In this 1984 interview with Don Swaim, John Gardner discusses growing up in England, leaving school and becoming a journalist which in turn allowed him to write books. He discusses his first novel, Spin the Bottle, which is about his past problems with alcohol, his first novels of fiction and how he started writing the James Bond novels.

Listen to the John Gardner interview with Don Swaim, October 16, 1984
(19 min. 03 sec.)

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Not to be confused with the American John Gardner, the British writer, John Gardner is the "other" author of the James Bond adventures. Ian Fleming is the original creator of the most famous fictional spy, James Bond, and John Gardner continues writing the James Bond novels. Don Swaim asks how Gardner feels writing for a character that is not his own creation, and Gardner says he enjoys to continue writing the series. He has built a large fan base, and not wanting to let his fans down, he writes seven days a week and only stops for holidays.

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For many years most of the best writers of the English language found their way to Don Swaim's CBS Radio studio in New York. Wired for Books is proud to webcast these interviews in RealAudio.