The move that marks an exciting future for James Bond as literary 007 approaches his 70th anniversary.
Ian Fleming Publications Ltd (IFP) announces plans to publish Ian Fleming’s books under its own imprint – a move that marks an exciting future for 007.
Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, the family company that owns the literary copyright in his books, will be honouring the legacy of James Bond’s creator by producing its own editions of the 007 novels as well as non-fiction and the children’s classic Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang.
The imprint – Ian Fleming Publications – will launch fresh editions in the UK and Commonwealth markets in spring 2023. Fleming’s original Bond novels and short story collections will be available from 13 April, exactly 70 years to the day after Ian Fleming first introduced special agent 007 to the world with the publication of Casino Royale. To date, since 1953, more than one hundred million Bond books have been sold worldwide.
More: Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels and short stories
Initially, new editions of the original adventures will be released in paperback and as eBooks, with covers by the design company Webb & Webb. Prestige hardbacks and limited editions will follow.
The logo for Ian Fleming Publications and The Ian Fleming Estate has long been the swallow tail hummingbird and it will be used as the colophon on books published by the imprint. The swallow tail hummingbird – or ‘doctor bird’ – is the national bird of Jamaica, the spiritual home of James Bond and where Ian Fleming famously wrote the legendary adventures. The doctor bird logo is the Fleming mark of authenticity and quality.
Ian Fleming Publications will be led by Managing Director Corinne Turner, alongside Simon Ward, Publishing Manager.
Corinne Turner comments:
IFP has enjoyed many years’ collaboration with publishing partners Random House and Penguin, but we feel it is time for a change of direction. The 70th anniversary of Casino Royale is an ideal opportunity to bring publication of Ian’s books in-house, enabling us to engage directly with readers and fans. We hope our new editions will reach as wide an audience as possible, attracting long-time readers as well those who have yet to discover the Bond novels.
Fergus Fleming, Ian Fleming’s nephew, adds:
Before he wrote best-selling novels, Ian was a publisher. That IFP should publish his own books completes the circle.
The website – www.ianfleming.com – already a destination for anyone interested in Fleming, his life and his literary works, will be developed throughout 2023 to house a direct-to-consumer shop, as well as newsletters, competitions, features and treasures from the archive. There will be exclusives and bonus content for those who sign up to the mailing list.
The Curtis Brown Group, IFP’s literary agent, will continue to manage subsidiary rights licensing for the new imprint. Jonny Geller, CEO said:
Ian Fleming Publications has always been an innovative, dynamic and inventive manager of Ian Fleming’s work and everyone at Curtis Brown is looking forward to working with them on this next exciting stage. Finding a new generation of readers of James Bond has always been the top priority and IFP’s publishing plans of the classic original novels will do this with huge energy and creativity.
Ian Fleming Publications will be working closely with core high street retailers, independent book shops and libraries to ensure Ian’s 007 stories can be accessed by everyone. Sales and distribution will be handled by Turnaround, while Faber Factory will be handling the eBooks.
The move marks a new direction for Ian Fleming publishing as the 10-year licensing agreement with Penguin Random House (Vintage), for the UK and Commonwealth, comes to an end. IFP will continue to work with partners internationally.
October 7th, 2022 at 13:43
As us espionage illuminati know too well, Ian Fleming isn’t around to write another “Trout Memo” or choose the next 007! He has not only eulogised and promoted the “espionage industry” but he has also spread so much disinformation about that industry that even MI6 would have been proud of the dissemination of so much fake news. Maybe the Bond legacy is finally coming to an end notwithstanding the recent publication of Anthony Horowitz’s With a Mind to Kill, particularly after Daniel Craig’s au revoir in No Time To Die.
We think the anti-Bond era is now being firmly established in literature and on the screen. Raw noir anti-Bond espionage masterpieces are on the ascent. Len Deighton’s classic The Ipcress File has been rejuvenated by John Hodge with Joe Cole aspiring to take on Michael Caine and of course there are plenty of Slow Horses ridden by Bad Actors too.
Then there’s Edward Burlington in The Burlington Files series by Bill Fairclough, a real spy (MI6 codename JJ) who disavowed Ian Fleming for his epic disservice to the espionage fraternity. After all, Fleming single-handedly transformed MI6 into a mythical quasi-religious cult that spawned a knight in shining armour numbered 007 who could regularly save the planet from spinning out of orbit.
Last but not least, the final nail in wee Jimmy Bond’s coffin has been hammered in by Jackson Lamb. Mick Herron’s anti-Bond sentiments combine lethally with the sardonic humour of the Slough House series to unreservedly mock not just Bond but also British Intelligence which has lived too long off the overly ripe fruits Fleming left to rot! Time for a fresh start based on a real spy so best read Beyond Enkription in The Burlington Files series by ex-spook Bill Fairclough.
See https://everipedia.org/wiki/lang_en/bill-fairclough + https://theburlingtonfiles.org.