Your Questions

Q

Dear Sir Bernard (surely only a matter of time??), many thanks for your reply regarding the influence of the series by yourself, just another question, were you offered a cameo?? Also, I read before about how the more you wrote Hakeswill, the more you based him upon Pete Postlethwaite's performance in the series, did you find yourself doing the same with Dan Hagman and John Tams? I find them uncannily similar. Don't stop writing. James Trethowan

Submitted April 24, 2004

A

I wasn't offered a cameo, and I'm glad I wasn't. And yes, John Tams was a great influence - great man!

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell I love your books! Especially the grail quest series and the Arthur books. In Harlequin I noticed the many descriptions of the coats of arms of various knights. I am a big fan of Heraldry and would therefore like to ask if you "made up" the coats of arms or if there is a list were you got them from? I have been looking for an image of the coat of arms of Sir Guillaume, because I've been trying to draw it, but I just can't get it right. Thanks a lot for creating such splendid books! I can't wait for some new series! Sincerely Matt D.

Submitted April 24, 2004

A

I made them up - sorry - using sources like the Oxford Book of Heraldry.

Q

Just coming towards the end of Sharpe's Escape and am really enjoying it - thank you! The middle section is terrific, really tense. I am also looking forward to The Last Kingdom which appears to be written in the first person. Do you prefer writing in first person (as you also did in the Warlord Chronicles) or third person? thank you once again, Berj

Submitted April 22, 2004

A

Probably the first person - though there are difficulties - you're trapped in a single point of view, so can't reveal information unknown to the narrator (which can be awkward from plotting). I did find writing The Last Kingdom (in first person) very enjoyable.

Q

Hello Mr Cornwell - Bit of a strange question, but one to which I'd love to know the answer. You are one of my favourite writers, as is Ernest Hemingway, and I'd be fascinated to know what your opinions of him and his work are. Obviously you write in a very different genre from Mr Hemingway, but you do share a passion for military history and the ocean, not to mention a journalistic background. Mr Hemingway was well known for his love of adventure stories and I'm sure were he alive he would be a big fan of ones as well crafted and researched as yours. Do you have a similar respect for 'Papa' and his books? Best wishes Bill Lyne

Submitted April 22, 2004

A

I'm a Hemingway fan - though I doubt he'd like my stuff, but who knows? He's a bit out of fashion at the moment, which is a pity, but there are a few of his books that I re-read constantly - especially Death in the Afternoon which is one of my all time favourites.

Q

Dear Bernard, whilst I think that Daragh O'Malley is great as Pat Harper in the TV series of Sharpe, he doesn't seem to be quite the hulk that Harper is in the books. Ween I first started reading Sharpe (many years ago!), I visualised Victor McLaglen as Harper, as he epitomised the big Irishman to me. When you first start writing a book, do you have actors in mind for the characters? (BTW - I did a search on Victor McLaglen before posting this to ensure I spelled his name correctly, and found out that he was actually born in Tunbridge Wells in Kent, and so wasn't actually Irish! Here endeth today's useless piece of information!) Incidentally, I've just finished 'Sharpe's Havoc', and thought it excellent. Thanks for giving me so much enjoyment. David Coates

Submitted April 22, 2004

A

No! Not my job! That belongs to the Director and Producers. I rarely base characters on real persons - actors or otherwise. Victor McLaglen would have been terrific, you're right, but I thought Darragh O'Malley did a wonderful job.

Q

With the 'Sharpe's' books set in Europe during our recent disagreement with France etc, is there much difference between the USA and UK readers in their perceptions and 'Involvement' with that period ? Jon Pearce

Submitted April 22, 2004

A

Don't know! I suspect UK readers are slightly more involved, inasmuch as it's their history and names like Waterloo and Trafalgar are more redolent, but US readers constantly astonish me by their involvement and by their knowledge of Britain's history. Mind you, US readers rarely understand the joke - what's the difference between the French and toast? You can make soldiers out of toast.
Sorry.

Q

Is Sharpe's father a real person or is he one of your characters? Tim

Submitted April 22, 2004

A

He isn't real! Nice thought, though - maybe I'll change him?

Q

I hate to seem ignorant, however I would like to know why Wellington is somtimes called "the Peer" in your Sharpe novels. Don Sawyer

Submitted April 22, 2004

A

You're not ignorant, just curious. It was one of his nicknames. Officers tended to call him 'the Peer', while other ranks preferred 'Nosey'. I should have made it clear.

Q

I have for many years harboured the idea of writing a novel (probably a contemporary political thriller). However, if I were to set it in a foreign country I simply don't have time or funds to go to far away places to do research (as I would still have to work full time). Can I ask, when you first started writing, did you manage to get round this problem without actually visiting places or are there any solutions you can suggest. Also, can I ask, how long would you say it takes to actually complete a novel from conception of the idea to finish, and how much of that is actually spent undertaking research? I suppose the internet is now a vital tool for research. By the way, I only came accross this site today so congratulations on a great site. Thank you in advance, Andrew Rose.

Submitted April 22, 2004

A

I did visit the places I wrote about - and think it's fairly essential to do that. But if you really can't afford to do it then read EVERYTHING about that country - especially travel writing - not just guide books, but literary books that give you a feel for the place. Then rip them off!. How long? Depends. I take about 6 months for a novel, others take longer, and I would avoid the internet like the plague as a research tool unless you are very sure of the qualifications of the people who post the web-page. They used to say that if you gave a million monkeys a typewriter each then, eventually, they'd come up with the works of Shakespeare - in truth they'd come up with the internet. Use books.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I just read the 1st chapter of your upcoming book, The Last Kingdom. Wow. I can't wait until it comes out in October. Will this book be a series? And will you put the thing I believe all fiction books should have, a character list in it? Also, I would just like to say that your Warlord Chronicles has got me thinking about whether I should do Dark Age history in college. Keep up the good work. Lewis.

Submitted April 22, 2004

A

It will be a series, yes. How many? Don't know - at least five probably. Maybe more. A character list? A lot of people found that very offputting in the Arthur books, and there aren't as many characters, so at present the answer is no, but I am putting in a list of places - mainly to make clear the Anglo-Saxon names.