Dear Mr. Cornwell, First of all I have to say I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all your Sharpe stories as well as many other books you have written.Thank you for the pleasure they have given to me. Secondly the reason for this email is to ask where your idea may have come from for the Richard Sharpe character. I live in Highcliffe,Dorset and nearby is Studland where I chanced upon a wonderful headstone in the very old churchyard.It reads,back and front,like the epitaph of Sharpe and his French wife.The similarities are so much so that I had to contact you. I do hope I am not wasting your time but I almost embarrassed my poor husband by dancing around the stone I was so excited. Please keep up the production of your much enjoyed books, Kind regards, Sue