James Bond in the Cote d'Azur

simon · November 26, 2020, 10:08am

Forum Friends,

Please forgive my brash commercialism, and evident pimping. I do this with mixed feelings but ultimately, a sense of purpose. I have first passed this by my good friend Bryce_003 to consider the morals of such.

A couple of you know I have written a book, it is to be published by On The Tracks of 007 on the 4th December and will be available from both this site and Amazon. On The Tracks is the Bond site dedicated to film locations on the web, in print and in video.

James Bond in Film, in Book, in Life, in the Cote d’Azur. Villefranche sur mer, Antibes, Cannes, Monaco, Nice, Menton, St Jean Cap Ferrat all played host to the legend in various form. We collect the stories and wrap them in the azure beauty of the coastline.

While there will be promotions, marketing and listings on various platforms including Amazon and other relevant sites, I thought I would pop it ‘up here’ and to allow people, if they wished, to have a look.

Promoting has commenced on Instagram at #onthetracksof007 and #simonjamesfirth. We are using images otherwise not used in the final book. Please do have a look.

My editor and I have already taken some pre-orders what with, Xmas around the corner and, Covid very much in our faces.

Of course, please do feel free to murmur polite expressions of good luck and go about your day. Otherwise, Martijn Mulder at onthetracksof007.com will be delighted to hear from you.

All the best,

Dustin · November 26, 2020, 1:35pm

Great news, @simon! Best of luck with the tome, I love the cover artwork; you already sold one here.

simon · November 28, 2020, 3:39pm

Thank you very much Dustin. Much appreciated.

As of today, both the On The Tracks of 007 shop and Amazon are open for business.

Friends and James Bond site leaders of the world are also promoting from this weekend in conjunction with increased Instagram activity. Bond Lifestyle being one such.

I thank you for your infinite patience in reading all this. And I sincerely hope that those who find themselves reading the book, enjoy it as much as I did, living in Villefranche, writing the book, and working to bring it to fruition with the utterly fabulous Martijn Mulder of On The Tracks.

Dustin · November 28, 2020, 7:10pm

Can’t wait to get my hands on it!

Jim · November 29, 2020, 6:35am

2020 just turned itself round. How very yes.

simon · December 9, 2020, 5:14pm

And so today, they have landed.

And very nice they are too, even if I do say so myself.

Esoteric self promotions aside, I do hope that anyone who has taken the plunge, enjoys it. But know at the same time that I welcome all criticism and thoughts.

stromberg · December 9, 2020, 7:20pm

Very nice.

I know that the German Fan Club is going to have a copy as one of the prizes in their Xmas lottery. If I don’t win that one, you can be sure that I’m going to buy one.

Dustin · December 9, 2020, 8:44pm

My copy is expected in the mail on the 17.

simon · December 10, 2020, 9:04am

The very nice people over at James Bond Radio undertook an interview recently.

This is now up and about.

Double-OhAgent · December 11, 2020, 12:04am

Congratulations Simon. I look forward to getting it.

Dustin · December 22, 2020, 10:03am

My copy just arrived, what a fabulous book - congratulations, @simon. And some splendid pics too!

Dustin · January 6, 2021, 1:12pm

“…you’re going to get seriously nostalgia vibes of how you feel about James Bond.”

Couldn’t put it better.

simon · January 6, 2021, 1:38pm

Thanks for popping that up Dustin.

Figured I might have been outstaying my welcome if I imposed further on the patience of the CBn-ers.

Yes, David is an incredible presenter / interviewer / panelist host. Seems all too easy in his capable hands. I must admit I laughed loudly when he was talking about the hard back and dust jacketed aspects of the book. Hilarious all round.

Hope you enjoyed the book sir.

Dustin · January 7, 2021, 5:25pm

Your book was a delightful sunny read in these long dark winter nights, Simon. Going with you on your investigation of sites and locales, running into mysteries big and small (like the NSNA villa with its bottleneck access), putting San Remo on the What-if map and catching the atmosphere of the entire region was a fabulous pastime, illustrated by your splendid photography.

It really made me wish to pull out the weekender and dash over for a few days (ideally this time not staying at one of the obscurely titled ‘Hotel California’ hostels, as I did last time in the mid-80s…). It also made me pick up Forever and a Day again.

I heartily recommend your French adventure, Simon!

simon · January 7, 2021, 8:56pm

Hi Dustin. Really lovely to hear it ‘hit the spot’.

Thank you for committing words to screen, very much appreciated sir.

Simon.

simon · January 16, 2021, 1:11pm

I wasn’t sure where else to pop this, but since the above is probably why I was invited, there may be stories and discussions about that too.

David Zaritsky has an immensely popular YouTube channel. Such is his speed of output, frankly if he were in charge of putting Bond films out, there would be a film every five months.

Anyway, if you wish to see me making a veritable fool of myself in the presence of esteemed company, this from the man himself…

Join us on January 23rd at 3 PM ET as we discuss Ian Fleming’s novel From Russia With Love as a part of #flemingreadingchallenge ! Grab a drink and a comfortable chair as we chat, in Book Club style, about our opinions on the plot, prose, and influence this book has on the franchise and on all of us. Special guests join in to add to the intrigue and mayhem that will ultimately be created.

Link to event: https://youtu.be/GkNdQAgE_Zs