Your Questions

Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt you've been compared to J K Rowling, but what Harry did for my daughter you've done for my son in the Sharpe series. This past summer, my 70 year old mother and 9 year old son found common ground thanks to your Sharpe series. Any plans about venturing further into Forester and of O'Brien territory and sticking it to the Crappo's by sea, or maybe even Crusade? Jim Tonge

Several months ago, Istumbled across the Richard Sharpe series on TV, ordered them all on Netflix and am going through the Sharpe novels as fast as I can. I love them! I have a question about measurements, though. As a retired forester, I was trained in and used a standard two-step pace (about 5 feet) for various--rather precise--measurements throughout my career. In your Sharpe novels, the "pace" is frequently used, but it's not clear to me whether it's the traditional two-step pace I used (about 5 feet), or the modern one step "pace" (about 30 inches). I know that the Baker rifle's expected accuracy is about 200 yards, although experts supposedly made shots out to about 800 yards, which leads me to believe you use the foresters' two-step pace. However, in the films, Sharpe is shown using the "riflemans' pace, a very awkward 3 walking steps and 3 running steps which looked more like some version of grown-up hopscotch, rather than an energy conserving, yet rapid, form of movement. So, which is it? Mark Dymkoski

Finished reading the Lords of the North it's the best Uhtred book so far but did you have to leave it on a cliffhanger? That's simply unfair! My question is, where do you get those juicy insults from? Are they from contemporary sources or do you just have a very twisted imagination? I hope we never get into an argument and feel sorry for those that do if they are. Chris Horry

Hi Bernard, I have just enjoyed reading Sharpes Fury and am now in eager anticipation of the next in the series,having read all the rest. In my search for other stories set in the same period I have come across an author called Richard Howard (I think this may be one of Shaun Hutson's pen names). He has a series starting with Bonapartes Sons, where the main character seems to be the opposite of Sharpe in many ways. He is French, An aristocrat posing as a peasant who should be an officer but remains a common soldier, and he a a Dragoon. Although these books don't have the same depth and feeling as yours they are still a good read, I wondered if you had read any of them and if so what you thought? Richard Blackwell

Sharpe lives in France and is not married with the woman he lives with. His problems and solution. Will you write a story about this? Josef

Dear Mr Cornwell. i have been searching for someone or a clothing maker that makes a close and detailed representation of the 95th rifles uniform green coats. I can mostly only find images of rifle men, have found one maker of the uniform but it is more for stage and not going to wear well if worn to often, I notice the uniform that is worn by for example Sean Bean it is very neatly made, strong and durable and the trousers have strong banding around the waist and I think leather at the ankles as mug guards for boots, is there a particular boot as well? thank you for your time and I hope I'm not bothering you too much. Yours Faithfully, Fiona

Dear Bernard, My name is Weng, and I'm from China. Bernard, I know you were born on February 23, 1944. You will soon celebrate your 63-year-old birthday, although it seems a little bit earlier, I still wish you, "Happy birthday!" in advance. You were born in London. Your father was a Canadian airman; your mother English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. You were given up for adoption and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were part of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. You were sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London and after graduating worked for BBC Television as a director. You married Judy in 1980 and re-located to her home country, the USA. Unable to get a Green Card, you started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit. In June 2006, you were awarded an OBE in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List. All I want to say is that no matter what will happen, please be strong and walk on. You feel blue just because you walk with your back to the sun, and you will embrace all the brilliance when you turn around. You can see a whole new world in a grain of sand, find a heaven in a flower, and feel warm in your palm. I hope these words can encourage you to conquer every peak you will have to face in the future. Bernard, the 2008 Olympic Games will be held in our capital Beijing, so would you like make a visit to China at that time? As we all know, China is a country with longstanding history. It lies in the east of Asia, with an area of 9,600,000 square kilometers and population of 13 hundred million. There are many beautiful mountains and rivers in our motherland, like the Himalayas, the Yangtze River. The Chinese people are enthusiastic and hospitable. Best wishes! P.S. Weng

Hello Mr. Cornwell: You've often said in interviews that your "Sharpe" series was partly inspired by Forester's "Hornblower" series, so my most recent reading project was following old Horny through his eleven-novel career. Would you mind my asking what you think are the main differences, from a writer's perspective, between your series and Forester's series (aside from the obvious sea-land difference)? Would it be fair to say your Sharpe's novels are mostly plot AND character driven while most of the Hornblower novels are entirely character driven? (And I may not even know what I'm talking about there.) The reason I ask is that I was surprised at how little "plot" there seemed to be in most of the Hornblower novels. "Flying Colors" was held together by Hornblower's need to escape from France, but most of the other novels seem a connection of episodes. Horny just rolls along from problem to problem and damned if you know what he's going to get sucked into next. Sharpe, on the other hand, usually has a mission and it's pretty clear from the beginning what he has to do to succeed, even if there are some unexpected surprises along the way. Again, I may be all wet (a little naval term there) about "plot-driven and character-driven." And I may be missing subtlties in Forester, but that's the way I see it. Any thoughts you'd care to share? P.S. I would save this question for the Historical Novel Society meeting in NY in June, but I'm not sure I can make it. Short hop for you, eh? Cheers. David McKissack

Dear Bernard. Just a curious question. In most of your Sharpe and American books you quite correctly and accuratly raise the humuruos issue of whores and prostitutes. In Trafalgar or Waterloo you mentioned the use of pigs intestines as condoms. From an Historical view, how did these ladies institute birth control? Regards, Kevin.

Hi Bernard First i would like to say thanks as a lover historic wars and games your books have been my favourite read for many a year. I have read all of the stories you have written and wait for the next insatallments of the Lord Uther tales. When will you being realeasing your next book? Richard Burden