A gallery of our 30th multiday BondFanEvent is below!
Our 30th BondFanEvent, BONDLANTA, was a big success, with many thanks to Trina Parks, Thumper in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, and Dr. Oliver Buckton, author and editor of THE MANY FACETS OF DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: JAMES BOND ON PAGE AND SCREEN and THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH: A BIOGRAPHY OF IAN FLEMING.
Our three panels on Bond and Fleming at SAMLA 96 in Atlanta, Georgia–an annual English and Linguistics conference held now for nearly a century–were filled with innovative looks at the Bond books and films. The presentations, were in a word, awesome. Presenters visited from as far as Hawaii to share our mutual love for all things 007. And our group loved visiting downtown Atlanta, Olympic Park and dining and lounging together at restaurants and our host hotel in Buckhead, opposite the extensive and chic Lenox Square. Our group also enjoyed visiting and working with Frieda Toth, author of the soon-in-print JAMES BOND ROUTE 9 AND ME, for a look at her author’s proof on this new exciting work, and discussion on its many stories and locations within.
Matt Sherman dressed out as Ian Fleming, and Frieda got into her Bambi gear, to meet the legendary lady, Trina Parks, an active and athletic dancer, actor and fabulous singer, even 50 years after starring in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. Trina spoke about her forthcoming biography and the Bond group loved meeting Trina and her family, and our hors d’oeuvres and hours of open bar service–which bar ran out of martini glasses in minutes (!) before our multicourse meal together began for hours more. Trina shared countless stories from filming DIAMONDS and befriending Connery, cast and crew to her work alongside her friends Geoffrey Holder of LIVE AND LET DIE and Sammy Davis, Jr. (who also starred in a deleted DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER scene), and studying acting with her friend, Bruce Glover (Mr. Wint in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER) and much more. The group laughed, applauded and even sang DIAMONDS together.
Trina then ended our event in the best way possible, posing for many photographs with new friends, and signing personalized autographs for her legion of fans–some of whom were able to receive special signed stills though unable to attend in Atlanta in person. THANKS, Trina!
The BONDLANTA event came less than a month after our SECRET AGENT CRUISE and both events were possible through the generosity and hospitality of helpers–too many fans and friends to list here, but you know we appreciate you more than we can say with mere words!
THANK YOU, Bond fans! And SEE you in Mexico, the USA, England and Italy for our 2024-25 fan events! Happy Holidays!
Bondlanta 2023
Some of the world’s most knowledgeable James Bond experts will share with Bond fans in Atlanta, Georgia at our 29th multiday James Bond fan event, Bondlanta 2023. Join them and Trina Parks of DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER in the celebration!
Contact M to participate.
Bondlanta 2023 at SAMLA 95
The prestigious and historic South Atlantic Modern Language Association will hold its 95th SAMLA Conference in 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Bondlanta 2023 centers on the eighth consecutive SAMLA featuring multiple Ian Fleming and James Bond panels.
Top OO7 experts, including university professors and independent scholars from across the USA, Canada and UK, present annually at SAMLA on Bond, James Bond. Join SAMLA as exclusive members of Bondlanta 23 with Trina Parks, Thumper of DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER.
Bond Goes Deep
What was Ian Fleming’s subtext for GOLDFINGER? Is James Bond better at mass destruction or critical deconstruction? Which strange (illegal?) choices connect the book and film THE SPY WHO LOVED ME? Who among Bond’s women are the strongest females of the past 70 years? Why could the original novel become a better film of MOONRAKER? How to explore the mythologies at play for “woke” Bond and the world’s rampant “isms”? Why is there no time for NO TIME TO DIE . . . to die?
Bond at SAMLA has thrilled audiences for Double-O Seven years and our eighth series of James Bond panels as part of Bondlanta 2023 looks as exciting . . . thrilling . . . as dangerous as ever.
Bondlanta 2023
Bondlanta 2023 attendees receive VIP Seating for a dozen James Bond presentations in Atlanta, and will have their voice heard on all of the ideas and themes presented.
Attendees also have a large suite of additional presentations they may attend throughout the conference, and can shop at SAMLA’s Marketplace, featuring rare titles from top publishers, across a variety of literary and fan genres. Attendees will be also invited to a variety of hosted breakout sessions and trivia games to be held throughout the event.
Each attendee will be awarded a Bondlanta 2023 Commemorative Program featuring the full text and images of all the Bond presentations and spotlight presentations from past conferences.
Attendees will also join panelists for unlimited beer, wine and cocktails at an exclusive Bondlanta 2023 Cocktail Party followed by a Five-Course Celebration Dinner on Saturday, November 11 with legendary actress Trina Parks! Trina will be sharing for hours about her DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER experiences and her thrilling life and career alongside top performers worlwide.
Dinner attendees will meet with Trina in person for a private Diamond Autograph and Photo Session as well.
Contact M to participate.
Trina Parks, Thumper
Trina Parks, the first African-American James Bond girl, brings her unique talents as an actress, dancer, martial artist, and entertainer to Bondlanta 2023. Just as she shared her kicky, sex appeal with 007 Sean Connery in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, she promises to share her sassy yet serious secrets with fans.
Color, Karate, Class
Trina’s father, Charles Frazier, was a famous saxophonist for Cab Calloway. Before she left high school, Trina performed throughout New York and studied under award winners including Baba Tuni’s African Dance Company and Vinette Carroll of Your Arms Too Short to Box with God. A feature theatre actress and singer, Trina appeared alongside Eartha Kitt before achieving international fame as a sexy, serious threat to James Bond, as his first villainess of color in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. Producer Cubby Broccoli chose Trina not only for her extreme beauty and grace but as a Karate expert who could bring true menace to bear on OO7.
In between touring, Broadway and movie and TV roles, Trina was Katherine Dunham’s youngest-ever dancer at The Apollo Theater, and a featured performer with the world-famous Palm Springs Follies on its epic 22-year run. She has worked with a who’s who of action films and dance and movement innovators ranging from Alvin Ailey and Geoffrey Holder (Baron Samedi in LIVE AND LET DIE) to Jane Fonda.
As an advocate for others and as founder and artistic director of the Palm Springs Historical Dance Theater, Trina was recognized in 2016 with a Lifetime Achievement Award for over 4,000 hours of philanthropic service, by President Barack H. Obama.
James Bond at SAMLA Co-Chair: Dr. Oliver Buckton
Oliver Buckton is Professor and Chair of the Department of English at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. He teaches courses in Victorian and modern British literature, film, literary theory, and espionage fiction. At FAU he has developed several fully-online courses including on James Bond and Ian Fleming.
Oliver’s books include The World is Not Enough: A Biography of Ian Fleming, the first full-length biography of Ian Fleming in over 25 years, The Many Facets of Diamonds Are Forever: James Bond on Page and Screen and Espionage in British Literature and Film Since 1900: The Changing Enemy.
In 2021, Oliver was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Málaga, Spain, where he researched and taught on international spy fiction.
James Bond at SAMLA Co-Chair: Matt Sherman
Matt Sherman is an expert on Ian Fleming and James Bond. Two of his books are James Bond’s Cuisine: 007’s Every Last Meal, and Playing Games With James Bond.
Matt’s collectibles and fan meets have featured on C-SPAN, DISCOVERY, HGTV, VH-1, TLC, TNN and in Ripley’s Believe It or Not! His contributions on Bond and espionage have appeared in the Daily Mail, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Parade Magazine, Time and Time Europe.
Matt and his wife Janine Sherman have led James Bond fan events for many years, and have hosted over 120 Bond and spy actors, authors and filmmakers at public events.
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Matt and Oliver are honored to host other top Bond experts at SAMLA 95 and Bondlanta 2023 . . .
For Those Who Dare
Join Bondlanta 23!
Saturday, November 11, 2023
All Bondlanta 2023 attendees receive:
* VIP Seating at all SAMLA 95 James Bond Panels
* Q&A Space at all SAMLA 95 James Bond panels
* Unlimited Cocktails or Non-Alcoholic Fusions at our two-hour Bondlanta 2023 Cocktail Party
* Five-course meal with entertainment and trivia at Bondlanta 2023 Celebration Dinner
* Bondlanta 2023 Commemorative Program
* Trina Parks personalized Diamond Autograph and Photo Session with personalized color still
Cost: $199 per person (SAMLANs) or $325 per person (non-members) includes all panels, breakout and trivia sessions, and events
Attendees may stay in Atlanta at SAMLA’s host hotel, the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center, at the event rate discount, or elsewhere in Atlanta as desired.
$50 deposit per person. Contact M to participate!
For Those Who Present
Space remains for aspiring SAMLA 95 panelists at Bondlanta 2023 (present a formal academic paper or a casual talk with PowerPoint)!
Contact M to participate.