Your Questions

Q

Hi there, Sir.

I've read your 6 books of The Saxon Tales, and I love them.  You are truly a great writer and an inspiration, as I too would like to write one day (hopefully in the near rather than far future).  I think I have a question about that.  Did you work a job while you wrote your first book?  What did you do for financial (and practical/realistic) obligations?  What was your mindset going into writing that book?  I am not quite sure what I should be doing right now as I am very wrapped up in my current work/family life and have concerns about saving money for retirement and so on and so forth.  Do you have any suggestions or anecdotes that could relate to what I'm going through at the moment?

Thanks for your time,

Soren

Submitted March 13, 2013

A

I didn’t do it the sensible way. The sensible way is to keep your day job and write your first (second, third) book in your ‘spare’ time, and I have enormous admiration for people who do that. I was more desperate. I was in love, and she couldn’t come to Britain and the Americans wouldn’t give me a work-permit, so I told her I’d write a book. That was a daft thing to do, except it worked and, best of all, we’re still married!

Q

dear Mr Cornwell,

what made you want to revisit Thomas of hookton and are the any other characters you will revisit?

Ryan Lakey

 

Submitted March 12, 2013

A

It wasn’t so much a desire to revisit Thomas (though I like him as a hero), but rather a wish to tell the story of the Battle of Poitiers and, because that took place just a decade after Thomas’s last adventure it seemed sensible to use him!  Will I revisit others?  If I live long enough, yes!

 

Q

What is the year, In original time, when Uhtred is old and is telling ancient events?? Already  there is the England kingdom? I read that Dane York was absorbed by England in 954...
Lucas Burgie

Submitted March 12, 2013

A

The year which marks the unification of England is really 937, when the Battle of Brunanburh was fought, and among the losers was the Danish kingdom of York which fell under West Saxon control.  So 937 AD!

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell,

I was wondering, IMDb has a "casting" list for the Saxon Tales.  Yet, there seems to be no further info on this development.  Is it in the works?  Is there an anticipated release date?  Will it me a mini-series or HBO series, etc?  Just wondering, and very excited by the possibility.  LOVE your books!
Many thanks,
Jasmin

Hello Bernard,
I am a huge fan!  My dad loved the Sharpe series and I am obsessed with Uhtred and those books (really glad to see that there's a new one in the series).  With the huge success of 'A Game of Thrones'  I can help but lust for a Uhtred TV series or movies.  Have you had any sort of activity on this front, are you interested?  I know the Sharpe series made awesome TV shows.
Gordon Moore

 

Hello Mr. Cornwell,
I am a History Major, and an admirer of your work.  I wanted to know if you every thought about making your Saxon Tales into a movie?  I would love to see it happen!

Martavis Washington

Submitted March 12, 2013

A

I would be happy to see it happen, but I don't spend much time thinking about it.  My focus is on writing books, not making films.

Q

Hi Bernard.

I have been an avid reader of your books for sometime and love your style of writing. I thought how nice it would be to write a historical novel for children as I feel an interest in history and historical events is wanting in the Uk school system. However I am struggling to know where to draw the line as far as describing the horrors of war. I am aiming at children from aged nine upwards. Your input and advice on this matter would be much appreciated. I want t interest them not scare them off!

regards

Kevin.

P.S cant wait for the next Uhtred instalment.

 

Submitted March 12, 2013

A

Oh they love to be scared! Think of Grimm’s fairy-tales, or Struwelpeter. It’s adults who are squeamish. The little horrors will love you for feeding them gore, horror and blood. Do it!

Q

Sir'
What was the reasoning during Georgian times that the Royal Navy was permitted press gangs, while that option was not allowed for the army?  It seems an unfair advantage to the navy.
--Terry

Submitted March 12, 2013

A

Because the Navy was deemed essential to Britain’s defence in a way the army was not! And because service in the navy was a good deal less appealing to most men than service in the army. At least in the army you were safe on land, had a chance to meet women and would probably avoid scurvy, drowning and two of Churchill’s summation of the navy: rum, sodomy and the lash. And an enormous number of men were needed! A ship of the line had a minimum crew of around 700 and, by the end of the wars, Britain had over a hundred such ships afloat, and that’s not counting any ship carrying fewer than 74 guns (think of all those frigates, sloops, gun-brigs, schooners!).  First-rate ships had a crew of over a thousand! It wasn’t just Britain’s problem. Even during the American Revolution the rebels had recourse to press-gangs to man their ships.  The army was much smaller and so had less need of enforcement.

Q

Hi again, Mr. Cornwell.

In a March 3 posting, Ed Lancaster asked if there were any novels that dealt accurately with the siege and capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453.  I recommend "A Place Called Armageddon" by C.C. Humphries, which deals with that battle.
Alan Kempner

Submitted March 7, 2013

A

Thank you!

Q

Firstly Congratulations on a ripping yarn that is educational.  All that blood and excrement made me feel so glad I wasn't there.
Is Death of Kings the last we hear of Uthred?
Kevin Cotterell

 

I have very much enjoyed the Saxon Chronicles.  Will there be a follow-up to the Death of Kings?  Thank You.
Don Machino

 

Are you planning another book on the continued story of Uhtred in the Saxon series?
I have read all of the books so far and look forward to the next installment!
I also have read the stories of Hookton and look forward to reading your new book on him.
If possible please let me know if a new book on Uhtred will be coming out soon on Kindle books.  Thank you!

Herb

Submitted March 5, 2013

A

I am writing the 7th book of the series now (likely to be called The Pagan Lord).  We hope to see it ready for publication (in the UK) in September.  US publication will probably be January 2014.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell,
I've enjoyed all your books immensely for several years and became very excited when I started reading Sharpe's Escape and saw that two of the characters shared my last name, Ferreira. However, my excitement turned to horror when I realized that they were two of the most traitorous and despicable villains in the Sharpe series.
I'm hoping, as others have suggested, that you may bring back the character of Major Ferreira, but that he will have realized the error of his treacherous ways and redeem our good name. By the way, did you pick the name for any particular reason or just because it is a more common Portuguese name?
thanks,
Jim Ferreira

Submitted March 5, 2013

A

I honestly don’t remember why or how I picked the name, and I’m so sorry if it offended you!

Q

I am a huge fan of your books in particular the Uhtred novels, Thomas of Hookton and the Arthur stories. Thank you for the hours of fun you have given me. I was recently reading about Euhemerism, and found the idea of it interesting, I was just wondering what you thought about the idea of it?

Thanks John Rose

Submitted March 5, 2013

A

I don’t believe it!  For those who don’t know what I don’t believe Euhemerism is a theory that the gods (and goddesses) are all redactions of human heroes who became deified over time, but it just seems unlikely to me. The Roman Emperors tried really hard to make themselves into gods, and it failed, and meanwhile there’s too much evidence of celestial origins – Saturn, the sun, Venus, Mars and so on. It’s an ingenious theory (and very ancient), but to me unconvincing.