Brown retreats from 'Da Vinci Code' fame

NEW YORK, March 22 (UPI) -- Author Dan Brown has gone into near seclusion to escape the "circus" that continues to surround the "Da Vinci Code" as he works on a sequel, a report said.

Brown, 40, has sold 25 million copies of his fourth novel, making the "Da Vinci Code" one of the fastest selling adult novels ever and bringing Brown an estimated $50 million in the past two years, the New York Times reported.

Brown, besieged by fans and objectors, has stopped giving interviews but did respond to questions by e-mail, the newspaper reported.

"I have no idea how real celebrities handle their fame," Brown wrote. "I'm just a guy who wrote a book, and it still can turn into a circus at times when I go out in public."

Brown wrote his life changed dramatically, such as borrowing his book at the airport when he forgot his picture ID. He said he still rises at 4 a.m., though, to write every day.

Doubleday officials said they expect a manuscript of the sequel in 2006. It will be set in Washington and focus on the secretive world of Freemasons, the newspaper said.