I THINK the title will be Sharpe's Fury, but I'm not sure. It ought to be published in October, 2006, in the UK, but that depends on me finishing it, and presently I'm swanning around the Far East instead of working (tut). I rpobably won't be doing a book tour, because I think I've done too many lately. Yes, we will post a teaser chapter when it's done. Why Barossa? I never had any intention of sending Sharpe there - it wasn't fought in Wellington's campaign area, and Sharpe has no business being there at all - but three years ago we were invited to a wedding at Jerez de la Frontera and I realised to my delight that we weren't so far rom Barossa so that meant I could explore yet another battlefield - and I became so enthusiastic about it after that visit that poor Sharpe was doomed to go there.
I don't find it particularly difficult - because all the battles differ so much - the basic tactic might be the same, but there are so many differences in terrain and in what's at stake. Albuhera is different in lots of ways - but so was Badajoz.
I've thought about it - so it will probably happen - not in the next book though.
My instinct is to keep Starbuck in the Eastern theatre - but these things do have a habit of going their own way, so I'm not rigid about it. But I suspect, for better or, more likely, worse, Starbuck will stay in Virginia.
I've read the first - and it's brilliannt, quite brilliant. Sears is simply a terrific writer! I haven't read the second, but I will - so thank you for that