Dear Mr Cornwell,

On your website you say that you made big colour-coded diagrams of three historical novels you liked when you were writing ‘Sharpe’s Eagle’. You also said you lost them, I know! But I was wondering whether you remembered the basic structure of them…? As someone who is trying to write historical novels himself, I would be very interested (and I think a lot of people would!) to get an idea of the amount of action, etc, required in a book (action 30%, etc… that kind of thing?)

Oh – and just while I’m at it (I did NOT write this question as an excuse to ask!), I wondered whether you remember my late grandfather – Patrick ‘Brian’ Glynn? His grandson is having a go at writing historical novels now, too!

Isaac Glynn