Your Questions

Bernard, I've just been the MSN groups website dedicated to Richard Sharpe fans and there is a link to another site that has news of forthcoming films. This site says that Sean Bean will be starring in a new movie to be called Sharpe's Challenge and filming will start Autumn 2005 in India. Is this true? Ed Harvey

Dear Bernard, I'm currently reading my way through Enemy of God, the second volume in your Warlord Chronicles. While I am greatly enjoying it, my question in fact refers to the cover designs of your novels, rather than the texts. I am curious to know how much influence you yourself have on the theme and design, for all your works. I would especially like to know, if you could tell me, the origins of each of the artefacts on the three Warlord Chronicle novels - in particular the impressive helmet on the first, as I'm sure I've seen it before. Are these items supposed to have any particular relevance to the books? I would greatly appreciate any feedback you could give me about these covers, and in the meantime I will continue to soak up the fantastic tales you've weaved between them. Many thanks, Heather.

Thank you for the many books you have written, and I have spent reading. I have a question. What is the term you have used for those armies or troops who first enter a breach? I know it has something to do with their very low life expectancy. An acquaitance of mine likened them to the 95% of soldiers in Iraq who break down a door. I look forward to your next historical adventure. Sincerely, Michael Murdock

Hi again, Mr. Cornwell. This one will require a little creative speculation on your part. Let's hypothesize that you had written the Sharpe series chronologically, starting in India and going all the way to the end, instead of starting in the middle, going to the end, and then working your way backwards. What are some of the major things that might have happened differently in Sharpe's career? Alan Kempner

Dear Mr Cornwell, Was Sgt/Ensign Charles Ewart, of Waterloo fame, part of the inspiration for Sharpe? I was deeply moved by your interpretation of his action in Sharpe's Waterloo. I had to reread the section several times before I could move on. As a very reluctant conscript in 1970 I became the full stop at the end of long line of Ewart military heros. I am proud of their exploits but I am bloody glad I did not have to add the the family "glory". Thank you! Rob Ewart

Dear Bernard, please don't ever stop writing! do you have any plans to do a signing at W.H.Smith's in Paris-or any other bookshop in Paris? And lastly, are Lady Grace Hale's Selbys related to Dorian Gray's? I seem to remember that his mother (like Grace, the daughter of the Earl of Selby)fell madly in love with and married a Sharpe-ish type character who was an infantry soldier and most definitely not a gentleman,and she died in childbirth like poor Grace(but sadly the child didn't and grew into the appalling Dorian). Did you have anywhere particular in mind when you wrote about Lucille's house in Normandy? My husband, who is French and has a very "large and penniless farmhouse with a very inconvenient ditch around it" in Normandy, has always been extremely jealous of the amount of time his wife spends with Sharpe was slightly mollified to learn that Sharpe in later life doesn't like to travel further than Caen (about half an hour awayfrom us) I think he also hopes that if Sharpe can grow to love Normandy then maybe even his wife can!

Elle

Greatly enjoyed Sharpe (nearly all-not read/got short stories;) Read Peninsular / Waterloo background, so went onto Grail Quest. Now "hooked" on Thomas of Hookton, and read them all! So what next, if anything, for Thomas and Genevieve? Keep writing please. Richard Neale

Hello Mr Cornwell, I am (like probably most others who contact you) a big fan of your novels. I have copies of most of your novels as well as all of the Warlord Chronicle as Audio Books which are wearing out so I must purchase more copies. As a teacher of Design and Art I like to draw a lot and I have recently begun to combine my love of drawing, fascination for King Arthur and my love of your versions in a series of illustrations for my own pleasure. This lead me to wondering if anyone had thought of producing a graphic version of your novels similar to those produced from many films. I'm sure such a version would prove popular to a whole new audience that would not read novels (most of my pupils will not look at a novel outside of an English lesson but love seeing my efforts at illutration). Also, I note in your historical notes that you have reintroduced many early Arthurian characters such as Derfel and Ceinwyn yet whenever I try to find such characters in my Arthurian reading I cannot find any reference to them. What sources in particular did you use to find these? Finaly, I have often wondered about Derfels story after the events in Excalibur. Do you have plans for a fourth novel to the series chronicling Derfels story and the turmoil Britain would have gone through following Arthur's death(?). I for one would find this equally fascinating as the actual Arthur novels.

Hi Mr Cornwell, I wrote to you a few days ago and in this email I asked about the origins of Derfel Cadarn in the Warlord Chronicles. Since then I have found a Catholic website naming a Sait Derfal Gadarn who was Bishop of Badsey and was one of the few survivors of the BAttle of Camlan, and may have fought according to other sites (EBK amongst these) the have fought at the Battle of Baddon Hill. Is this your inspiration for the character Derfel in your books? Andrew Moore

I was wondering where the line "Be sure your sin will find you out" is in the Bible? Wendy Zimmerman

As an Ulsterman I have become very attatched to Sergant Patrick Harper, I even met him and his wife on a few ocasions {Darragh OMallagh} and the lady that played the part of Lady Smith in Sharpes Company. I enjoyed the series emensly but your books are something else. I love the Irishness of the black humour that is all so evident and I am certain that, that is something that you could only pick up here in N. Ireland. I know that Richard Sharpe would have been garrisoned in Cork prior to his departure to India, but when is he going to visit his old friend in Dublin for a few pints in the Brazen Head? Michael Doyle