Book role based on county businessman
THRILLER writer Frederick Forsyth has revealed one of the main characters in his new book is named after a Northamptonshire businessman.
Before the publication of The Afghan in August, Mr Forsyth gave fans the chance to bid for the right to have their names included in the book.
The on-line auction raised almost 100,000 for charity and the author has revealed the character of special forces officer, Captain Michael Linnett is actually named after a county man.
In an interview with German magazine, Der Spiegel, the author said: "I got about 100,000 for different charities.
"Captain Michael Linnett, the special forces officer in the race through the wilderness, is actually a businessman in Northamptonshire, for example."
The auction, which was held on the web-site eBay in 2005, offered the chance to bid for six different character names in the book.
But despite admitting the character of Captain Linnett is named after a Northamptonshire man, Mr Forsyth has not revealed any more details about who the man is or where exactly in the county he comes from.
His latest book follows the story of British special-ops soldier Mike Martin who is chosen to infiltrate Al Qaeda.
It follows a string of successful thrillers written by Mr Forsyth, beginning with the international bestseller The Day of the Jackal, which was published in 1971 and later turned into a film starring Edward Fox.
But despite his decision to auction off characters in his book over the internet, Mr Forsyth has also revealed his work has led to a mistrust of both the internet and mobile phones.
He said: "I don't own a cell phone and I don't own a computer either. I'm obviously much mocked for being such a dinosaur, but I have my reasons.
"With my typewriter I've never sent seven chapters into cyberspace and lost them.
"Secondly, try hacking into my typewriter. I also don't use the internet for searches, because frankly I don't trust it."
wayne.bontoft@northantsnews.co.uk
Email to a friend
Print this page- BREAKING NEWS: Man dies following motorway smash on Northamptonshire border
- BREAKING NEWS: Police inundated with hundreds of complaints over snowball fights
- Huge cigarette haul by masked burglars in armed raids at Northampton stores
- BREAKING NEWS: Police name man killed in crash on motorway in Northamptonshire
- Student flats planned for Northampton town centre revealed
- BREAKING NEWS: Fishmarket art gallery offered new home
- Student flats planned for Northampton town centre revealed
- New manager of Northampton’s Grosvenor Centre says ‘This is the beginning of a new era’
- Neighbours raise concern about bid to build new house three inches from their home
- Four-storey replacement for Fishmarket gallery should open in September
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northampton
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
