Your Questions

Q

Hello Bernard.

Have you read any of the Robin Hood books by Angus Donald? When his first book Outlaw was published, someone asked you if "Angus Donald" was in fact you writing under a pseudonym (to which you replied "no"). I was intrigued and got hold of it. He's now up to the seventh in the series and says there is one more to come. Since the post to you started me reading his books, I wonder if you have as well.

Chris

Submitted February 17, 2016

A

I’m afraid I haven’t read them . . . I’ll put them on the list! Thank you

 

Q

Hi, Bernard.

I've heard you saying that the beauty of fiction is that it makes you stay awake at night, wondering "What's going to happen next?"

When you're writing your stories, how do you know it's going to make the reader stay awake at night? How do you know it's "good"? How do you make it good, fun, enjoyable, captivating?

Something to do with conflict, emotion?

(There's an ultimate secret to do so, that you can't give it up?)

Eilton Ribeiro

Submitted February 17, 2016

A

If I enjoy writing it then it suggests you might enjoy reading it! It’s as simple as that!

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

I have read a lot of your work and have been thoroughly entertained. And I thank you. I just finished Warriors of the Storm and as always, I was not disappointed. When do you expect the next chapter in the life of Uhtred? And will you ever write a series as long and in depth as the saxon tales?

Daniel Dunlap

Submitted February 17, 2016

A

I am writing the next book of The Last Kingdom series now.

I doubt it! I’m getting old. But who knows?

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

I've enjoyed the company of your books ever since I ran across Sharpe's Eagle in a British Army book store in the 1980s. As a history teacher, I've always been impressed at your focus on weaving historical research into your books, melding engaging fictional characters into real events. I also appreciate that in your afterwords you provide additional background - and give credit to the real people whose deeds you may have co-opted for dramatic license.

Because of this I was struck when I first read Sharpe's Waterloo of your open disdain for William of Orange, and in particular your indictment of his apparent actions. In this fictional work you essentially accuse him of foolishly causing the death of hundreds of British and German troops, of making the same basic error of tactics twice in two days.

Finally getting to your very find historical work on Waterloo this week, I see that you repeat and expand on these charges. Sadly however your book was without notes. In my own research it seems that, at least in the La Haiye Saint/KGL episode, the actual order to Ompteda came from General Alten. William of Orange (who may very well have been both pimply and whiny), then insisted that Ompteda follow Alten's order. So William may not have actually given the order himself, or at least the moment is in question.

I wonder if you have a moment to clear up this possible confusion, and perhaps share the endnote you would have written?

Best regards,

Ralph Moore

North Carolina

Submitted February 17, 2016

A

I have the moment, but I’m 1000 miles from my sources, sorry! But he did it at Quatre Bras and twice at Waterloo – how many times must the idiot mess up?  I’ll try to remember your question when I’m back home in a couple of months . . .

Q

Hi Bernard,

33 year old that grew up reading your books and still gets as much joy from a new one as I did at getting a new Sharpe out of the library 20+ years ago.

In the Uhtred books, one of the things that often halt the seemingly unstoppable advance of a Dane army is their fear of losing valuable men- even when their superior numbers make victory a near certainty. Is this a fear that has been recorded in historic literature? Is it as acute a concern as it often appears in the book, or is it a useful plot device? I was just keen to understand more about how your writing process works.

Genuine thanks for the hours (days/weeks!) of pleasure your books have given me.

Michael

P.S for the love of all the gods, write another Starbuck!

Submitted February 17, 2016

A

I don’t recall a contemporary source, but one is hardly needed! Armies were (on the whole) fairly small and trained men were valuable . .

Q

Any chance that Richard Sharpe's father was getting his legal education at Lincoln's Inn when he came to visit Cat's Lane in 1777? Certainly would explain his intelligence and cleverness.

Paul

Submitted February 17, 2016

A

None at all, but he probably would have liked it!

Q

Hi Mr Cornwell

I have a question about the novels. Several times you mention the difference between Christian priests and monks, in that monks may not marry but priests can and do!

Can you give me some information as to when the situation changed - given that Roman Catholic priests do not marry now - but I have no idea when the situation changed.

many thanks

Eileen

Submitted February 17, 2016

A

I think the change came during the 11th and 12th Centuries . . . it was fairly gradual, I seem to recall . . . I also recall that one pope (can’t remember which) recommended that all priests’ wives be sold into slavery!

Q

Dear Bernard,

I have already read and videoed most of your "Sharpe" series, and am now well into your "Last Kingdom" books (read in order). I wonder if you have a printable A4 map with or without place names to enable me to continue the last 4 books.

In my humble opinion you are the best author I have ever read and eventually will read  further series, Thank you for many enjoyable hours of reading

Your most sincerely.

Paul Greenwood

 

Submitted February 16, 2016

A

I've recently discovered this map - https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zRkKVvEEj718.ke_JveQ2qzNc&hl=en_US

 

 

 

Q

Thank you for writing these fascinating and very addictive books. The characters are so life-like in that they have a similar dark humour to myself, and I have laughed at his quotes and insults - having heard (and given) similar quips in police locker rooms and canteens over the years. I enjoy history as a subject but knew little of this period and I have learned so much by reading these, despite it being an incredibly complicated time. I have just today finished Warriors of the Storm and I am desperate to find out if the fabulous Uhtred gets back to Bebbanburg. If book ten is underway please let me know when I can get hold of a copy!

Diane Walsh

 

Hi Mr Cornwell,

I wanted to contact you, to say " Thank you, for giving me so much pleasure".I watched the TV Series The Last Kingdom, and had to read the complete series, of books,which my husband decided to surprise me with, for my Yule present. I haven't been able to put them down, as they are so compelling. I felt as if Uthred, was in the room with me, he seemed so real.I knew, I would enjoy the books, as I had read all The Sharpe series, which I also enjoyed  to the same extent.Just a quick question, will there be another book in The Last Kingdom Series? If so do you know when will it be published?I'm now bugging my husband to buy, the rest of your books, keeping my fingers crossed lol.Once again Thank you for bringing history to life, and the pleasure of your books.With Thanks

Marina Chaplin

 

Submitted February 15, 2016

A

I am writing the next book now.  Hopefully we'll see it published in September (in the UK).

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell,

I just inhaled your 9 Saxon books and came here greedily looking to see if a publication date had been announced for the 10th.

In recent years revisionist documentaries on the dark ages had me groaning. They always seemed to be based on the premise that people believed the inhabitants of the dark ages to be incompetent buffoons with no redeeming features. It seems patronising to the people of that time to suggest that the dark ages weren't so dark because they could still build large wooden houses. Civilisation clearly went backwards for some time. That shouldn't mean that the people of those times weren't fascinating nor that they didn't have an original thought. I wonder if the academics aren't a little over protective of the honour of the people they are studying.

Which is why one of my favourite aspects of the book is imagining Uhtred pondering the lost glories of Rome. At those points the book almost feels like a science fiction post apocalypse story. I find myself trying to imagine a 22nd century Uhtred making do with old weaponry though the specifics of such a story escape me. I realise I might be edging towards breaking the contact rules. However I don't believe this to be original or complete enough a thought to be worth anything and hereby relinquish it to the commons. If a short story of a 22nd century Uhtred did appear my reward would just be to read it. I only wanted to relay thoughts on the books.

My other thought - and I suppose my question - is on your prolifacy. Do you understand it yourself and do you discuss it with other slower or equally prolific writers? Is it something innate or learned? Is it purely work ethic or is it to do with the way that you write? I would love to see a discussion between you and a famously slower writer. For instance, to take the edge off my obsequiousness, are there qualities that slower writers tend to have in their writing that you are jealous of. Alternatively do you sometimes hear the excuses of writers who miss their deadlines and feel they just need their socks pulling up? I have no specific question - though I'm not asking for an essay in response - perhaps just a thought or two on the subject.

Many thanks for the joy,

Adam

 

Submitted February 10, 2016

A

I suspect we think of the post-Roman and pre-conquest era as ‘dark’ simply because there’s a dearth of source material, and what exists isn’t particularly helpful. That gives historians very little to cling to. I don’t think any historian belittles the achievements of men like Alfred, Aethelstan and Canute (though Aethelflaed has been overlooked), but perhaps it’s difficult to perceive their relevance to contemporary events, and history does have a useful role to play in explaining who we are now. I think (I hope modestly) that the relevance of the books I write about Uhtred are to explain exactly what England is and how it came to exist, and in many ways the Saxon period is the bedrock of ‘Englishness’. That bedrock was to be overlaid by the post-Norman kings and their Norman-French aristocracy, but it emerges again during the Hundred Years War and it’s still there. Debates (and oh god there will be debates ad nauseam) about whether Britain should be in the EU or whether Scotland should be independent are affected by England’s notion of itself, and we can’t understand that notion unless we understand where we came from. This really doesn’t answer your question! But it’s all you’re getting on this hungover Monday morning after a Superbowl party!

 

I wish I had a work ethic. I have a lazy ethic. I doubt writers should be judged by the quantity of their output. After all if you’re writing adventure stories (which is what I do) then your job is a great deal easier than it is for someone who is uncovering the human soul. I started as a journalist, writing scripts for the old Nationwide programme on BBC TV, and we had to transmit 60 minutes of television every Monday to Friday. It really didn’t give you time to be fussy, the scripts had to be written and we learned to be fast. Am I jealous of slower, probably more meticulous writers? No! I enjoy what I do, and I admire what many slower writers achieve . . . which prompts the query whether my books would improve if I gave them more time . . . I think not . . . mainly because we write in whatever way works best for us and what works for me is a looming deadline and speed.