Your Questions

Q

Mr.Cornwell your books are the best I've ever read. I never read your books before but now I can't put them down. Have you ever thought of making your Lords of the North series into a movie? The characters are awesome and the movie would be all alone in its genre. I just like talking to you about your books. your loyal reader, Kas.

A

Thank you! I'd be happy to see the books made into films, but I'm not a film maker, so it's up to someone else to do it.


Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I read several of your books: Sharpe, Stonehenge, the Grail cycle, Arthurian books, and always found them very enjoyable. I read your Arthurian cycle twice, once translated into Italian, my native language, and once in English which is now my daily language since I now live in Texas. I enjoyed it thoroughly, both times, and if have even a small regret about it, that would be I know it is going to be very hard to read anything nearly as good, beg your forgiveness, even from yourself! Yes, I do plan to read your relatively newer Saxon stories and trust they will be a good reading too. I'd have so many questions I would like to ask, that I wish I could buy you a beer, or a coffee and enjoy some conversation. It will never happen, since there must be so many with a similar desire and only one Bernard! But if you ever stop by our local bookstore, unlikely as it may seem, you do have a coffee waiting for you! If it pleases you to answer, allow me just one question: when you start a new cycle, do you write the plot beforehand and then fill the gaps, or write as the story unfold, more freely in your mind? One of your affectionate readers, Christian B.

A

As the story unfolds. I wish I could plot them out meticulously before I start writing, but I can't, and so am stuck with letting the ideas emerge with the story. Hope you enjoy the Saxon stories!


Q

Mr. Cornwell, Greetings. I have become a huge fan ever since I picked up your "Lords of the North" audio book from the library, without realizing it was 3 in the series. I'm listening to the other 2 now. I'd dearly love to hear the Arthur series - do you have any plans to publish an unabridged version? If not, please reconsider! Thanks. Arthur Shavatt

A

There has been some talk of it, but I haven't seen them yet. Let's keep our fingers crossed!


Q

I have read all your books and enjoy them very much. I know you have a new book coming out and I look forward to reading it in October. I'm quite pleased that you aren't interested in doing any more books about Arthur, especially a prequel, although it would have been nice to find out what happened more indepth to Derfel after Arthur sailed to Avalon. Have you ever thought about writing any books on Ancient Egypt? Anyway, I'll stop babbling. Thanks for the many hours of enjoyment and i hope you keep writing for many years to come. Dave

A

I do sometimes think about ancient Egypt, then lie down until the temptation passes. I doubt I'll ever do it, though it is fascinating - truly fascinating - but so far off my radar screen that I'm not sure I'll ever do the necessary work.


Q

I just read under the question's section that Sword Song, the next in the Saxon Series will be published in the UK in October and in the US in January.I won't be able to wait until January so I'll order through Amazon UK but I really am curious about why there has to be such a time difference. Ann Madonna

A

The publishing date is totally up to the publisher to choose and the US publisher feels January is a better time I suppose. Why? I don't know why - publishers seem to work in mysterious ways!


Q

Mr. Cornwell, Hello, I hope you are well. I wasn't able to see you at the HSN Conference this year due to scheduling conflicts- which is a shame because I was looking forward to it for quite some time- I was just wondering how the experience was for you? was your bit at the conference taped in any way and is it possible to track a recording down? I imagined I'd see some of it on Book TV but no luck yet.

Second, I wanted to ask you if you had ever read the works of Alistair Maclean? Where Eagles Dare, Ice Station Zebra, Guns of Navarone etc... he seems to be a towering figure in the action-lit genre and I was wondering what you made of his work? How about the works of Frank G. Slaughter? he was an historical novelist/doctor who wrote of, among other things, the untamed Florida swamps and savage lands of the 1860's in books like Storm Haven and Fort Everglades. I have been enjoying searching for out of print copies of his books recently. Thanks again for your time. R. Kulb

A

Sorry we missed you! As far as I know nothing was taped or recorded in any way. Better luck next time!

I don't know Frank G Slaughter, but I'll look for him, thank you. I used to read Alastair MacLean in my younger days and thought he was simply terrific! A great story-teller.


Q

Hi Bernard I am a huge fan of yours! I live in Brazil and I have read almost all your books! but I have a doubt that I don't know if you really have the answer! Do you Know how many books will the SAXON STORIES have? It is not that important but I really want to know! here in Brazil have just arrive the second one! thank you! Alfredo

A

I really don't know how many and I won't know till I write them. But I am glad to know you are a fan!


Q

MY WIFE IS A HUGE FAN OF YOUR NOVELS (EXCEPT THE SHARPE SERIES), I SEE YOU HAVE A NEW NOVEL SWORD SONG PUBLISHED LATER THIS YEAR, DO YOU KNOW IF YOU WILL BE IN THE UK FOR ANY SIGNINGS/EVENTS. WE LIVE IN SCARBOROUGH NORTH YORKSHIRE. REGARDS, ANDREW WORMALD

A

I don't know yet, but if there is a book signing tour all information about it will be posted to the Diary page of this website.


Q

It would like to know if it exists forecast for launching of other books of the series The Sharpe Books (only five volumes had been published: Sharpe´s Tiger, Sharpe´s Triumph, Sharpe´s Fortress, Sharpe´s Trafalgar and Sharpe´s Rifles); and of the series The Saxon Stories (only the first volume and the second volume had been published: The Last Kingdom and The Pale Horseman). I would like to know if exists the possibility of the series The Starbuck Chronicles to be published in Brazil. .
Gustavo Gewehr

A

I do know of two more Sharpe books scheduled to be published in Brazil; Sharpe's Prey and Sharpe's Havoc. There are also plans to publish the third book of the Saxon stories Lords of the North. I'm afraid I don't know of any plans to publish the Starbuck books in Brazil.


Q

Dear Sir, Your Warlord Chronicles is my most favourite adaptation of King Arthur, and although I have neglected to own a copy for myself, have given some as presents to friends who enjoy an excellent read. Every summer away from school, I re-read the trilogy; it's become a ritual now in its 7th year. That is...to be honest, more than a third of my life so far haha. Each time I discover something new, such as the intrinsic meaning of a phrase I had merely glanced past before. Although no continuation is in the making, I was wondering if you considered writing a "prequel"? Not specifically on the Roman occupation of Britain, but of Roman civilization. I notice in your Arthur and Saxon novels, there's a theme of a struggle of peace and human goodness against barbarism and war, and I believe a novel of Republican or Imperial Rome would be another masterful play of the theme. Jonathan Looi

A

I haven't! And probably won't. I've deliberately avoided writing about the Romans, partly because there are so many other good books on the period, and partly because I've never been really fascinated. And I think the Arthurian trilogy works well as it is, and I'm reluctant to spoil it by a prequel or a sequel which would, inevitably, lack some of the major characters. So, alas, no.