18. Fleming became more arrogant with critics and fans as time went on
In describing his manner of writing while in Jamaica, Fleming wrote in Books and Bookmen Magazine, “I never correct anything and I never go back to see what I have written”, also claiming that he wrote about 2,000 words per day. In March 1958 Fleming arrived in London following his winter in Jamaica with the next book of the James Bond series, which he had tentatively titled The Richest Man in the World. Its title was changed to the last name of its featured villain, Auric Goldfinger. It was the longest Bond book yet written, and it reflected Fleming’s long love affair with the gold. He was a longtime collector of gold coins, and the owner of a gold-plated typewriter.
The name Goldfinger he encountered from an architect whose work Fleming found distasteful, Erno Goldfinger. When the new Bond book was announced, but not yet released, the real Goldfinger threatened to sue. Fleming responded with a letter to the architect in which he wrote that he would include a note within the already printed copies of the book changing the name to Goldprick, as well as the reason for the change. His publisher, Jonathan Cape, smoothed matters over with the real Goldfinger. A huffy Fleming told friends that the book would be his last featuring James Bond, but the public reaction to the book and its sales quickly changed his mind.