Your Questions

Q

Do you know Jack Whyte?  His stuff and yours are similar both in general style and in general direction. Are you friends with him? I really enjoyed the Skystone series and the Sharpe series.

Paul Thompson

A

I do know him, though not well, and I’m an admirer!


Q

Yeah Bernard,

I love the Uhtred books,and was just wondering if you could have Finan and Uhtred visit Ireland for a bit of mayhem,before the series ends.

Cheers

Wayne.

A

Finan would like that, and Uhtred would too, but whether it will happen? I’m not sure . . . .

 


Q

Just Finished Death of Kings. Wonderful. How about a Sharpe novel. His early years and his joining up with his arch enemy Hawkswill ! ! A wonderful character. Says so in the bible !

Thanks for many years of enjoyment.

Dennis

A

Maybe a short story?  We'll see....


Q

Are you planning to attend the Historical Novel Society Convention in St. Petersburg in June?  I would like to meet you there.

John Kevin Smith

A

I’m afraid I shall be wholly caught up in rehearsing for the opening show at the Monomoy Theatre, so alas, no.


Q

Mr Cornwell,

I was born in Wallasey Cheshire, but have lived in the USA since 1960.  In my library I have a book entitled The Rise & Progress of Wallasey, first published in 1929 & re-printed in 1960.  Needless to say it is a fairly boring book, but I happened to be leafing through it the other day, & came across a reference to the first authentic record of Wallasey in Domesday Book.  It states: "The same Robert holds Walea (Wallasey).  Uhtred held (it) and was a free man."  As Uhtred is your major character in your Saxon series, it perked up my interest.  Having followed the entire series to date, I recalled a comment by you in the Historical Notes of "Lords of the North,  where you state that " the name Uhtred is your ancestors!" Could this be a direct ancestor of yours?  I have always been fascinated by British history, probably because it was crammed down my throat in my schooling.  I have an extensive Family Tree record which begins with Levanoth Levanethrus,1086, Lord of the Manors of Bakewell, Hathersage & Edonson.  His son was Mather Fitzlevenet, & his son was Thomas Fitzlevenet, Lord of the Manor & Rector-Dispossed 1192.  The first to use the surname of Bakewell was Mather de Bakewell of Longston, & his son was William de Bakewell of London 1272.  The "de" was dropped with William Bakewell 1347.  Interesting stuff.  I have enjoyed your work for many years, thank you, & keep it up.

David Bakewell

--

A

He’s almost certainly one of the family!  I don’t know of any of my direct ancestors holding the Manor of Wallasey, but it’s more than probable.  It’s also very useful to know, so thank you very much!


Q

Hi!
I just visited your website and I’m quite impressed! I was wondering if you have a Twitter account for your business? If you do, can you let me know your username?
I just posted a link to your site on my Facebook wall to encourage others to have a peek.  As a word of advice, I would suggest you to utilize social media sites to get more visits. I’ve personally been promoting my business and blogs on Twitter and Facebook and getting a lot of traffic from that. I’ve also been using a company called Famepack to increase my followers and likes. Have a look, it might be valuable to you as well.
Anyway, If you have a Twitter account, let me know so I can follow you and give you a shoutout on my Twitter page.
Thanks!

Andy Moore

A

Honestly I'm not sure my days have enough interest to feed a twitter account!


Q

What came to mind when you started to write your first book?
Tiffany

A

Panic.  I’d given up a ‘proper’ job to write and had no idea whether I could write a book or, if I did, whether it would be published. It was madness, but it kind of worked in the end?


Q

Dear Sir,

I just wanted to share this article I read, which theorized that because the sentence structure of English is nearly identical to Scandinavian languages, it must be descended from them. As I read the article, I couldn't help but think of the Saxon series. Anyone who know of Uhtred must have found this article to be completely obvious!  http://www.apollon.uio.no/english/articles/2012/4-english-scandinavian.html
I thoroughly enjoy you works, and wish you a happy and healthy Holiday season.
Warmest regards,

Eric Olson

A

English a Scandinavian language? That’s a stretch. It’s closest to Frisian, and, of course, is a Germanic language, and most of English goes back to what’s called Old High German. But, of course, it was hugely influenced by the Scandinavian settlers, which is why we fry eggs rather than fry eyren.  Scandinavian languages are also Germanic so I’d suggest they are cousins to English rather than father!


Q

First, I thoroughly enjoy your work, all of it. I have all your works, and am currently rereading Sharpe, and enjoying it all over again. And in doing so I have lately begun to compare Sharpe to a personal hero of mine, Robert Rogers, the founder of Roger's Rangers, an elite unite of colonial troops who fought in the manner of Indians. I was wondering if you knew anything about them and their amazing exploits during the French and Indian War, or the Seven Years War as it;s known in England. I am referring to the battle on Snowshoes, the grueling march to and from the Attack on the Village of Saint Francis from which French Jesuits sent wear party after war party of Mohawks and Abanaki to rape and pillage settlements along the New York and New England frontiers. Rogers has been sadly neglected by history. Probably because he remained loyal during The Revolution and those of his Rangers who remained loyal joined him in what later became the Queen's Rangers. However, Rogers is remembered in one place. At the United States Army's Infantry School at Fort Benning. Georgia Roger's Rules for Ranging are still taught as a basic element of Infantry Training. There is also tucked away in a corner, or used to be, a manikin in the field uniform of Rogers Rangers. Granted, Rogers was no paragon ...counterfeiter,  brawler, thug, he was also a brilliant leader well ahead of his time. Anyway, Sharpe reminds me of him. And I was wondering if you might someday consider doing something on the Rangers,

With Admiration,
Thomas Russell

A

I've given it some thought, but I'm afraid it's not high on my list.


Q

Hi
I was wondering; when will the next Starbuck book be out... his vacation has been longer than the civil war ;-)  at this rate he will be too old to continue the fight.
Thanks
Jackie

 

As a devoted reader of your books, i cannot imagine that you write for almighty dollar bill only, although it surely helps in a pinch.  I'm sure I'm not the first to suggest that the 150th anniversary of many battles of the Civil War would be an opportune time to revisit Starbuck and his adventures w/the Legion. While I could suggest battles and plot lines I would personally like to see explored, I'm sure you had at least a blueprint when you ended Bloody Ground.  Of course, I , like many I surmise, would like to see Starbuck survive the war and go west  where a multitude of potential plot lines and locales exist for his character. It is my concerted belief that revisiting his story lines would please a good number of folks, myself included. Do you have any plans, now or in the future, to resurrect his persona??   Thank you for all the wonderful stories you have crafted and for taking the time to read this.
Declan Porr

 

Any plans to finish the Starbuck Chronicles?
Larry

A

Yes, I do plan to return to Starbuck one of these days.