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David chats with Thomas Gilbert, the illustrator of the new edition of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, released to celebrate the book's 60th anniversary. Although this is the first book Thomas has illustrated, you will likely be familiar with his work in other fields. He is not only a highly accomplished artist who turned to making Bond posters at the start of the Covid lockdowns (Instagram @gilbert_posters) but he also designs cars for a living!



Fleming originally commissioned his automotive engineer friend Amherst Villiers (namechecked in the early Bond books) to draw Chitty but his rendering was never used. So this edition marks the first time an actual car designer has illustrated the book!


Thomas's dynamic artwork perfectly complements Fleming's vivacious prose and brings us a Chitty quite unlike anything we've had before. Here, he takes us behind the scenes, explaining his process from start to finish, showing us how he decided what to illustrate and how he did it. We get to see the early work Thomas did for the book, months before it became the finished article. Along the way, Thomas and David discuss the various influences on the book's art, which include film noir, a classic 80s movie and a Fleming Bond novel - Thomas's favourite Bond novel in fact.



Thomas and David also talk about where their creative sparks come from and why it's a good idea to say 'Yes!' to adventures which take you out of your comfort zone!



Following Thomas on Instagram here:
https://www.instagram.com/gilbert_posters/

“At the core of a lot of depression is feeling like you don't have any meaning.” - David Zaritsky



David Zaritsky and David Lowbridge-Ellis candidly explore the dark side and light side of relevancy within the Bond community. (Yes, there are also Star Wars references.)



When we feel relevant, we get a natural hit of dopamine. But this can become dangerously addictive; creating content with the sole goal of gaining followers and likes can wreak havoc on our mental health.



David Z gets personal about how he has lost friends because they could not stop comparing their own relevance with other people’s. David L-E reveals how he strives to find meaning in himself, rather than by seeking affirmation from others.



This is a very personal conversation in which both Davids discuss how to navigate this tricky territory. The hope is that by sharing it publicly they will help others.



As David Z says here, when it comes to mental health, “There’s a real need to understand the why of what is happening.”



It’s tribal. Although some talk about the Bond Community as if it’s a place where everyone agrees with each other, in reality it consists of many subgroups. And while most Bond fans are positive voices, bringing diverse points of view and supporting others with positive affirmation, a few sadly pursue relevancy by propagating negativity, attempting to tear down those who they are jealous of.



The Davids hone in on their shared why: if it’s not followers and likes, what does motivate them to continue doing what they do?



Finally, David Z has some very practical advice for people who might be struggling with the issues raised in this video.



About the ‘On Our Minds Only?’ series:

Mental health is not discussed enough, despite it being an important element of the 007 stories. In this series, David talks very openly about mental health with members of the Bond community. He has a theory: these are the sorts of things on many of our minds but we often struggle to put them into words. Maybe we can change that?

Anyone who has seen Alex’s amazing YouTube knows that he always says yes to adventures! If something scares him, he follows Bond’s example and overcomes his fear by going and doing it. But as a child, he was not so confident.

Alex has battled anxiety his whole life. He recognises that this is, in part, rooted in something James Bond is certainly no stranger to: childhood trauma.

Between the ages of nine to twelve, Alex experienced a lot of violence. He was also extensively bullied at school and humiliated by teachers. Nevertheless, he refused to give in to the abuse and fought his way out - quite literally to begin with!

Alex speaks very openly about his specific circumstances before sharing the coping strategies he has developed over the years. As Alex says, “Learning to cope takes time, practice and vigilance.” Alex shares what he has learned on his mental health journey so far.

Both Alex and David are teachers, so expect this to be educational as well as entertaining. Alex unpicks the misconception of martial arts being as violent and gives David a live lesson in meditation.

This conversation covers a lot of ground, including suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. They also touch on other aspects of mental health, including insomnia. Let us know if you would like more about this topic in a future episode with Alex and David!

Follow Alex on Instagram @sifu_lamas
Watch Alex’s adventures at:
   / @yestoadventure007  

About the ‘On Our Minds Only?’ series:
Mental health is not discussed enough, despite it being an important element of the 007 stories. In this series, David talks very openly about mental health with members of the Bond community. He has a theory: these are the sorts of things on many of our minds but we often struggle to put them into words. Maybe we can change that?

Mental health is not discussed enough, despite it being an important element of the 007 stories. In this series, David talks very openly about mental health with members of the Bond community. He has a theory: these are the sorts of things on many of our minds but we often struggle to put them into words. Maybe we can change that?

Here, David talks with Blake Powers ( @BondLifeChicago ) about hypervigilance. As a first responder in the Police, Blake is the ideal person to guide us through what it's like to be in an elevated state of constantly assessing potential threats. Blake can certainly relate to Bond in this regard and has written a brilliant article about this in which he insightfully makes many links with Bond's behaviour in the books and films. David and Blake focus in particular on the film of Quantum of Solace and Fleming's Thunderball.

Together they explore:
What impact does hypervigilance have on the brain and body?
What should you do when you go 'off duty' and find yourself slipping into a depression-like state?
How do we avoid using coping strategies which are bad for us?
How much should we follow the example set by Bond?

Read Blake's article here:
https://spygestmag.com/posts/the-melancholy-spy/

If you are interested in appearing on a future episode of 'On Our Minds Only?' then please get in touch.

Kim Sherwood's A Spy Like Me had its official launch on Saturday 27th April at Dukes Hotel in London.

The event was a collaboration between 007GB - The British James Bond Fan Club, Ian Fleming Publications Limited and Harper Collins. It was my pleasure to be not only an organiser but also the emcee for the evening. The centrepiece of the event was a conversation between Kim and me with a follow-up Q&A. This is a recording of that. I hope you enjoy it.

More about the book

A Spy Like Me is the second novel in the Double O trilogy, the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Double or Nothing. A Spy Like Me is even more tense than its predecessor. It’s both an addictively readable thriller and a work of great Literature.

How Kim achieved such a magnificent feat was explored at the launch, with David Lowbridge-Ellis MBE hosting the evening, conversing with Kim and taking questions from the audience.

Check out David's review of the book here: https://www.licencetoqueer.com/blog/book-review-a-spy-like-me

Watch David and Kim discussing other aspects of the novel in this series of Classified Chats:

https://www.licencetoqueer.com/blog/classified-chats-with-kim-sherwood

More about the launch event

The launch was a collaboration between 007GB - The British James Bond Fan Club, Ian Fleming Publications Limited and Harper Collins – the first time anything like this has happened.

We chose to have it at Dukes Hotel for reasons obvious to any Fleming fan; it’s practically a site of pilgrimage for us (Bond’s creator loved to drink at the sensational bar) and it has long associations with the character of 007.

Compared with a regular book launch, there was a more intimate, familial atmosphere. This was something we had planned for as soon as we were asked by Ian Fleming Publications and Harper Collins to collaborate with them. It’s unusual to have a book launch on a weekend, but having it on a Saturday meant it could be a more relaxed and convivial affair. It also meant more members from across the country could make it to London for the event. Some of our overseas members were also able to attend and it was lovely to have them there.

The evening began with a sumptuous wine reception and continued long after the official finish time. Representatives from the Fleming family, Ian Fleming Publications and Harper Collins mingled with club members, Kim’s family and invited guests. Fellow Bond author Charlie Higson was also in attendance; he asked a deliciously tongue in cheek question about the third book, which will be released in 2025. You can hear this - and all of the other questions - in this podcast.

On their most recent trip to Tokyo, David and Antony really didn’t expect to find themselves in a lesbian bar themed around James Bond. Nor could they quite believe it when the owner herself was up for being interviewed about her Bond fandom and how ‘women only’ carries a different meaning in Japanese culture.

This interview was originally included in a podcast covering our whole trip to Japan, which you can find here:

https://www.licencetoqueer.com/blog/welcome-to-japan