Dear Bernard,
I’m currently flying way too swiftly through The Pagan Lord. ‘Tis most excellent, and I’m very much looking forward to reading all of the Uthred books when the series is done, which brings me to my question.
Unless it’s giving away any trade secrets, did you know how Uthred’s story would pan out when you started The Last Kingdom, or did the story develop as you wrote the books?
I keep on procrastinating over my books (not that I’ve written anything!). It’s either a Sharpe/Harper-esque book about some Mongols in Genghis’ army, or a Viking book with zombies (draugr) in.  Anyway!
Thanks for the untold hours of book loving you’ve given me! I remember reading a Sharpe book my dad had when I was about 14. Can’t remember the name but it’s the one where they break a French square with a charging dead horse. Read Redcoat swiftly after, and then the rest is history. Made several drunken shield walls in Uni, involving me and some fellow drunks yelling ‘shield wall!’ after reading Derfel’s accounts! Sorry, I’m waffling!
Salutations
Owe Phillips