Writing The Book
Prior to the release of SilverFin Charlie Higson said that Book 4 would be set in the Alps, however, the location was changed to Mexico and the Caribbean. Higson considered setting the book in North Africa, but decided against it because Ian Fleming never liked the idea of Bond going to North Africa. Unlike the other Young Bond novels, there are no scenes set at Eton College.
When asked whether he would continue the pattern of following Fleming's templates by echoing some elements of the fourth 007 novel Diamonds Are Forever, Higson said "there are some similarities, it is set in the Americas, there are gangsters in it but there is no cowboy train!"
Higson completed work on the book in December 2006, a month before Double or Die was released.
Charlie Higson's working title was Lágrimas Negras, but because the publishers had the idea of publishing it as an all-gold book, they asked Higson to try to come up with a title that included the word "gold".
Also changed was the name of the character Precious Stone. She was originally named Amaryllis Stone after the half-sister of Ian Fleming (who is also referenced in the short story The Living Daylights). But because the character starts out the novel as so unpleasant, it was feared it might offend the Fleming family and the name was changed.
Read more about this topic: Hurricane Gold
Famous quotes containing the words writing the book, writing and/or book:
“I’ve tried to reduce profanity but I reduced so much profanity when writing the book that I’m afraid not much could come out. Perhaps we will have to consider it simply as a profane book and hope that the next book will be less profane or perhaps more sacred.”
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961)
“I can hardly bring myself to caution you against drinking, because I am persuaded that I am writing to a rational creature, a gentleman, and not to a swine. However, that you may not be insensibly drawn into that beastly custom of even sober drinking and sipping, as the sots call it, I advise you to be of no club whatsoever.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”
—Bible: Hebrew Psalms, 116:15.
In the Book of Common Prayer, the lines are rendered: “Right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:13)