Your Questions

Hello Bernard, I wrote to you a few years ago asking what it took to get published and you were kind enough to reply with helpful suggestions. The first and foremost was "keep working at it" and I did (off and on). I've now been lucky enough to get an agent and publisher (Robin Wade and Hodder & Stoughton) in short succession, and the first episode of my (Roman) 'Empire' trilogy "Wounds of Honour" comes out next August or thereabouts, under the name Anthony Riches which sounds much more Roman than Tony, apparently. Now don't worry, I've not written to ask you to review it (and don't think I wasn't tempted, I'm just not that cheeky given that you're clearly a busy working author), I'm just looking for a little advice on that "difficult second novel". I note your comments on Sharpe's Gold, as to how difficult you found it, and my god that resonated with me. I'm 50k words into the next one and, if not exactly struggling, I'm having to work bloody hard at it. The story (let alone the individual words) just doesn't seem as good as the first one, and whilst I have a good work ethic (500 words a day, rain or shine) and plenty of time to the delivery date, I just wondered if you've got any tips from the 'been there and done that' book of your life please. One more question. Was number three easier?? I long for a life of writing (and I have a dynamite thriller up my sleeve), I just wonder if the stories will keep coming. What was it like for you? By the way, I bought Azincourt at the airport (I fly to Glasgow or Stuttgart most weeks) and demolished it in record time. A nice rendering of the campaign, thank you for the pleasure of reading it. With best regards, Tony Riches.

Mr Cornwell, I was the bearded Ulsterman at Beverley on 23.10.08 who raised the query (note query not criticism as you immediately assumed) regarding your use of graphic text in describing sexual violence in Azincourt, compared with the rape and pillage language used in Sharpe. I cannot remember the exact quotation however "if it has a cock - kill it, if has tits - hump it" is slightly more crude in style than you normally use, and the slicing off of breasts scene was not really necessary. By the way did you check how old the use of the verb "to hump" is? My interest was further raised by your arrogance and condescending comments throughout the evening which were both disappointing and greatly illuminating. As were you boring cheap Frog jokes. Typical Essex Boy! My wife confirms that you stated the "problem" was with me, you had made it very bland and my maiden aunt would not be offended. Just imagine my small pleasure and vindication when on Sunday 26th on Radio 4 Mariella Frostrup made the same observations as I had done. Oh and you also failed/refused to answer her. Nil points je propose! Regards Robert Bennett PS You were lucky - Juliet Barker made the evening! Now does this one go on your blog for comment?

I am a huge fan of your work. I have read almost everything you have published aside from the Sharpe books. You have written about many famous battles that have occurred in ancient England. And it's amazing to read them in a first person point of view. Would you ever consider doing the battle of Hastings? I find that you are the only author that could do that historic event justice from a fictional point of view. The first book of yours i read was the Winter king when i was 15. It opened my eyes to the reality of history as opposed to the romanticized Arthurian legends we all grew up with. Anyways, thank you for all your efforts and it is greatly appreciated.
Josh Bucks

Having attended your very entertaining talk in Ely Cathedral on Monday, I wondered whether you might have seen the following item in the Sunday Times today? Final word We (unhappy) band of brothers Its taken them 593 years, but the French have finally devised an excuse for losing the battle of Agincourt: the rosbifs cheated. French academics gathered at the battle site yesterday on St Crispins Day, the anniversary of the battle, and held English manhood cheap, as Henry V might have put it. They accused his troops of acting dishonourably, even committing what we would now understand as war crimes, burning soldiers and hacking bits off French noblemen. We have only one thing to say; once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more. If the French wish to apply contemporary standards to the great battles of history, so be it. Let them explain how blind King John of Bohemias death at Crécy was not historys most outrageous breach of health and safety legislation. Let them explain how shooting Horatio Nelson at Trafalgar, a man with one arm and one eye, advanced the employment rights of the disabled. Or perhaps its just better to dismiss yesterdays gathering as an entirely appropriate tribute to St Crispin the patron saint of cobblers. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article5014719.ece. John Hodder

As with all your previous books, I am eagerly looking forward to your next one Agincourt. However a question: why such a delay between the UK release and the US release? It always surprises me that the publisher seem to habitually release your new books just AFTER Christmas, when, at least to me, it would be a great gift to receive and one I would greatly appreciate. Neil Cosgrove

I need your help on the British Armed forces, since I am creating an alternative History of a North America still part of British Empire and American revolt failed. The problem is how would the Army be structured in this timeframe this is were I need help, Now would this late 1939 army be like the Imperial British Army pre WW1, a late Victorian style? LW

Bernard - thanks for the books it has provided so much enjoyment and historical knowledge over the years. Just one question however is in regard to your current book tour. When are you coming back to Scotland? I was disapointed that the current tour did not have an Edinburgh or Glasgow date. I previously attended a book signing and talk some years ago in Edinburgh. Ken Murphy

Dear Mr Cornwell, I read your bulletin board today (25/10/08) and someone has asked for more news of Lucille. Hooray, I'm not alone in feeling that Sharpe deserves a "History". Why, as a hero did you not reward him with a Major or colonels pension instead of a run down farm that he could not afford to rejuvenate. Starbucks chronicle tells us that he died in 1860 and his son is in the french cavalry so why not a book about Patrick Lassan that could be set in the Crimean war in 1854, Sharpe would be 72 years old and could make a cameo appearance to explain his later years. P.S. On another web site (I forget which) a writer says that Jane Sharpe died in 1840 or 44 and that Sharpe married Lucille then, is this right? Love your books and speed to your pen. Mike Walker. Worcester, England

Hey, hope you are well Two very petty questions but was just wondering... Firstly, why do the majority of your novels contain no heavy swear words, especially the 'f' one? This doesn't detract at all, just pure curiosity considering they must have been ubiquitous in a soldier's vocabulary and, what with the graphic battle scenes and frequent violent death, it's not as if there can be a vast under 11 crowd to risk alienating. And secondly, do you conform to that saying about being your own harshest critic or are you fairly easy-going about your novels? Oh, and have you re-read Sharpe's Eagle yet? (Sorry, that's three) Thanks for taking the time and good luck with the writing. Max

Dear Bernard Being an avid fan of yours for some time, I always keep an eye on what questions people have asked, and I have noticed how you regretted killing of Hakeswill, Because you really seemed to enjoy writing his cruelties. I also know how you don't wish to take Sharpe back in time, but if you wanted to have fun writing Hakeswill again you could always take Sharpe back to when they first met. I also wanted to say how in the Arthur Books you left some questions unanswered, I don't really want to know what happened to Arthur or Nimue, because if I do find out it would take away the magic of guessing and fantasizing. I suppose in the same respect I really don't want to know what happened in the dark ages, because I like believe your stories are what happened, since the characters were all so lovable, hateable and real seeming. Also, is the Main Character in Redcoat Sharpe's Father? Kind Regards, never stop writing. Damien