Your Questions

Q

HI, i would be very great full if you would write a book about Irish kingdoms and Irish royals since my mum doing our family tree has discovered that we may be related and I can't think of a more appropriate way to find out how true this is. I am not sure of the period so use your own imagination also your book tend to leave out a lot of the women's work, can you please include more details about medicine and the like. Yours appreciatively, Lisa - Jane

Submitted November 2, 2009

A

I honestly think that's a tale best done by an Irish writer - sometimes the background has to be in the bloodstream, and I'd feel more comfortable reading that tale from an Irish source.

Q

Dear Bernard Cornwell, Over the years I have very much enjoyed your medieval fiction. I teach art history, and your work on Alfred has helped me a great deal in terms of enlivening this period for students. Occasionally a famous object such as the Lindisfarne Gospels will make a thrilling appearance in your narrative, but I also have noted passing references to leather skins painted with scenes of saints' lives in churches. I'm curious as to the evidence you have found for this sort of decoration, and to what extent research for your books involves consideration of art and architecture in general. Many thanks indeed for Derfel, Uhtred, and the rest! Richard

Submitted November 2, 2009

A

I'm not certain how much art and architecture impinge on my imagination, other than trying to visualise a place. I truly can't remember where I got the idea of leather paintings, but I have a half thought that I do have a source. My problem, and it ain't going to change, is that I do not need to note sources when I'm doing research (it takes too much time), so I end up with notes without any proper references (other than, sometimes, a book title). That is infuriating to people who ask good questions, but I'm afraid I'll keep on doing it.

Q

Dear Bernard, I just finished The Burning Land and enjoyed it very much as I have the entire series. I have two questions. First, I noticed you referred to Boecca and Thyra's having a child but you gave neither the sex nor the name of the baby. Is that not an important detail or will that child play a part in future books?

My second question concerns Edward. You refer to him as Edward Atheling and I'm curious why as I've always heard him referred to as Edward the Elder. I think one of your readers may have mentioned this but on the Family Tree page you have Athelstan as Aethelflaed's son but he is the son of Edward the Elder. I love this period in history so I'm extremely grateful for these books. Ann Madonna

Submitted November 2, 2009

A

I didn't say? Wow. Doubtless I'll make up my mind when and if I need the child in a future book! I hadn't even noticed.

The Atheling was the Crown Prince - and once he's king he'll stop being the atheling!

Q

Hey, I come from the quiet county of Cornwall and I ordered your newest saxon novel 'the burning land' online last week but due to several disastrous turn of events I am still without it, classic luck. So I was wondering, which of the five saxon stories is your favourite and why...they're so immersive and I often find them hard to put down. Thanks, Brandon

Submitted November 2, 2009

A

I don't think I have a favourite - sorry. I'm still writing the series, so I guess I'd say the next one? Once it's all done I'll probably look back and find one I like more than the rest, but that's some time away!

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell: Please tell me when the next Starbuck's book will be finished. I noticed your answer to this questions was WAY back in the early 2000. Love this series, love the Arthur Books (read 'em all), love Stonehenge, etc. I am a true fan of the Civil War and would love to add the next book to my collection. Eagerly awaiting Nathaniel's next adventure, I remain, patient in Warrenton, Virginia. Best regards, Eva

I just finished reading the Starbuck series. I loved them so much I couldn't put them down,However now I am disappointed that it ends so much up in the air. Do you think you will ever write any more Starbuck?

Eileen Wallace

Submitted November 2, 2009

A

I hope to get back to Starbuck one day, but right now I don't know when that day will be.

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell. I am an avid reader of your novels and I am just in the middle of reading The Burning Land. My question is, do you ever base your characters off people you know in real life? Or do you make them up? -Gabe

Submitted November 2, 2009

A

I make them up! I'm sure some characteristics are borrowed from friends (and others), but I've never consciously based a character on anyone I know.

Q

Firstly,what a writer. I don't mean to be a brown nose, but I love your books. My dad first introduced me to Sharpe (rifles). I then read the lot. Wanting more, I went to our local market and bought all Cornwell books available. I have to say my favorite so far are the grail books, although I am onto the saxon books presently. So far I have not been disappointed, but please,please tell me if someone with sense is going to do a film series on Arthur or Alfred? If they were half as good as your books they would outdo "the rings"trilogy(and I did enjoy them.)thank you and keep writing.
Morgan Wilkinson

Submitted October 29, 2009

A

No plans for films of either Arthur or Alfred at the moment, but I am glad to know you enjoy my books! Thanks for writing.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I just wanted to ask if you ever get fed up of people asking you when the next Sharpe book will be written? Have you ever thought of writing the next chapter in Dick Sharpe's life quickly just to get yourself a little peace and quiet I wonder !!! So Bernard,"When are you going to write the next Sharpe adventure" ???? Sorry :-) It was worth a try wasn´t it. I really am hankering after a bit more Sharpe after seeing John Tams recently live.Of course "over the hills and far away" was the encore and I was lucky enough to chat with John after the gig and he told me how much he enjoyed playing Daniel Hagman for the TV series. Anyway,please do keep up the good(no,great) work and I look forward to whatever you publish next. Thank you for taking the time to read this,all the best. Anthony Morgan Lambert P.S. "when is the next Sharpe book coming" !!!!!.....Whoops,just slipped out ;-)

Bernard, When's the next Richard Sharpe book being born? Thanks, TK

When will we see another Sharpe book?
Tom Torrillo

Submitted October 29, 2009

A

Another Sharpe is still a few years away.

Q

Just finished all your books and was wondering what your latest ideas were. for the time being i will anticipating the next installment of your books. Imagination rules the world, Napoleon

Sean MacDonald

Mr Cornwell, I've just finished reading the Burning Land and thoroughly enjoyed it! Once again I was griped and couldn't put it down! With the said I was wondering how long I will have to wait for the next instalment of the Saxon stories? Or just your next book as I have now ran out of books of yours to read!

James O'Neill

Submitted October 29, 2009

A

My next book (the one I'm writing now) is set during the time of the American Revolutionary War. Another Saxon Tale may come after that, I don't know yet.

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell, I am curious about your process for developing (and writing) a story. Stephen King says that he gets the idea for a situation--say, a crazed fan holds her favorite author hostage--and lets the story develop however it happens. Do you do the same, or (for example) do you have the climax of the story mapped out inside your head in advance, and just have to figure out the way to get there? Do you outline story before beginning to write? Also, when you are in the process of writing, do you try to write a certain amount every day (like King), and do you try to write the first draft through all the way without edits, and then go back and make changes when you are finished? Anything else you can share about your process would be welcome. Thanks and best wishes, Warren Firschein Safety Harbor, FL

Submitted October 29, 2009

A

An outline? No, I don't. I have a very broad idea of where I want the book to go, then just let the characters sort it out amongst themselves. I'm not saying this is the right way to do it - some writers plot very carefully, and their books are great, but others, like me, leave it to instinct.
I write maybe eight, nine hours a day? That includes daydreaming. I always start with a stick figure . . but there ain't no rules. I like to get the story straight so I write fast, pushing the story line ahead, but I revise constantly. I always think that writing a novel (for me! not for everyone!) is like climbing a mountain - I get a quarter of the way up, look back and see a better route, so it's back to the beginning and start again and that better route takes me halfway up, I look back, and so on and so on. Once that 'first' draft is finished I rewrite the whole thing maybe two times, and it's then that I add lots of detail.