I’m sorry to bother you in your Christmas season (although, as an Atheist, I suspect you won’t mind overmuch. Though I may be wrong.), but there are three things I’m curious about… after the traditional congratulations on how brilliant all your books – especially the Saxon series ones – are. My first question is whether you base any of your characters on real people you’ve known. I understand that might seem like a silly question since you write historical fiction, but hopefully you know what I mean.

My second question is going to sound childish, but it has to be asked… why is fate so mean to Uhtred? I mean, he was doing so well in The Burning Land, then it all went pear shaped again. Come on, he deserves to get home eventually…

The third thing is about Sharpe’s Trafalgar (The best of the Sharpe books, in my opinion.), and is simply why you wrote it. Was it part of your grand plan for Sharpe from the beginning, or did you just decide it would be fun? Congratulations again on producing some of the most readable books around, and apologies again for pestering you.
Henry W