New James Bond author teases upcoming 007 book details

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.K. novelist and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz has dropped a few hints about the next 007 book. He was announced earlier this month as its author, The Hollywood Reporter reveals.

Speaking on Britain's BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday, Oct 22 Horowitz revealed that he had been given the choice of five treatments for a never produced Bond TV series written by the character’s creator Ian Fleming in the 1950s. He eventually picked a short story involving car racing called Murder on Wheels.

"I don’t think Bond has ever been in a Formula One racing car," Horowitz said, explaining that he incorporated the racing-based story into one of the chapters. "I went down to the Nurburgring in Germany to do research."

Less tangible clues from Horowitz included the fact that the 30,000th word in his book was "mahogany," while the 50,000th was "Hawaii." He wouldn’t, however, reveal the book’s title. "I’m not allowed to, I’ve signed legal documents," he said.

While writing the book, Horowitz said he visualized Sean Connery playing Bond, but added that he attempted to stick to the character’s personality and style as described in Fleming’s books rather than the films.

"If you go for the films, which ones do you go for? Quips and silliness, like Roger Moore, or Connery’s Scottish sadistic edge?" he said.

Horowitz, who also wrote ITV historical detective drama Foyle’s War and a new Sherlock Holmes book authorized by Arthur Conan Doyle’s estate and named after Holmes’ nemesis Moriarty, revealed that he wrote the first chapter of the Bond novel for the Fleming estate before they officially commissioned him.

"It’s such a valuable brand, but so far so good," he told BBC radio. "The estate know[s] the title, they know everything about the book. My aim is not to do anything to upset anyone who loves James Bond."

The Bond novel, which Horowitz said he would deliver in February or March, is due to be published in the U.S. by HarperCollins in Sept. 2015, just two months before the as-yet-untitled 24th film in the 007 franchise is released.