Your Questions

Just a very short note to thank you for your diligent research and prodigious output. All works have been eagerly consumed and I have only half the Sharpe series to go and then I'll start on Starbuck and then it's re-read time. The Saxon Chronicles have set me to reading Bede and works such as Stenton's Anglo Saxon England - for that much thanks! Are you planning a repeat tour of the UK any time soon, caught your interview in Chelmsford a few years back, I would appreciate a part II. Kind regards, John

Hi, my name is Matheus, and I am writing from Brasil. I would like to know if the phrase "Wyrd bid ful araed" is writen in Danish or an older dialect. I'm realy enjoing Uhtred, but I think he must chose his real "side" until the end! sorry about my limited english.
Matheus Siqueira

Mr. Cornwell, I have just pre-ordered The Fort and am looking forward to receiving it. I have read (and purchased) all of your books and have recommended you to several friends who are now hooked. Anyway, I am almost as devoted to Wilbur Smith and wondered if you had ever met him.
Byron Kennedy

Dear Mr Cornwell Thank you for getting me interested in history and historical novels! I'm 36 and from Glasgow. When I was at secondary school I switched off when it came to the history lesson I found it so boring! a few years ago I was flying to Florida for a holiday and was scouring the airport bookshop for something to read for the flight and strangely "Sword Song" caught my eye. I have always felt guilty for not paying attention in the history class so I bought the book and decided to give it a go....The flight to Newark whizzed by...I was riveted with this book! I was expecting a tedious historical novel and instead got a really exciting story. I was delighted that you had captured the balance of historical narrative and good old rip roaring storytelling. Thank you! I'm currently reading John Jakes "North & South" trilogy...and then I recently found out about your Starbuck books...I promise to read those after John Jakes! Have you read North and south? My favorite of all your books is the Arthur trilogy, a fantastic story about the Arthur legend and the ending of the old ways (paganism). I understand your new book "The Fort" is about a Scottish regiment in 1779..can't wait to read it! thank you again and please keep writing! Kind regards, Alan Orr

Dear Bernard: Just reading through the latest posts to the "Your Questions" this morning and I saw that you wrote that Sharpe's father is not an historical figure!!! Say what!!! We've been guessing for quite awhile now -- is there no answer to the riddle? Or is his father a fictional character, that either you or someone else has created? Please keep writing and stay well! Looking forward to "The Fort". As always, Scott

Dear Bernard On the matter of Sharpe's dad. Sir John Moore perhaps? Sowing some wild oats at 16. Or could it be Sir Thomas Picton? Currently re-reading Sharpe's Company for the nth time. More Sharpe please! Regards Rob Comber

G'day Mr Cornwell. A couple of questions if you'd be so kind... you recently stated on this website that Sharpe's father is NOT an historical figure. Am I correct in concluding that this means his father must be one of your own fictional creations, thus his identity must be found somewhere in one of the Sharpe books? Secondly, you mention here that you're currently planning your next three books and doing the research as we speak. You also state elsewhere that you've done some of the research for the next Starbuck. Does this mean that another Starbuck is lined up amongst your next three books? Cos that would be bloody great!

Phil Dean

Dear Bernard, You said to another questioner you were thinking three books ahead. Can one of those please,please,please be Starbuck. We all love you dearly and want you to write more. It seems sensible, therefore, to reduce the amount of questions we send you so you have more time. As I think 30/40% of our questions are about Nate, do the decent thing, write the book and a lot of us will leave you in peace. Regards, Lee Menzies

Hi Mr Cornwell I'm just writing to say that I thoroughly love your work especially the Arthur series, the grail quest and more recently the Saxon Stories and am eagerly anticipating the next adventures of Uhtred I first became a fan funnily enough after watching the Sharpe series on television some years ago and after reading the actual novels have been hooked ever since I do have a question though which may seem a little strange as I'm actually after advice on your competitors! As I said I've thoroughly enjoyed your novels to date but have now read them all (some more than the once) I'm also a fan of the sadly late David Gemmell and read all his books also but I wondered if you knew of any up and coming authors of historical fiction, I've read the majority of Conn Igulden's work but again there are no new novels at present I do not in any way want you to think my question rude as that is not my intention at all as I thoroughly enjoy each and every book but rather, I feel that advice on this question is far better directed to someone in the field so to speak Many thanks and here's looking forward to the release of "Fort" All the best,Jonathan

Mr. Cornwell: Just finished your 5th volume, in the 'Saxon Series.' As usual, I LOVED IT! Also have bought and enjoyed your 'Grail Quest' series long ago. You're a fine writer. I teach 'Ancient & Medieval History' on the college level, and have always been drawn to the 'Volkerwanderung,'Dark Age period of the Germanic tribal peoples and up to the Norman Conquest, in England, etc. I've traced my family line back to the 15th cetnury in England. They came to Mass., from Wiltshire in the 1640's and I have done considerable research on the family in England, where it usually appears as ROLFE in spelling. Interestingly, as you know, the name ROLF or HROLF, etc., is an old 'Viking Chieftain' name, that appears to have been brought into England with the Danish invasions. All the Rolfe families in England have the 'RAVEN' as their family coat of arms as well, which I believe is too much for coincidence. The name first appears in the 'Doomsday Book' at Horsey in Norfolk, a Free Dane bearing the name. As you know, there was HROLF KRAKI in Denmark and a host of other individuals who have born the name in the Scandinavian & Germanic countries, into the far distant past. There's even a 'ROLF' name-day in modern Sweden. I'm just curious, knowing that you are very familiar with the time period, as to why you chose to name Ragnar's chief warrior, ROLLO, rather than ROLF or HROLF in your recent book, 'The Burning Land.' There was HROLF GANGER or 'HROLF the Walker,' William the Conqueror's 4th great-grandfather who founded Normandy, but the Latin rendition of his name was ROLLO. No Dane would have called a fellow Viking ROLLO, but would have used the Danish name of ROLF or HROLF. Once again, why did you chose ROLLO over ROLF in your recent book? Like you, I like my heritage and surname, and am 'touchy' over the subject. Ha! Once again though, I truly enjoy your work and wish you well in all your future endeavors. The 'Saxon Novels' are truly great story-telling and accurate historical research, from place-names to armor, etc. You have accomplished what I feel all academicians SHOULD do as well. You can both educate and entertain people, so that they love rather than hate history. Far to many academicians are lousy story-tellers (and even worst historians at times!) I think such anonymous poets as the author of 'Beowulf' (my all time favorite poem) and J.R.R. Tolkien, the famed writer and Anglo-Saxon linguist would both be proud of you as well, for your accomplishments of 'telling the story and the times' in a way, that you'd love to set in a 'mead-hall' and listen to some scop or bard tell YOUR VERSION of a tale, since it would be both accurate as well as 'heroic' in nature. Thanks so much again for your books and insights into a fascinating period. Sincerely, Dr. Dan Rolph

I'm a college student who last year lived far far away from home and living with others made me realize even more how I should live and what life means to me, I want badly to write a book (historical fiction) based on how I feel but now I'm Home for the summer and my feelings have become more complacent and the inspiration has passed, How do you get yourself to write when your not inspired? (I know you write fiction and can write about whatever you want but surely sometimes you must just think "man this really doesn't interest me anymore"). Michael Kruckemeyer

Dear Mr. Cornwell - Thank you! I just found that the link to your advice to new writers is now fixed. And I've read it. It's good to know that I've guessed at some things correctly. I've started dissecting novels of writers I admire. It's proving to be a very valuable exercise. I do have one question for you, and I'll admit that I haven't intensively searched this site yet so the answer may already be there, but how do you feel about fan fiction? My feeling is that without the blessing of the creator of the borrowed character(s) then it is poaching. But, here's my problem. One of your Sharpe novels raised a question in my mind, and then I started writing a story to answer "What happened?". Well, now I have a novel that is growing in directions I had never dreamed of, and I'm afraid no one shall ever see it, because well, you write Sharpe. He's yours. And, I can't tell you what I'm pondering, because that could cause problems in the future. I can't propose a collaboration because, well, I'm a completely unknown quantity, both to yourself as well as the publishers. (Good heavens, that was brass.) Do you know of any way, or any one who might publish this story with your blessing? If the answer is no, that is certainly fair enough, and I'll just have to go back to the drawing board. But it would be a shame for Nathaniel to never see the light of day. Any ideas? Sincerely, Mari Stewart

Hello Mr. Cornwell, I've been a fan for many years now and especially like your Arthur series. (I'm hoping to be able to re-read them on my iPad, hint hint.) As a fan this headline caught my eye: "Historians locate King Arthur's Round Table." The headline is misleading, since they haven't actually found the table from what I could tell just the site where they think it might have been, but it's interesting nonetheless. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7883874/Historians-locate-King-Arthurs-Round-Table.html. Bruce S. Waxahachie, TX

I'm a big fan of your works and am anxiously awaiting the next installment for Uhtred. Just saw a news story about the discovery of Arthur's roundtable in the northern city of Chester - an amphitheater that could hold up to 1,000 made of stone and wood and complete with a wooden memorial to Christian martyrs ... and I wanted to know your thoughts on it.
Ed Braddy