Your Questions

You open a door by introducing Sharpe's son in the Starbuck books - is it possible we may have tales of his adventures in the Crimea? regards David Lamb

Thank you for all the years of enjoyment that your books have afforded me, whether reading them for the first time or re-reading them. They've been a useful tool for me to get people excited about history & have it come alive for them after they've left a re-enactment event. One silly little question if you please. Lucille is said to have died in the video "Sharpe's Challenge" (1817 - 2 years past Waterloo) but in "Sharpe's Devil" (1820) She is alive. Also in the Starbuck Chronicles she's referred to living well past even 1820. I know that anachronisms easily creep into a long series, but it's created a friendly argument amongst some of my Sharpe circle of friends. What's the straight skinny please? tusen takk, or tusen taco as you prefer, Sven

Dear Mr. Cornwell, What do you do when you have writer's block? Where do you get information for your books?-(Historical info) K.S

Dear Mr. Cornwell, just a quick note to tell you how much I appreciate, first your books, and also your approachability. I read most of the Sharpe series, the Arthur books, Gallows Thief, and Scoundrel, and the Starbuck Chronicles which I didn't like that much, simply as a matter of taste, nothing else, like I don't like fish, but it's still great to eat. Are you ever planning to come to Malta on holiday ? I'll be waiting for you to sign my books and you'll get a look round our temples, which are 2,000 years older than Stonehenge !!! Keep it up and thanks. Stephen Spiteri

Carrying on from my last question, the pit is 3* larger than a man and one snake lunged at old Obadiah and why does he always make references to the scriptures because nobody ever heeds of their rules once they're out in the field even Wellesly (wellington)
Jamie Foyle

Dear Bernard, I enjoyed 'Gallows Thief' very much, and particularly the colourful and often bizarre vocabulary that your London characters used. I noticed (correct me if I'm wrong) that none of them referred to each other as 'mate', which contemporary Londoners seem to do all the time, taxi-drivers especially. Did that term of address not exist in Regency times? Sorry, this is not the most riveting of questions, but I am very much curious, and I wonder when did it ever creep into everyday use. Do you have any idea? Thank you. Paul Reid, County Cork.

I recently wrote you regarding how much I enjoyed your Saxon series. I have a quick question if you don't mind answering. While writing the books, did you find that you enjoyed writing Uhtred more when he was with the Danes or with the English? Or did you find no preference either way. I was just curious. Thanks again for all of your work. David Stackel

I have enjoyed your Grail Quest books immensely, and I have especially enjoyed their accuracy. So I am a little surprised to find a mention of phlogeston, which I thought was seveteenth century invetion. Do you know something I don't? Please make you books longer. Ol Rappaport

Bernard, I am so thrilled to write you. You have become my favorite author. I have spent many days and nights the past two years reading everything that I can get my hands on. You have taught me more about the Napoleonic wars than a semester of history. I have just finished the Nathaniel Starbuck series and am reading Stephen Sears's book about Antietam. As I was reading the series it occurred to me that Colonel Lassan is indeed Richard Sharpe's son, you sly dog! It raises the question of how create your characters. You obviously created the son while you were developing the father, judging by the copyright dates. Does this mean that Starbuck will continue the war and when should we expect to be at Chancelorsville and into Gettysburg? I also wanted to ask you if you write your novels in the chronological order as they appear in the books or do you write as the thoughts occur and then edit later to give the sequence? Also do you ever tire of a character and decide to have them killed or removed? Is Hakeswell as beloved to you as say Adam Faulconer or even Sharpe and Starbuck? I will let you go before I take up too much of your time. I have Sharpe's Fury in the wings and am desperately looking for Sharpe's Revenge to see how Colonel Lassan was procreated. Best wishes and thank you for keeping me company, Rick Schatz

Mr Cornwell, I would just like to say that i am a huge fan of your books, particularly the Warlord Chronicles and the Saxon Stories. Indeed, reading the Saxon Stories inspired me to select Alfred the Great and the Danish invasions for my A Level history coursework, a plan that was only stymied by the fact that my teachers' expertise did not lie in that area. I do, however, have a quick question. After reading the books my interest was piqued, so i did a little research of my own. One of the things i came across was that in the autumn of 892 or 893 the Danes, experiencing trouble in Europe, again attacked England, crossing in 330 ships, in two divisions. The larger body entrenched themselves at Appledore, Kent, while the smaller body, under a leader called Haesten, settled at Milton, Kent. Considering your intention to write 7 or 8 books i couldn't help wondering whether the Haesten whom Uhtred took from the Frisians might turn out to be this Haesten? A trivial question, i know, but one my curiosity is not allowing me to ignore. Thank you ever so much for the hours of pleasure your books have given and i wish you the best of luck (though you hardly need it!) with your future novels. With sincere thanks, Alasdair.