Penguin managing director
Tom Weldon said at an event last night, "Sebastian
has written a tour de force . . . it is everything we hoped
for and a couple
of Martinis more." According to reports, Penguin plans
an unmissable marketing and publicity campaign. "Imagine
a speedboat coming down the Thames with the first copy...
imagine [Penguin marketing chiefs] Joanna Prior and Naomi
Fidler in gold lamé swimsuits abseiling down the
building." (MI6
Note: this sounds more like a movie promotion than for
the literary Bond...)
The cover to "Devil May Care" was shown to guests
of the publicity event, and it is said to feature a single
iconic image, which has been designed by The Partners branding
agency.
Faulks said he had retained 80% of Fleming's style, and
aimed to blend the pace of the crime stories with the menace
of the spy sagas. "It's a period adventure in which
I've tried to capture a playful spirit." The story features
favourite characters Felix Leiter and Miss Moneypenny, and
Faulks said he had avoided deep psychological portraits: "This
is not Bond meets Charlotte Gray... my Bond has no inner
life." |
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Above: Author Sebastian Faulks |