Photos: Ian Fleming and how he forged a Bond

The Imperial War Museum in London is marking the 100th anniversary of writer Ian Fleming's birth with an exhibit that explores his life and work. It also examines how his experiences and the people he met provided the inspiration for many of the heroes, villains, babes in bikinis, gadgets, and far-flung locales in the James Bond series.

Fleming wrote more than a dozen Bond books at his home known as Goldeneye on the north coast of Jamaica. He first visited the island during World War II for a naval conference. The writer and his wife, Ann, would spend two months out of the year there, when he would work on his books. He reportedly developed a routine while writing the first book in the series, "Casino Royale." Each day, he'd go for a swim, eat breakfast, then sit down to craft the adventures of 007. The books were published between 1953 and 1965.

"For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond" runs until March 2009. (You can just hear Sheena Easton singing to you now, can't you?)