Your Questions

Q

First I want to thank you. Your books are great. I especially enjoy the Saxon Stories. I noticed the new one The Burning Land is coming out this year. But it looks like only in the UK. Is this correct? Is there a big difference in the US and UK version? I am a High School History teacher, I believe the reason your books are so awesome is the historical relevance. I also love the historical note and the end. I am reading Agincourt at the moment, incredible of course. Do you ever make it down to Texas to do book signings? I looked at your Dairy but it did not say anything. I also thought I would let you know that I have a German Shepherd named Uhtred. Thank You for your time Ed Lee

Submitted May 13, 2009

A

The Burning Land will be released in the UK in October of this year. It will be released in the US in January 2010. There is no difference in the UK and US versions except - usually - the covers.

I do not have any plans to be in Texas this year, but maybe in the future? I imagine your dog, Uhtred, is not very well behaved?

Q

Do you know when a USA version of the Sharpe's Peril DVD will be available? All I can find online are versions that are not compatible with DVD players in the US. Thank you,
H J Farr

Submitted May 13, 2009

A

Sorry, we don't know yet but we are waiting to hear and will post the information to this website as soon as we get it.

Q

I think I am thick but I cannot understand why your book is called Azincourt instead of Agincourt. I would love to know. Wonderful book. Thank you
Maggie Barnard

Submitted May 13, 2009

A

Azincourt is the French spelling of the French town and I decided to go with that!

Q

could you give some indication of whether the occurrence of the number 16 in you book is just coincidental, or is it more significant?

Regards,

Morag

Submitted May 13, 2009

A

I had no idea it occurs frequently! Sorry - I have no idea!

Q

Dear sir , I recently read your book Crackdown , and thoroughly enjoyed it . I have had the book for some time , but was saving it for a special occasion . I read it while on holiday in Port St Mary on the Isle of Man . Nick Breakspear is one of my favourite characters , a good man who you would want on your side in a tight situation . Did you spend much time in the Bahamas researching the drugs trade ? once again thankyou for all your hard work and effort in writing so many excellent books . Best wishes , Kevin Michael Hill .

Submitted May 13, 2009

A

I spent some time researching the drugs trade, and some time in the Bahamas, but not both at the same time, if you know what I mean (life being precious). Most of the research was in drugs rehabilitation. Anyway, thanks very much for your comment!

Q

I'm trying to track down documentation of Dane/viking origins of northern English names. Specifically, my name Goodall, which I've heard is an anglicized version of the Danish "Gudahl" meaning landowner. Unfortunately I am unable to find any documented references to provide to the Family Tree DNA coordinator for the Goodall Surname project. In your research for your viking series, have you found any internet or printed resources for such searches you could recommend. Love your books from Richard Sharpe, to archer series and now the saxon stories. Being a sailor, loved scoundrel too.

Eric Goodall

Submitted May 13, 2009

A

I'm sorry I haven't . . . place names, yes, but I haven't done any work on the etymology of surnames, but I'm sure there is an excellent reference book that is more reliable than internet sources . . .

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell, can you tell me if and what time some of your books will be released in German language (Azincourt, the new Saxon book and maybe Starbuck) as I tried to read Starbuck in English which is not really as enjoyable as in my mother language. thanks in advance, Markus

Submitted May 13, 2009

A

I don't know if there are any plans to release the Starbuck Chronicles in German translation? For information on other German translations of my books, please go to the Diary page of this website where you will find a link to a German language website.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, My name is Sarah McCabe. Im a senior in high school, and Im part of the Writing Center program at my school. Writing Center is a class run by upper classmen where you learn to become a writing tutor. Its basically students helping other students learn how to improve their writing skills. We teach the students who come in and ask for help, but we are also given assignments to help us become better writers. One of these assignments is a research paper on a topic of our choice. For my topic I chose to research Norse Mythology so that I can modernize it. We learn all about Roman and Greek mythology in school, but they never teach us anything about Norse myths. I want to re-write Norse myths in a modern light to help spread the knowledge Norse culture. So, Im sure youre wondering what any of this has to do with you. Well, for one chunk of our research paper, we have to have an interview with someone that could be considered an expert in the area we are researching. I wanted to interview an author since I wanted to know more about the research it takes to write from previous facts. I know how much work goes into writing a novel since Im trying to write one myself, so I dont expect to actually sit down with you and have a one on one chat. If you could answer a few of my questions though, Id be extremely grateful. I just wanted to know how much research you have to do when you write, and where you usually go to get good, reliable information. I was also wondering how you figure out where to stick to the facts youve got and when to take creative license. Is there a generally accepted rule or do you just play it by ear? Thanks again for taking the time to answer my questions! I hope your next work is coming along the way you want it to, and that you dont get a severe case of writers block anytime soon. Sincerely, Sarah McCabe

Submitted May 13, 2009

A

How much research? It takes a lifetime. I've been reading history since I was a child, and all that reading contributes to what I do. However - when thinking about a new book I'll spend some months reading in a very concentrated way, though how long and how much depends on the book. I'm about to start a book set in the American Revolution and, though I know the period well, I still needed six or seven months of reading, though for, say, a Sharpe book, I'll only do about a month's dedicated research. But it's almost an unanswerable question, because my research began about fifty years ago and it's still going strong. As for facts versus story - my job is to tell a story. I'm not an historian. If you want to know what happened in The Peninsular War then read Professor Charles Esdaile's wonderful history, but my job (far more than his) is to entertain you. I do try and stick as closely as possible to the history, but where changing it would make for a better story, I change it. Thus, in Sharpe's Company, although no British soldier got through the breach of Badajoz, that was where the night's drama took place, and so Sharpe had to be in a breach, and if Sharpe attacks a breach, he gets through. So I changed the history - but, very important, I confessed my sins in the Historical Note. I don't think there is an accepted rule - Hollywood films change history outrageously - but my rule is to tell the reader what I changed.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, in the first place I would like to excuse for my clumsy English. I beg your pardon as I will finish my A-levels in two years time. I used to read the warlord chronicles in German as they were published once again in German. As translations usually tend to be quite strange I decided to read the Saxon Stories in English =) I like them a lot and I am really looking forward for the next book being published. I asked my bookseller to import Agincourt. I got it yesterday and was quite astonished that the bookseller imported the US version. My question is whether there is any considerable difference between the US and UK version aside from the cover. I am looking forward to hear from you soon if you got the time ;-) With the best regards from Germany, Richard Minderjahn

Submitted May 13, 2009

A

There is no difference between the US and the UK versions of the book (other than covers). Hope you'll enjoy it!

Q

Hi Bernard, Many thanks for your great novels which I really enjoy (can't wait for The Burning Land). When answering some questions recently you often mention that you have many ideas for new stories. Can you give your fans an idea what may be in the offing? Many thanks Bob Warburton

Submitted May 13, 2009

A

I keep new ideas to myself - I did once talk in public about an idea I wanted to write (and still do) and, perhaps it was a coincidence, but within a year someone had sold that idea to a publisher (it really wasn't that accessible) and proceeded to mess it up totally. No, I won't say who or what. But there will be more Uhtred, more Sharpe and, I hope, some other things too!