Bulldog Drummond (02/08/2013)

I can announce that I’ve signed a contract with Piqwiq, part of the Rushforth Media Group, to write two Bulldog Drummond novellas this year. I expect to fit these in quite comfortably around existing commitments, probably one before and one after the edit to The Splintered Gods which will start as soon as the school holidays end.

For those who don’t know, the character of Bulldog Drummond was created shortly after the first world war by Herman McNeile and is the subject of over a dozen short novels and a similar number of movies between the first and second world wars. Hugh “Bulldog” Drummond is de-mobbed army Captain. Finding himself at a loose end after the war, he embarks on a life of what can best be described as freelance adventure.

His early stories frequently involved an arch-nemesis Carl Petersen (who definitely has shades of Moriarty to him). The two stories I’ll be writing are set slightly later, leaving me with the fun of creating a new arch-nemesis, Mister Crabbleston. The first story will definitely revolve around a daring robbery of the Bank of England that’s only the start of something far more sinister. Not sure about the second one yet, mostly because I’m a bit spoiled for choice.

The character of Bulldog Drummond was one of the inspirations behind James Bond; so think a freelance nineteen-twenties James Bond, dabble with a little Indiana Jones while you’re at it, and that’s what I’m aiming for.

I’m aware, before anyone points it out, of issues of racism and facism around the original character. I’ve not studied the source material enough to form an opinion of my own as to how it stands compared to the general attitudes of its time; nevertheless, the general attitudes of its time don’t really need to be brought to a modern audience. I might keep a faint sense of hopefully rather ironic jingoism but otherwise we’ll be leaving all that nonsense behind, ta.

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