A Spy by Any Other Name ...

How might crime-fiction history have been different had British author Ian Fleming followed through on supplying his super spy with a substitute surname? From the Yahoo! Movies site:

James Bond is the most iconic name in British fiction, but the British spy had an alternative name--James Secretan.

A newly unearthed manuscript for Ian Fleming’s 1952 draft of the first Bond novel, Casino Royale, reveals the surprising moniker.

In the text, a CIA Agent meets 007 and says: “My name's Felix Leiter. Glad to meet you.” Bond replies: “Mine's Secretan. James Secretan.”

Fleming then changed his mind, because ‘Secretan’ was crossed out and replaced with ‘Bond.’

It seems Fleming’s original idea was that 007 would have a real name--Bond--and a cover name for when he was on spy duties--Secretan.

The manuscript has been released to coincide with the book’s 60th anniversary.

You’ll find the full piece here.