Your Questions

will there be more Saxon Stories? I love them. Please write back. Jonathan Dexter

I've just started reading your books. I've read the Grail Quest trilogy, and the four Saxon stories. I'm rereading "Sword Song" because it was the first one I read, and now it has more background context. Thank you for the books - when is the next Saxon series book coming out? Rich Bradham

Hello Mr Cornwell, I am an avid reader of your work and I am particularly taken with the Saxon series... I was wondering when the next installment of Uhtred's memoirs is due out? I am desperate to find out what happens next!

Byron Hughes

Dear Mr Cornwell, I have never been a reader as I have never really found anything to capture my imagination, However whilst on holiday last year somebody left the "The Winter King" in the TV room so picked it up and I have been addicted to your work ever since. You have captured my imagination and have me addicted to the days before gunpowder was invented. I have read the Arthur Books, Stonehenge and the Saxon Stories but really would like to know if there will be a continuation of the Saxon Stories coming soon? I understand that you are a very busy man converting your fantastically imaginative mind to paper but please respond as I am in desperate need of another amazing read of your pre firearm dated novels. many thanks Kindest regards Matthew Foster

I've read a lot of your books (most of them many, many times) but the one I'm most interested in now is the next in the Saxon stories. Are you planning another soon as I don't think I can reread the collection many more times. Thanks for the brilliant works, Tom.

We thoroughly enjoy all of your books, particularly the Saxon books. Will you be writing a fifth book in this series, possibly giving Uhtred back his lost kingdom Bebbanburg. We certainly hope so!

Kevin Delaney

I'm really looking forward on your new book Azincourt after reading the excerpt. Is this going to be a trilogy like the Grail Quest, or is it just going to be all told in one book? And another question, hope you don't mind, I know you're not interested working/writing about the Crusades, would you recommend an author that also writes historical fiction about the crusades? Thanks a lot and keep them (your wondrous tales) coming...James

Hi Bernard, I'm a tremendous fan of your work, and have read all your Sharpe series, and your stand-alone thrillers. I particularly like the thrillers and the way you handle first-person. I hope you will be willing to help clear up a point of confusion for me about an item on your website. In your 'tips for writing' section you mention the blueprint concept of basing a novel's structure on the structure of a book that is already successful. Absolutely brilliant idea! But I can't quite understand the detail of how your charts worked. I'm desperate to try the concept myself, but I'd like to do it right. Could you expand the explanation of what you did for me... please! eg Do I find a book (say a chase adventure) and reproduce each paragraph of the novel and then overlay my own story and simply re-write the selected paragraph? eg In the novel it's a chase through snow, so I write a similar scene as a chase through the jungle etc???I'm not sure where the colour-coding comes in etc etc. Bernard, it would be a tremendous aid to me if you could explain the concept in more detail. Oh, and does the idea work for first-person? eg an Alistair Maclean novel for example; the detective first-person kind of story, or is that type of book too complex and 'individual' to apply the blueprint method? Is it better for adventure novels etc. Shit, now I'm rambling! Sorry, mate. but I could do with a hand. Tony Moffitt, Australia

What period of history do you think has been neglected by fiction writers? Chris McGlynn

Thank you, so much. I can't even begin to tell you how many countless hours entertainment and relaxation you books have provided me. The first series of books I ever read was Patrick O'Brians Aubrey Maturin books and after that was unable to find anything that held my interest till I stumbled on Sharpe by accident. I work as an EMT in the city of Boston and your books have helped me kill the down time between calls and then de-stress me when I get home. Also I was wondering if you ever do any appearances for book signing in New England? And thank you once again. Adam Levine

Dear Mr. Cornwell, first I want to say, that I love your books about Uhtred and the danish vikings in England. I study Scandinavian philology and it is great to see that not everybody thinks wrong about vikings. But I got a question: in your books you write that the city of Haithabu was in Denmark, but I think it was in Germany. It is straight on the border. Sorry to bore you with such questions, but where exactly was it now? Regards and all the best from Germany, Stephan Schwaerter

Sir, a practical question: When do you name a new book? is it before, during or after writing it?and has it ever been hard to name any of your books? many thanks~ best regards, Jack Jiang PS love Azincourt's cover~ hope it'll be out soon! is it October? Jack Jiang

Bernard, my sister gave me the first 6 Sharpe books and haven't been able to put them down. I'm halfway through "Heretic", will we hear any more from Thomas? Thanks for the great reads. Rick

I am a 58-year old U.S. professional who is an avid British (and Irish) history buff. I typically read only non-fiction, but on the recommendation of a colleague I decided to give your Saxon Stories a try. I am currently reading "The Last Kingdom" and enjoying it very much. However, the novel is rich with characters and at times I lose track of who some of the characters are, especially the minor ones and if many pages elapse between appearances. This may be a sign of my advancing age, but nevertheless I was wondering if there is a character list available somewhere, perhaps on the internet or your web site? Wikipedia has a partial list for the novel, but does not include all the minor characters. Thank you.
Steven P. Gilbert

Have read your Sharpe books so many times - love them all esp: the fill in ones, where Sharpe and Harper sneak off and have fun making private wars! Havoc, Fury and esp: Escape. Just read the 'Azincourt' sample wow that looks as if it is going to be fabulous. What a dreary place the world would be without your wonderful creations esp: Sharpe. By the way loved Gallows thief and was hoping it would be a series -any chance of that? Many thanks for many wonderful hours spent marching with Wellington's magic army - long life and happiness Kindest regards - S