Your Questions

Dear Bernard Loved the Fort thought it excellent.Wondered if you were tempted to write about McLean again he played a huge role in the 1775 siege of Quebec where he went up against Benedict Arnold and Dan Morgan are you tempted??? Yours sincerely Geraint

P.S Others have mentioned about Starbuck being on the losing side as opposed to Sharpe but Wellington did suffer his one and only defeat at Burgos and in Sharpe's Enemy Sharpe does (rather bitterly it seems) recall the siege so I wondered if you'll have Sharpe on the losing side for a change?

Dear Professor Cornwell, I'm a big fan of yours (standard e-mail beginning, I hope). I get more and more fascinated after each book of your I read. I'm now literally sunk in the Sharpe Novels, stuck in Trafalgar due to my lack in Ships knowledge. If you excuse me, I'll keep calling you professor, for I think your work belongs both to literature an history worlds. And that's why I entered in contact. I'm a history student in Juiz de Fora University, Brazil and I intend on doing some work regarding the values of historical novels to the worldwide historiography. Once a famous brazilian historian named Capistrano de Abreu wrote "The fiction writer creates, the true historian do not create but rewrite the history". Maybe you rewrite or even belong to a third category that Capistrano have not identified, the History Novelist, which gives history new colors to original drawings. If you have the time, I would like to know your judgement on that. Best Regards, Tiago Duque P.S.: Sorry for bad English

I have just read a brief article about the Viking bodies dug up at Oxford, possibly from the St Brice's Day Massacre. Will Uhtred be around during that time? It sounds like a great, if gruesome, episode. Thanks again for all the enjoyment your writing has given, as well as being the impetus for Sean Bean in Rifleman uniform.

Sheila Churchhill

Mr. Cornwell, Like many, I gobble up your stories any time I see one, the Arthurian tales being my first and favorite, but I have such an appreciation for your prose and dialogue in all your stories. My question is about the arms used by your characters in the Sharpe and Starbuck stories. Have you personally fired the weapons mentioned like Sharpe's style rifle, the British musket, French carbines, or even Harper's 7 barreled naval gun? If so, do you have a favorite?

Ben

Hello again, I just came across something recently, and it made me wonder: was Teresa Moreno based on Francisco Abad Moreno, the Spanish guerrilla whose mother and brother were killed by the french? Sully

Dear Bernard Am in process of re-purchasing all of my Sharpe collection (the boss aka my missus lets me purchase one a month ha ha) and having just listened to Sharpe's Escape, it's got me wondering. What becomes of Jorge Vicente, Sarah Fry and Major Ferreira? Also as I'm now listening to Sharpe's Fury, I'm wondering do you have any particular fate in mind for Pumphrey in the future? Am I reading Sharpe wrong to suggest Sharpe would feel the situation between himself and his Lordship is left unresolved? Do you have scope to bring back any of the above characters? Or are there not too many Sharpe prequals possible to do so? I can't wait for the next Sharpe, is it still a long time in the future? Lee

Are you going to write any more sharpe books? If so what is it going to be called or is that a suprise?

Kathryn Richardson

Mr. Cornwell - I've read nearly all your books and am currently working my way through the Sharpe series. Frequently you refer to Patrick Harper as a "giant of a man" (or some similar phrasing). One question for you - Does this indicate your personal opinion of someone who is 6'4" or are you reflecting what the characters in your story might think given that in the early 19th century the avg male height was around 5'6"? Just curious because I'm a bit over 6'4" and around 250 lbs but don't consider myself a "giant of a man".

Roman H

Dear Bernard, Can I start by saying what a big fan I am of your novels. My particular favourites have been the Arthur series. I grew up in rural Somerset so took great pleasure in your descriptions of the landscapes, I also very much enjoyed your take on the Arthur legend. I am currently reading the Saxon Stories, and have just started Sword Song which I am very much enjoying. I have the hard back version of Sword Song (ISBN 978-0-00-721971-1) my question or observation is in relation to the cover art work. It shows a stone bridge (collapsed in the middle) with soldiers surging on both sides, burning arrows over head and a castle in the back ground. Does this artwork depict a scene from the book? The castle in the background is stone built and looks fairly typical of castles across the British Isles, however it looks (to my very un-trained eye) that it is too advanced for the period? Uhtred says when discussing the buildings of London, that the Roman buildings were in ruins and that the Saxon city was built of thatch, wood and wattle. As the castle on the cover is not in ruin and does not appear to be Roman in design was this just a poor choice of art work on behalf of your publishers? (As I doubt you would make a historical error such as this). I realise this is quite a trivial thing but it has been nagging at me since the book arrived in the post. Many Thanks for your time, I await your reply, Charles

Dear Mr. Cornwell - Like many others, I have admired your writing for a dozen years, and have read most of your books. I do have a specific question - throughout the Anglo-Saxon book series you use the term "shilling" in money - indeed use it regularly. Am I wrong that actually the shilling did not arise until hundreds of years later, in the middle ages? I would be interested in your view.

Secondly, while NOT giving you a plot idea - I am hoping at some point you might turn your attention to the La Plata Expedition of 1807. Fascinating material, several interesting accounts by anonymous officers - plus things going wrong for the likes of Home-Popham and Craufurd. In fact the Buenos Aires attack seems like a classic urban warfare disaster - it could have been Falluja in Iraq. I live near St. Andrews, New Brunswick (Canada) and so "The Fort" is of special interest, as so many arrived here from Castine to rebuild their lives in 1783. Having also sailed into Castine in a small gaff-rigged sloop, and explored the details of some of the families that came from there, I especially enjoy it. And the house we live in was built by an Isaac Cook - who had been a soldier earlier in the Rev. War under PELEG WADSWORTH in Bailey's 23rd Mass. Regiment at the defence of NY, White Plains, and attack on Trenton in 1776. Your book helps Peleg come to life. The soldier Isaac Cook is my wife's 3greats grandfather. I also have an ancestor that was in the 88th Regiment (Connaught Rangers) in the La Plata Expedition and Peninsular War, so must say how much I enjoyed your Sharpe novels through the years. All the best in the future - Tom Moffatt

I have happily read all your Sharps novels over the years and enjoyed the tv episodes,although they fail to match your level of authenticity. I have also read the first 2 Starbucks novels(the final 2 are on order). The Latest book I have read is Azincourt,witch I couldn't put down.I will now finish reading the starbuck chronicles before going onto the Anglo Saxon Chronicles,being a Celt I find ancient British history fascinating and look forward to reading all 5 books of the series. I have one question though,Is Nick Hook going to appear in any other stories,I know Agincourt was the last major action in the 100 years war and I do like your series. All the best your devoted Cornishman Lee