Solo: William Boyd On His New James Bond Novel

The James Bond web site MI6 offers a piece on William Boyd, the latest author to write about Ian Fleming's iconic character James Bond.  

MI6 reports from The London Book Fair, where William Boyd, author of the new Bond continuation novel 'Solo', was 'author of the day' and was interviewed by Erica Wagner, Literary Editor of The Times.

... I think what is apparent, as soon as I started thinking about the book was that everybody thinks about Bond in terms of the films, inevitably, because they're so successful. Fleming died in 1964 but the latest Bond film came out just last year. So, Bond in the popular imagination is a celluloid Bond. Because of the nature of the medium and because of the nature of the film franchise, the difference between the cinematic Bond and the literary Bond is marked. I re-read every Bond novel and Bond short story in chronological order before I started writing my own, and Fleming gives you a massive amount of information about Bond: His inner life; his back story; his education; his likes; his dislikes; his phobias; his passions. So, as a character in a novel, there's this incredible richness, whereas in a film - because film is photography - it's very hard to be subjective. So, you see Bond, you see what he gets up to, but I feel that you just don't know him at all. The literary Bond is a far more complex and nuanced creature than even a brilliant actor like Daniel Craig can portray.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/literary_solo_william_boyd_preview_interview1.php3?t=&s=&id=03484

You can also read the Ian Fleming Publications' press release on the publication of William Boyd's Solo via the below link:

http://www.mi6-hq.com/news/index.php?itemid=10879

1-800-CALL-FBI: The FBI Asks The Public For Information Regarding The Boston Marathon Bombing

The FBI released the below statement yesterday:

A multi-agency response including state and federal law enforcement agencies has been activated and is investigating the cause of the explosions along the Boston Marathon route and elsewhere. The FBI’s Boston Division stands with the Boston Police Department (BPD) and remains on-scene. The FBI is offering its assistance in whatever capacity BPD requires. The situation remains fluid, and it remains too early to establish the cause and motivation.

The FBI has set-up 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), prompt #3, for anyone who has information, visual images, and/or details regarding the explosions along the Boston Marathon route and elsewhere. No piece of information or detail is too small.

My Crime Prevention Column: On IEDs

In light of the horrific bombing in Boston yesterday, I offer a link to one of my old newspaper columns that dealt with IEDs

You can read the column via the below link:

http://home.comcast.net/~pauldavisoncrime/pwpimages/IEDs.jpg

The FBI Gun Collection: Firearms That Help Solve Crimes

The FBI web site offers a piece on their gun collection and how this collection helps to solve crimes.

If every gun tells a story, the FBI’s reference firearms collection could fill a very, very large book. The inventory of more than 7,000 firearms—curated over 80 years—contains just about every make and model, from John Dillinger’s Prohibition-era revolver to the modern battlefield’s M16 and almost everything in between.

Housed at the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, the racks of weapons are not a musty exhibit of museum pieces, though some rare items would certainly qualify. Rather, the ever-expanding collection is a hands-on reference catalog for the Lab’s firearms examiners to study, take apart, reassemble, and test fire to support investigations. By maintaining a working library of virtually every handgun and rifle—along with a database of their unique toolmarks—examiners are able to identify and substantiate for investigators what weapons may have been used in criminal acts.

You can read the rest of the piece, see a collection of photos, and watch a video via the below link:

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2013/april/fbi-gun-collection-firearms-that-help-solve-crimes

Early Draft Of 'Casino Royale' Reveals Cover Name For Ian Fleming's James Bond Character

Although Ian Fleming had James Bond use operational cover names in some of the novels - Mark Hazard in The Man With the Golden Gun, for example - Liam O'Brien at the British newspaper the Independent reports that in an early draft of Fleming's first Bond novel, Casino Royale, Bond had a cover name.

James Bond creator Ian Fleming originally wanted to call his hero James Secretan when on secret missions, an early draft of Casino Royale has revealed.

Perhaps sensing that “Secretan… James Secretan” didn’t have quite the same ring as the iconic introduction, “Bond… James Bond”, he disposed of the idea before the first Bond novel’s publication in 1953.

An extract from the 1952 draft version is to be made public to coincide with the book’s 60th anniversary this weekend.

In the manuscript, a CIA man introduces himself to 007 at the Hotel Splendide casino by saying: “My name’s Felix Leiter. Glad to meet you.” Bond replies: “Mine’s Secretan. James Secretan.” The word “Secretan” is scrawled out in blue ink, with “Bond” written in its place.

The author’s niece, Kate Grimond, told The Sunday Times of Fleming’s potential reasons for dropping the idea.

“Ian must have realised it would cause confusion if he had Bond known as Bond to his friends and the security services in London, but as Secretan for his cover name to strangers or people he didn’t want to know he was a spy.”   

You can read the rest of the story via the below link:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-names-secretan-james-secretan-early-draft-of-casino-royale-reveals-what-ian-fleming-wanted-to-call-his-super-spy-8572375.html 

Skinny Joey, Nickey Skins And Life Without The Philly Mob

Veteran organized crime reporter George Anastasia interviewed reputed Philadelphia Cosa Nostra organized crime figure Joey Merlino about his dealings with a Gambino wiseguy wired for sound by the FBI for Bigtrial.net.

They met in a Dunkin’ Donuts near the beach in Boca Raton.

Nicholas Stefanelli, a 60-something mobster from North Jersey, was full of propositions and ideas for “business” ventures.

Joey Merlino, recently turned 50 and out of jail for about a year, was all ears.

Merlino was looking for a fresh start in Florida, or so he said. Stefanelli had come recommended from a defense attorney in Newark who had worked on one of Joey’s cases. 

They talked for about an hour. At first, Stefanelli focused on ideas for bars and restaurants, businesses he knew Joey was interested in. Money and backers were available, he said. They could make something happen, he promised. Then he steered the conversation to past events in the world in which they both operated.

Stefanelli, known as “Nicky Skins,” was a soldier in the Gambino crime family.

Merlino, who everyone knew as “Skinny Joey,” had been or was (depending on your frame of reference) the boss of the Philadelphia mob. He had just finished a 14-year stint in a federal prison. He had no desire to go back. So when Stefanelli started asking about some of the guys up north and talking about pending criminal cases, Merlino pulled back.

There are certain things you don’t talk about, especially with someone you’ve just met.

 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.bigtrial.net/2013/04/merlino-talks-about-nicky-skins-and.html#more 

Happy Birthday To Thriller Writer Tom Clancy

Biography.com noted that today is Tom Clancy's 66th birthday.

Tom Clancy is an American author, best known for his espionage, military science and techno thrillers. Clancy was working as an insurance broker until he wrote his first novel in 1984, The Hunt for Red October. Ten of Clancy's books have earned No. 1 rankings on the New York Times best seller list. Over 50 million copies of his books have been printed and three have been made into movies.  

You can read more about Tom Clancy at biography.com via the below link:

http://www.biography.com/people/tom-clancy-9542178