Bulletin Board

Hello Bernard, Not a question just information for you about Robin Hood in respect of the question posed to you by Lyndsey on 03/06/2005. I don't know if you are aware of it but there is a small village in North Derbyshire called Hathersage and an old Norman church. In the graveyard there is a seven foot grave with two headstones one in old English and the other a translation, reading, "Here lies Little John, the friend and lieutenant of Robin Hood", thought you might like that. Philip Newton

Dear Mr. Cornwell, this is just a response to a question you posted .Someone asked about painting bodies etc. blue and you replied you'd never tried it. Well, as a Celtic re-enactor I can tell you, firstly, woad has to be fermented slightly to give a good colour, so it stinks! Secondly, on skin it gives a kind of greyish blue, not the beautifully royal blue so beloved of film makers, and thirdly, it's actually an antiseptic (sort of an early form of TCP really) so it would give some protection against wounds becoming infected. It would also presumably act as a form of camouflage, breaking up outlines, for those guerilla raids so popular with leaders such as Caratacus (and maybe even Arthur?) I'm sorry, it's just my inner anorak/geek coming out! yours, Mari Hannigan

Dear Mr Cornwell, This is not a question, I just wanted to contact you (again) and say how fantastic it is that you take the time out so regularly to answer your readers questions. I do not think i know off hand of any other authors that do this, but regardless it has made this website even more of a valuable resource and meeting place for our fans. As always, I look forward to your next book with excitement! Many thanks, Matt Pawsey

Dear Mr. Cornwell. I just finished to read "The Last Kingdom". What a wonderful book! Thank you very much!!! Now I just should be patient and wait till "Pale Horseman" will printed in USA. I hope it will happen as soon as possible. With all my respect - David Shnayderman

Just finished your wonderful "Bloody Ground." As a member of The Church of the Brethren in Maryland I am very familiar with the Old Dunkard Church which figured heavily in your plot. Our denominational name in the 1860's was German Baptist Brethren and our form of baptism then, as now, was by trine immersion, forward (in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Fred Wilhelm

I have just read your response to Barry Evans and in it you say you always find it hard to re read the death of Defels daughter. I thought your readers may be in the same situation as I indeed am: I can't help shed a tear or two especially as my daughter is about the same age now. Even more poignant is the Isis (UK) recording read by Edmund Dein, he puts so much extra emotion into the passage as you hear his tortured breathing, the pauses, the tones of his voice and so on; it alost sounds as if Derfel himself is talking and trying not (but failing) to cry. If any of your readers have not listened to this version of your Arthur trilogy I suggest they either purchase them or borrow them from their local library: they are simply terrific. Andrew Moore

I have just discovered your website. Even there, your style of writing, engaging the reader, leaps out of the screen. We both very much enjoy reading your books, beginning with Sharpe (doesn't everyone?!) and moving through the Arthur trilogy and the Grail Quest trilogy, Stonehenge, and now Dave has just begun the Starbuck series. We much enjoy your story telling, and can see the painstaking research that goes into the historical settings. Keep on writing. We'll keep on reading. Claire and Dave Pegg

Just a short note to thank you for the hours of pleasure your books have given me. Long may it continue. Bob Thompson. England.

Hi I am a committed Sharpe Fan who has created and managed the Richard Sharpe Fan Site for the last six years. For the last six years we have held a National Sharpe Day on the 23rd of May and I believe you may of heard of this through the Sharpe Appreciation Society who have some of their members in our ranks of our own 153 current members. We have also decided to carry out voting for our favourite Sharpe book and film and am delighted to tell you that Sharpe's Eagle was voted the favourite Sharpe book of our members by some way and Sharpe's Company was their favourite film. I would be grateful if you could add the web address of my site in your links so that other Sharpe fans can find us and add to our colourful community. If you would support a National Sharpe Day it would be great so please reply to my suggestion for the official declaration of such a day. Thanks. Paul Herdman, Manager of the Richard Sharpe Fan Site http://uk.msnusers.com/THERICHARDSHARPEFANSITE

Dear Mr. Cornwell, Regarding the question from your reader on the 30th of May, he may be confusing the Sharpe Series with the Hervey Series (by Allan Mallinson), in which one of the last books ("Rumours of War") leaves Hervey in 1826 as a prisoner of the Spanish after trying to fool them with Portuguese soldiers in red jackets pretending to be British Infantry. kind regards, Filipe Marques