Casino Royale (James Bond, book one, Ian Fleming, 1953
My favorite quote: ” ‘People are islands,’ she said. ‘They don’t really touch. However close they are, they’re really quite separate. Even if they’ve been married for fifty years.’ “
Notable characters: James Bond, 007; Vesper Lynd, the femme fatale; LeChiffre, the wicked financier
Most memorable scene: The ball torture (because ouch!)
Greatest strength: The action
Standout achievements: It’s unrivaled ability to make card games and gambling interesting
Fun facts: Ian Fleming had serious doubts about this book — so much so that before it was published, he sent a copy of it to his friend, William Plomer, explaining that, “I really am thoroughly ashamed of it … after rifling through this muck you will probably never speak to me again, but I have got to take that chance.”
What it taught me about writing: Simplicity is power
How it inspired my own work: I always learn something about action sequences — particularly guns, bombs, and fights! — when I read anything from this series (you just have to try to ignore the sexism and other issues that were prevalent when these books were written)
Other media: 2006 film of the same name starring Daniel Craig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Haunt me: alistaircross.com
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Published by Alistair Cross
Alistair Cross grew up on horror novels and scary movies, and by the age of eight, began writing his own stories. First published in 2012, he has since co-authored The Cliffhouse Haunting and Mother with Tamara Thorne and is working on several other projects. His debut solo novel, The Crimson Corset, was an Amazon bestseller. The Black Wasp, book 3 in The Vampires of Crimson Cove series is on its way. Find out more about him at: http://alistaircross.com
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In collaboration, Thorne and Cross are currently writing several novels, including the next volume in the continuing gothic series, The Ravencrest Saga. Their first novel, The Cliffhouse Haunting, was an immediate bestseller. Together, they hosted the horror-themed radio show Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! which featured such guests as Anne Rice of The Vampire Chronicles, Charlaine Harris of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and basis of the HBO series True Blood, Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter novels, Jay Bonansinga of The Walking Dead series, Laurell K. Hamilton of the Anita Blake novels, Peter Atkins, screenwriter of Hellraiser 2, 3, and 4, worldwide bestseller V.C. Andrews, Kim Harrison of the Hollows series, and New York Times best sellers Preston & Child, Christopher Rice, and Christopher Moore.
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Currently, Thorne & Cross are hosts of Thorne & Cross: Carnival Macabre, where listeners can discover all manner of demented delights, unearth terrifying treasures, and explore the dark side of the arts.
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