February. All entry criteria, including guidance on the style required, can be found on the Devil May Care MySpace page. As well as the exposure, the winner will also pick up the overall prize of £1,000 worth of music equipment.

Once the shortlist is chosen, the final vote will be opened to the public on Monday 3rd March, with the winner announced on Monday 17th March.

Speaking about the launch, Dom Cook, Director of Marketing and Content at MySpace UK said: “With more than eight million artists and bands on MySpace it’s the best place to discover exciting new talent. We hope the passion and creativity that fuels our site will be reflected in the high quality of entries that Penguin receive.”

Alex Clarke, Penguin Editor of Devil May Care commented, “I hope that this is a dream brief – create your own Bond theme tune – it doesn’t get much better than that. We’re really pleased to be able to reach out to all the millions of Myspacers – and hope that loads of people will be inspired to rise to the challenge. It’s an amazing novel – so it’ll need some really good music!”

Alongside the competition, the Devil May Care MySpace profile will be a hub of information and news in the build up to the publication of the book. It will make available downloadable wallpapers and counters and will be regularly updated with blog posts, videos and new writing from Bond aficionados and authors.

Following the release of the audio book, the theme tune will be made available for free download via Penguin (penguin.co.uk) and iTunes.

Devil May Care will be released on 28 May 2008.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for the most up-to-date literary James Bond news on the web.

French 'Devil May Care' Coming In Late Summer '08

Following up the announcement of the international publishers for Sebastian Faulk’s upcoming James Bond novel, Devil May Care, this past December, JamesBond-fr.com has since uncovered further information on the French edition of this centenary novel.

The French edition of Devil May Care will be titled Le Diable l’emporte (roughly translates to ‘The Devil Takes It’). To be published by Flammarion with a retail price of € 15, the book will hit shelves in late summer 2008.

Cover artwork for this specific edition is yet to be revealed.

As previously mentioned by Faulks, Devil May Care is set in 1967 when ‘Bond is damaged, aging and in a sense it is the return of the gunfighter for one last heroic mission.’

Devil May Care will be published by Penguin Books in the UK and its territories (under the new Penguin 007 imprint) and by Doubleday in the US on 28 May.

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest news and details on Devil May Care. To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

Swedish 'Devil May Care' Announced

After the international publishers for Devil May Care, the upcoming James Bond centenary novel by Sebastian Faulks, were announced on the official website last month, further details are starting to come in.

From Sweden With Love alerted us today that the title for Faulks’ new 007 novel will be I Djävulens Tjänst in Sweden (which roughly translates to ‘In the Service of the Devil’).

The publisher will be Forum and the novel is due for release in May 2008. Cover artwork is forthcoming.

According to Faulks, Devil May Care is set in 1967 when ‘Bond is damaged, aging and in a sense it is the return of the gunfighter for one last heroic mission.’

Devil May Care will be published by Penguin Books in the UK and its territories (under the new Penguin 007 imprint) and by Doubleday in the US on 28 May.

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest news and details on Devil May Care. To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

'Devil May Care' International Publishers

As the date of Ian Fleming’s centenary–28 May 2008–draws closer and closer, new details are revealed on the celebration plans being put together.

In addition to the recent announcement of yet another literary James Bond exhibition in 2008, the official Ian Fleming centenary website has been updated with the publishing information regarding the international editions of Devil May Care, the centenary novel by Sebastian Faulks:

Devil May Care – International Publishers

• BRAZIL – Record
• CZECH REPUBLIC – XYZ
• FINLAND – Gummerus
• FRANCE – Flammarion
• GERMANY – Heyne
• GREECE – Oceanida
• HOLLAND – Bruna
• HUNGARY – Alexandra
• ISRAEL – Penn
• ITALY – Piemme
• MACEDONIA – Kultura
• NORWAY – Schibsteds
• POLAND – Ksiazki
• PORTUGAL – Civilizacao
• SPAIN – Seix Barral
• SWEDEN – Forum

Devil May Care will be published by Penguin Books in the UK and its territories (under the new Penguin 007 imprint) and by Doubleday in the US on 28 May.

In addition to the publication of Faulks’ Devil May Care, all 14 of the Fleming James Bond novels will be reprinted in hardback format in the UK on the same date.

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest news and details on Devil May Care. To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

German Title For 'Devil May Care' Revealed

“Devil May Care will be published around the world on the same date, in all major (and many minor) languages.” With this particular sentence from the Devil May Care cover art press release, news like this was to be expected. After the title of the Dutch edition of Sebastian Faulks’ James Bond novel was revealed two weeks ago, the first details on the German version appeared today.

The Ian Fleming Centenary Novel will be named Der Tod ist nur der Anfang (“Death Is Only The Beginning”) in Germany and it will be published by Heyne Verlag under the label Diana Hardcover Edition (Diana Verlag is a subdivision of Heyne Verlags, which belongs to Random House). The translation will be done by Jürgen Bürger. The choice of Heyne as German publisher does not come as a surprise, as they bought the German rights for all James Bond novels in 2003. No specific details on the cover could be obtained, but, to again quote the above mentioned press release: “Many of the [foreign] publishers will be using this jacket.”

The German edition will have have 320 pages. The retail price will be 12.95 Euros in Germany, 13.40 in Austria and 23.90 ChF in Switzerland (ISBN: 978-3-453-26602-5).

• Order ‘Der Tod ist nur der Anfang’ from Amazon.de