Your Questions

Q

Hello Mr Cornwell, I look forward to your next book. You have said that for some of the Sharpe books you have read the diaries of some of Wellingtons men. Do you ever enter these men in books as minor characters? A small reward that they could not have dreamed of.

Also have you read of James Barry? A woman who passed herself off as a man to become a doctor. There is one report that she was at Waterloo. She had quite a history. Regards, Nicholas

Submitted September 28, 2007

A

Some, yes, but not often . . . I think I just plagiarise them, which isn't such a great reward.

I have not, but she sounds interesting!

Q

hey Mr Cornwell, just wanted to say that I love your books. I've read all the Sharpe and Starbuck books. I have just recently read the Saxon books and I can wait for this new "Sword Song" book to come out! These books bear special interest because my family is originally from Chippenaham in Wiltshire as you know the site of Alfred the Great's summer lodges etc, and to know what happened around that area in what is know as just a small country town so long ago is amazing, I've recently returned there while travelling, and it is amazing to think about all that went on in and around that area. I was wondering how much time and research does it take for you do before you write your books? keep up the great work! from Ben Dauncey Melbourne Australia

Submitted September 27, 2007

A

Research never really stops; I'm continually researching - if not for the book I'm currently writing, then for the one I'll write next, or that I'll write a year or two from now. I suppose I do dedicated research for two or three months before starting a series - though I'll have been reading the period for years - and I keep doing the research as I go along.

Q

I noticed that you said there will not be another Saxon series until 2009 and you also said that there will not be any Sharpe books for a while, so what are you working on? Sean Kenny

Submitted September 27, 2007

A

Right now I'm writing a novel about the campaign and battle of Agincourt . . . after that? Don't know yet.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I have written to you before on several occasions with selfish questions, and you have always kindly answered them. I am forever indebted to you for this. While it seems silly to say this I know you are very busy and it means an awful lot to us fans to have the Bernard Cornwell personally answer us back. For this I thank you sir. Mr Cornwell, this time I will not ask my usual questions such as "When's the next Sharpe out?" "Does he prefer coffee or tea?" And the all important fan question "Would Sharpe like me?" :-) I thought to myself, you have given me years of reading pleasure, why not try and return the favour. Please feel free to ignore me if you have already herd of or read this book. But, Have you ever read or heard of Garry Douglas Kilworth's Fancy Jack Crossman series? I was drawn to this book simply because I have run out of Sharpe books and was looking for another 'Musket and Horse' type of novel to tide me over. The first in the series is called The 'Devil's Own' It follows the story of Sgt. Jack 'Fancy' Crossman in the Crimean War. Sgt. Crossman is detached from standard regimental duties and is given the command of a small platoon, who run off into Russian held areas and generally cause trouble. It follows his adventures through this war and then into the Indian Mutiny. I know you always have tons of books to get though, but if you haven't read it, you might one day and hopefully enjoy it. And, with a bit of luck I might have done something nice for someone that has given me years of reading pleasure. All the best sir. Andrew

Submitted September 27, 2007

A

Thank you! I do know of the books . . . alas, haven't read them yet, but with your recommendation, I will!

Q

Just finished reading your books about Uhtred of Bebbanburgh - very enjoyable. However in the Pale Horseman (page 286 - softback edition)you have a priest express his opinion that as the "oak greened before the ash" it would be a wet summer. My understanding is that the old saying was "oak before ash we are in for a splash, ash before oak we are in for a soak". That is, it is the latter "soak" which means a wet summer not the "splash". Perhaps your priest had it the wrong way round? I look forward to seeing Uhtred getting back Bamburgh Castle eventually! Kind regards Peter Edwards

Submitted September 27, 2007

A

That's fascinating . . . . . you drove me to the Oxford Dictionary of English Proverbs which does, indeed, claim your version to be right, but also says that in Cornwall (and in Germany) my version is right . . . . and as I picked up the phrase when I lived in Devon I can only think that it was a Cornish person who told me or else there was some cross-county-border cultural influence at work! Maybe the priest was Cornish? I have no idea, btw, whether either actually works!

Q

Bernard, I've been reading your work since 1983 when I found a first edition copy of Sharpe's Eagle on a remainder table for $3.50. Don't worry, I've paid full price for plenty of your books since. Anyway, my question comes from reading Sharpe more or less in order of release. Maybe my memory is dim, but I find that the Sharpe in the more recent books is a much rougher customer than the earlier ones. For example, in Trafalgar he uses what I would call cold-blooded murder to evade blackmail. To be sure, the Sharpe in the older books would kill someone who "needed killing," but I think not for personal convenience. Did you deliberately "de-refine" his character to show how his sense of honour and decency developed over time? Or have you been writing the same character all along and just giving him different situations to resolve? Thanks for your books and your accessibility in this forum. Royal Samias

Submitted September 27, 2007

A

I think he's much the same . . after all, in the very first book, he murders Berry . . . I would agree that Berry's provocation was more severe than Braithwaite's, but even so it was murder for personal reasons. A good man, Sharpe. I like him

Q

Will you publish "Bold Sons of Erin" ? It was mentioned in the back of one of your books. Thank you for replying . Daniel Fahey

Submitted September 27, 2007

A

Honestly, till I read your question, I had never heard of Bold Sons of Erin!! Have NO idea where that came from, and it's certainly not one of mine!

Q

Is the character Uhtred in the Saxon Stories related to the Uctred who was the ancestor of the de Lathom family in Lancashire at the end of the 11th Century? If so, will the Saxon series continue that far? George Pratt

Submitted September 27, 2007

A

Uhtred is an ancestor of the Oughtred family (now of Yorkshire and British Columbia). They were Earls of Northumbria (and lords of Bebbanburg) until the early eleventh century when they fell out with Cnut, who arranged the murder of the then earl. No, the series won't go that far, and I don't know of any connection with the de Lathom family (though one may exist).

Q

Good morning. My partner and i are avid readers of your books, especially the Grail Quest. Two questions from this series; 1. We have a cottage in France not far from La Roche Derrien and were wondering if the derelict building on the opposite bank to the church is where you "set" the home of Jennette?

2. Did the Harlequin Hotel in Dinan give you the name and inspiration for the title of that book? Jon Basford

Submitted September 27, 2007

A

Gosh, I can't remember. I think I had her in the town? But I'm really not certain now, sorry.

Noooo . . . . . it was really a fascination with the etymological derivation of the word . . that the harlequin was originally a much more sinister figure than the modern conception. Note to deprived American readers: Harlequin was the original (UK) title of The Archer's Tale, which a wretched New York publisher changed because it might have persuaded lonely American women to read the book (note to British readers: harlequin romances are the equivalent of Mills and Boon), and why not?

Q

Hello again. Just finished Sword Song and as ever you never disappoint. I was particularly intrigued by the descriptions of the estuary coast around Benfleet and Canvey. Being local to both in Pitsea. I know the coastline was different then (I think the Dutch drained a lot more of Canvey in the 17th/18th centuries) I wondered if you worked from memory (You were fairly local yourself in your youth) and adjusted water levels or were there maps you found? Regards Nigel

Submitted September 27, 2007

A

Made most of it up!! The Dutch, of course, made much of Canvey liveable, but the island did exist in Saxon times (because they had a name for it), but to be honest I relied on memories from childhood and imagination!