Your Questions

Dear Mr. Cornwell, First of all I have to say I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all your Sharpe stories as well as many other books you have written.Thank you for the pleasure they have given to me. Secondly the reason for this email is to ask where your idea may have come from for the Richard Sharpe character. I live in Highcliffe,Dorset and nearby is Studland where I chanced upon a wonderful headstone in the very old churchyard.It reads,back and front,like the epitaph of Sharpe and his French wife.The similarities are so much so that I had to contact you. I do hope I am not wasting your time but I almost embarrassed my poor husband by dancing around the stone I was so excited. Please keep up the production of your much enjoyed books, Kind regards, Sue

Sir: In your research, have you ever come across regulations for the British army in the 18th c. to periodically switch out their straight lasted shoes, purportedly in an attempt to make them wear out evenly, thereby extending the useful life of issued shoes? I know I had read a reference to that, but can no longer find the source. Just wondering if it was a real regulation, or a "reenactorism". --Thanks, Terry

LOVE all your books on all subjects. Are any of them e-books? Or something that can be downloaded into an i-Pod nano, for instance. Want to listen/read every chance I get. Watched one of the videos on your webpage and SOO glad you've maintained your accent. So has my Mum who is from London. Thank you.

Barbara Henry

Dear Mr Cornwell, I have just completed reading "The Fort". As usual I thoroughly enjoyed your writing and the historical notes that followed the novel. You mention the subsequent occupation of Castine in the war of 1812.The book was made even more captivating to me because during that second British occupation a customs post was operated and the revenue raised was used to found Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia where I taught at the medical school for the past 40yrs or so. Any further word on a sequel to 'Gallows Thief' ? It would be a pity to let Rider,Eleanor,Berrigan and Sally fade into oblivion. Keep up the outstanding work and many thanks for what you have already given us.

David Imrie

Dear Mr. Cornwell,I first discovered your novels after watching the Sharpe series on television. This is the type of entertainment I thoroughly enjoy. After discovering you as the author I have now found other novels of yours and particularly have enjoyed "Azincourt" and the latest non put downable novel "Gallows Thief" (the front cover is not the same as shown on this site). Being totally immersed in the story line I found myself actually becoming Rider Sandman, can you please tell me when I can next expect to read about myself as I can't wait to see what I get UP to! Ken Martin

Dear Mr Cornwell, I have been reading the Saxon series and was waiting for the next chapter when you brought out the Fort, as I like that time period could you say when you will continue with the Saxon series please, as with Sharpe, Arthur, and the Grail they are a pleasure to read, thank you for brightening many a winter night and relaxing holiday, Peter T

I´d like to know when will be ready the new book (sixth) of "The Saxon Stories" series. Jose Marcio Velasco

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I am in love with the saxon stories you wrote and would really like to know when the 6th book will be available to read! Thanx your the best.

Zach German

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I am in dire straits. I have just finished The Burning Land and now am bereft of another book to read. I am a fan of runnning series and have recently read the Patrick O'Brien series (Jack Aubrey) and the C.S. Forester (Hornblower) books. I would gladly jump into one of your Revolutionary War series but I've had my fill of that period for a bit. I must find out what happens to Uhtred. Page for page I think your Saxon tales has been the best written and enjoyable series I have read. Any chance you've got the next installment sitting on a disk somewhere ready for the publisher? I'm not dealing with the wait very well. Your loyal reader, Jeff Melcer. New York, NY

And what if we can't wait for October?

Sandra Z

I have enjoyed reading and collecting most of your books, especially the sharpe, arthur, grail and saxon series. Due to a stroke I now have difficulty holding conventional books and now use a Kindle device, which is easier to hold. However to my surprise I find that two of the sharpe books (sharpe's sword and sharpe's siege) are not available in this format. When I contacted Amazon they blamed the publisher. Can you please shed any light on this matter and if there are any plans to make these books available. Thank you.

Philip Kelly

Greetings Bernard, I have all the Sharpe Books at home, and always take two or three away on holiday with me. i now have a Kindle, on which I have downloaded all those available i.e. up to Sharpe's Company. When will the rest of the series be listed. Many thanks for giving hours of continuing pleasure in my dotage. Kind regards Bernard Darby

Hello Bernard! The Sharpe books are excellent, well done. However, I'm a frustrated Kindle based reader! I have enjoyed the Sharpe series until I went to download and read Sharpe's Sword...and found it's not available for UK based Kindles! >From a search on the web, it seems other UK Kindle owners have moaned about this since at least February 2011. Oddly, it's available for USA Kindle users! Any chance you can give your people a nudge to investigate this? It's a huge disappointment to find the whole Series is not yet available...reading 13 books and finding the 14th is not available, but the 15th and others are, is exceptionally frustrating! I don't want to skip a book, and would rather not buy a paperback if I can help it. I do therefore appreciate it's available as a book, but once reading the series on Kindle, and having spent a small fortune downloading and reading 13 books, so far, at £4.49 a time, you may appreciate the frustration at finding that one (or more) books are not available. The books are excellent. Thus, for the benefit of your UK Kindle based fans, any help or pressure you can bring to bear to speed up Sharpe's Sword onto Kindle would be appreciated. Not a problem of your making I do appreciate, but it's one I suspect you may not have been aware of. I'm now faced with the prospect of having to switch to another author while I wait for Sharpe's Sword to appear! Which could take weeks...or months. :( Cheers, Keith.

hey I was just wondering if after you put out the newest book of the saxon stories you'll be signing any where down the cape? Thanks Nick, Harwich

I HAVE READ THE ARTHUR BOOKS AND THE GRAIL QUEST. I WAS SO IMPRESSED BY THOSE STORIES THAT I BEGAN IN 2007 READING THE SAXON STORIES BEGINNING WITH THE LAST KINGDOM. I BECAME ADDICTED TO THE SAXON STORIES. I LOOK FORWARD TO EACH AND EVERY ONE. I SEE THAT THE NEW ONE WILL BE AVAILABLE THIS YEAR. CAN YOU TELL ME WHEN THEY WILL END, OR HOW MANY BOOKS ARE LEFT IN THE SAXON STORIES? IF NOT, I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. SINCERELY, A FAN FROM SOUTH TEXAS!

MARTIN

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I have just read with excitement that Michael Mann has signed on to direct the movie adaptation of Azincourt. Do you have any thoughts as to who you would like to see play Nicholas Hook? Yours sincerely, Stephen.

Dear Mr. Cornwell: How soon shall Starbuck march again to Fredericksburg? I walked the battlefield last year and currently doing a paper for college on it. (I have both The Fredericksburg Campaign: Winter War on the Rappahannock by Francis Augustin O'Reilly and Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg! by Gorge C. Rable resting mere feet from where I'm now writing; both are extremely telling sources.) But sir, after all this research, I want to inhabit that world and Starbuck is the man to lead me there. I hope now that since your latest has returned to the United States' shores, you will remember we are a nation awash in history. Good luck in your next endeavor, whatever it may be. Regards Adam Azzalino

Starbuck has been on holidays since 1996! Isn't about time he came back to continue the fight, and what better time then all the 150th celebrations that will be occurring through the next four years>

Phillip Knowles

Dear Mr Cornwell, I have just finished reading the four Starbuck books and I would like to thank you for writing them! I have enjoyed reading your books over many years (the first was Wildtrack, way back when) but I have to say that I think the Starbuck stories are amongst your very best. Besides being a great read, I think the stories give the reader a glimmer of understanding of how terrible that conflict was, especially for the poor buggers who had to line up and shoot at each other. I note in the Starbuck section of your website that you have sent Nate on an extended vacation. He's probably bored by now, so can we have him back? After all, I think Sharpie has earned some time off! Thanks again. Best Wishes and Kind Regards, Scott Fisher.

hello I love all your books and I think I have read virtually everything you have ever done. I have just finished the starbuck chronicles and plead with you to continue the story. The american civil war is not over, Billy Blythe is on the loose and Starbuck has got a scar on his face that little Sally won't be able to resist. Would love you to write more of these. Also love the saxon quest and can't wait for the next one. anyway sure you're a busy man, and if you're not, get busy and write me a novel (please :-) yours sincerely Chris Newton, massive fan

You mentioned a "vacation" on the Starbuck Chronicles but it has been 15 years. The last book led me to believe there would be others. How old are you and do you still have time to write it/them? Thanks and love your books or I would not ask . . .

Edd Baldock