Your Questions

Q

Dear sir, tis the last time I'll bother you for a wee while, I promise!! just some more questions concerning Sharpe...... Was you ever tempted to reward Harper by making him an Ensign? or was that too unlikely because of him being from Ireland? or even there was no way you could keep him at Sharpe's side?! Also... were you tempted to use Lady Anne in other Sharpe adventures or after the break-up of Sharpe and Jane? As she appeared to have been quietly disappointed to find Sharpe had got together with Jane!! Can't wait for 2007 sir even though I'll be 30 by then, sorry to constantly be a pest, once again..... thank you!! Lee

Submitted June 21, 2005

A

I've never been tempted! It was hard enough persuading Harper to be a sergeant, let alone an officer!

Not really, though I have an idea he and she might have had a fling later . . . .

Q

Mr. Cornwell, I am a new fan to your Sharpe novels, but I have almost read them all. As a former infantryman in the U.S. Army, I wanted to say that I really enjoy Sharpe. You really have a grasp of the mind of the common soldier, and this is the important link (to me) that keeps the pages turning. I was intrigued by the American, Rifleman Taylor. I just wanted to ask if there were a lot of Americans who had, one way or the other, wound up in Wellington's Army? There has not been a lot of resources at my disposal to find this information. I realize you are a busy man, but I would be thrilled just to hear what you have to say. Sincerely, David DeForest

Submitted June 21, 2005

A

To be honest I don't have a clue how many Americans were in the British army - we do have figures for the Royal Navy and there were certainly US citizens serving at Trafalgar. There were lots of loyalist Americans in the British army, some of them went to very high rank, but I based Taylor on the supposition that every nation has its rogues and wanderers, and such a man is quite likely to end up in the army - though he's not based on any real evidence.

Q

Marvellous books, the lot of `em....i`ve had the pleasure of reading `em all several times over.......bar the american civil war ones.............i`ll get there eventually. Can`t wait for the next "alfred" in october. Now i`ve got one little question...i know Sean Bean was a big influence in making the Tv series so popular.......... & i just wondered if he`d had any sort of influence on your good self???.....specifically if he managed to convert you into a "Blade"!!!...........Sean being a mad Sheffield United fan....as...er (cough)... coincidently i am too!!!............would it be too much to ask that my favourite author be a Blade too!!! :-) Al Roberts

Submitted June 21, 2005

A

I know you won't approve of this, but my big sports (as a fan) are American Football (the Patriots) and rugby, of which I'm hugely fond, and to a lesser extent, cricket. I never get to see any cricket because it happens during the sailing season on Cape Cod, but I do make a pilgrimage to the UK to see some rugby every year. The Blades, of course, are the greatest team ever, in any sport, on any planet, but that's about all I know of them.

Q

I've read every Sharpe my fav's being Regiment andHonor, which ones got the the best response in general from the public? Best wishes-Bruce

Submitted June 21, 2005

A

I honestly don't know - I'm not sure how I'd find out either. Or perhaps we should organise a popularity contest in this website and you can vote for your favourite Sharpe novel? It's an idea .

Q

My best regards Mr. Cornwell. I hope that my English will be suitable enough for this little... maybe to say it... letter. First, I'd like to say that I admire your work very much. I read the Arthurian novels and I was encharmed. Never since "Taiko" and "Musashi" I've read something so beautiful. I'm looking forward to read some Sharpe novels or Grailquest, but not after I finish my Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath". In this context, here comes my second thought and question. Which are the authors that gave you greatest influence? Currently I'm not writing, although I have some artistic attempts. I'm mostly reading. and I'm greatly influenced by authors like Hemmingway, Heller, Steinbeck, Jack Kerouac. They are influence not just on my artistic "lurches", but on my person and cultural knowledge as well. It will be very nice if you point me some authors that have influenced you. I know that this may sound odd, but I was really encharmed by your novels and I said myself that such a historical buff (sorry if this insults you) like you, couldn't exist without being influenced himself by some great authors. I'll really apreciate your advice. The third question is what your opinion on the modern fantasy literature. I'm not speaking about Tolkien, but yet in my opinion there are many authors which deserve some consideration. In the context - what is your opinion of the modern "phenomenon" - Harry Potter books. Have you read them? As a whole question have you read any fantasy novels? Are you influenced by them as well? The fourth question is less standard. I love the Japanese culture. For me Eiji Yoshikawa and his novels - "Taiko", "Musashi" and "Heike" are something incredible. Although in my homeland Bulgaria - the translation was poor - it was something outstanding. If you haven't read him - I certainly propose you to do it as soon as possible. He is outstanding author. In the context, if you like and are interested in the Japanese culture (like me), dare if I ask if you intend to write such novel or series? With your excellent writing and history knowledge, I do not doubt in the quality of such project. Best Regards: Chavdar Likov

Submitted June 20, 2005

A

I'm not aware of any influences, which doesn't mean they're not there, but I'm not a very reflective writer and don't think about such things. I have favourite authors, of course, of which the chief is John Cowper Powys, but I don't think there's any influence from him. At risk of sounding smug I do what I do and try not to introduce too many external influences that would probably only make it harder.

I fear I don't read enough of them to comment! In fact I hardly read any of them, though recently I did read, and was hugely impressed by, Philip Reeve's three books - Mortal Engines, Predator's Gold and Infernal DevicesL. They're written for younger readers and published, in the UK, by Scholastic, and they're hugely inventive, wonderfully told and absolutely riveting. Outside those - don't know really!

I think I can safely say that I won't be writing anything set in Japan - the amount of research I'd need to do would be daunting, and I've so much else I want to write - but perhaps, after I've read Yoshikawa, I'll feel differently.

Q

Hello again Mr Cornwell, I may be wrong, but having read the 'Your Questions' section over the last few months, I have not come across anyone asking you the following. You have stressed several times that Sharpe will continue for several more years, and possibly go on for as long as you do! However, when asked about your favourite characters and favourite self-penned novels, you never nominate Sharpe or the Sharpe series. Indeed, I think you said once that Sharpe does not appeal to your emotions like other characters you have written about. As a result I wondered what drove you on with the series. Is it purely because he remains your most popular character and you continue for the sake of the fans? As a huge Sharpe fan, I hope you never rest him of course, but I was interested in understanding why you personally want to push on with Sharpe's adventures. Thanks. Nick

Submitted June 17, 2005

A

I hope I never said Sharpe doesn't appeal to me. I adore the man and love the series, but I've always reckoned the Arthur trilogy are my favourite books - maybe because they were such a pleasure to write. But don't worry - I still take huge pleasure from Sharpe.

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell. I recently finished Sharpe's Escape. Who would you bet in in a hand-to-hand-anything goes fight: Ferragus or Harper, and why? (a pity we never got to see that one). Alan Kempner

Submitted June 17, 2005

A

Never bet against the Irish. I'd back Harper.

Q

Just finished the Arthur books and I have to confess to getting a bit choked up at the end. How attached do you get to your characters? What was it like to finish off the last few pages of Excalibur? Was it just satisfying to bring the work to the right conclusion or do you get caught up with the characters in the same way that your readers do? Kind regards Gregory Spawton

Submitted June 17, 2005

A

I don't think the books would work unless I was caught up in the characters - so yes, I get totally caught up in them and they dominate my thoughts and even, sometimes, dreams. I constantly hear their conversations in my head - and finishing Excalibur was not a pleasant experience because I wanted those characters to go on and on and on. But once a book is done then I confess, like ghosts, they vanish fairly quickly.

Q

I've just finished the Warloard Chronicles on Arthur and I have to say it's the best read I've ever had, so thanks for that! I actually have ambitions to maybe take time out and write a book in 3 years or so when I've finished university. However, I feel my weakness maybe being that I might become too repetitive and limited with adjectives and the way I describe a certain event. E.g you have described a good few battles over the trilogy, what did you do to make each one different enough and not repeat your style and structure and choice of lexis of the other battles? Thanks in advance for your help. Owen

Submitted June 17, 2005

A

Mainly by not thinking about it! Every battle is different, not just in terrain and combatants, but also with what is at stake, and I think you just have to rely on those differences to carry you through. It works for me (I hope), but I suspect it would make things much more difficult if I consciously tried to make the battles different. They should grow out of the story, and the story will dictate what happens in them. Hope that helps!

Q

I love A Crowning Mercy and The Fallen Angel and would like to read more stories of the same plot line, maybe another sequel. If you have one published already, could you let me know. Thank you.
Claire Bruman

I recently came across Fallen Angels and Crowning Mercy and enjoyed them. Are there any more books in the series? Kind Regards Tony Sher Cheshire UK

Submitted June 17, 2005

A

Sorry, there are no more books in the series.