Best-selling Staffordshire author's work to go under the hammer
Craig Thomas lived in Whittington, near Lichfield, for many years.
The life's work of an international best-selling author is set to cause a stir in the literary world and go on sale at auction in Lichfield on April 12.
Included in the sale of the copyright of the work of Craig Thomas is his 1977 novel Firefox, which was made into a Hollywood blockbuster film both directed by and starring Clint Eastwood.
The author and his wife lived in Whittington for many years and he taught English at Lichfield's King Edward V1 School and Shire Oak School in Walsall Wood before the success of his debut novel, Rat Trap, allowed him to move to writing full-time.
His best-selling spy and adventure stories popularised the techno-thriller genre and now copyright to 18 titles, including Firefox, will go under the hammer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Lichfield.
Two of the novels were published under the pseudonym David Grant.
The sale will be hosted online with "live" international bidding through the internet at 9.30am on April 12 from The Lichfield Auction Centre and auctioneers expect the back catalogue to fetch between £20,000 and £50,000.
Craig Thomas died from pneumonia following a battle with acute Myeloid Leukaemia, aged 68, ten years ago.
Auctioneer Richard Winterton said: "Not only is it a rather unique auction prospect, this is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the legacy of a best-selling author whose way with words, attention to detail and audacious plots spearheaded an entire genre.
"We are especially pleased to be carrying out the sale on the instructions of the estate of Craig's wife, Jill, as they lived for many years in Whittington, just a couple of miles from us here at The Lichfield Auction Centre.
"As an ex-teacher held in high regard by pupils and staff alike, he was a popular man locally as well as an author highly esteemed by fans all over the world.
"What a wonderful opportunity to carry on Craig's literary legacy to a new generation as the tenth anniversary of his death approaches."
Arguably his most famous book, Firefox, which took four-and-a-half months to complete, featured the fictional Mig-31, a Russian stealth aircraft so advanced British spy-masters implemented a secret mission to steal one of the prototypes.
Trademark technical details such as the aircraft's Mach 5 speed, invisibility to radar and guided missile system controlled by the pilot's thoughts helped propel the novel to best-seller status with a paperback edition of 250,000 copies.
In the film Eastwood portrayed USAF pilot Mitchell Grant who would become a recurring character in four of his books.
