In Jr. High I discovered CS Forester, (and Hornblower) and was disappointed when I never had the opportunity to meet him.
In adulthood I discovered Sharpe, and since have collected all your books, even those written under your pseudonym. I probably won’t get to Cape Cod again, but if you are even in the west I would like to shake your hand,  I have almost forgiven you for not finishing the Civil War, though once while in Scotland I did defend you to a South Carolinian who doubted that a “Brit could know anything about the Civil War”.
Thomas McGranahan, Sr., M.D