Simenon and Fleming discuss the Thriller Business
by FREDERICK SANDS
ONE OF THE MEN IN THE ROOM WAS SHORT AND STOCKY. He spoke fluent English, but with a French accent. His briar pipe seemed an almost permanent fixture in his mouth. The second man - tall, lean, tending to be florid, had an impeccable English accent and chain-smoked cigarettes from an elegant holder.
Georges Simenon, creator of Inspector Maigret of the Sûreté, author of some 200 books, with an average of three books published every week in thirty-two countries, was enjoying the company of Ian Fleming for the first time, and discussing the business of thriller writing.
It was a unique occasion. The world’s two most successful thriller authors, exchanging views and comparing their completely individual attitudes to work.
Fleming had been a Simenon fan for years, but Simenon, although he knew all about Bond and Fleming’s style from critics and newspaper and magazine articles, had not, as yet, actually read any of the 007 books. cont

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