“Over the Hills and Far Away”

I am currently listening to ‘The Winter King ‘ on Audible .

Wonderful writing , I suspect literary wise, your best book so far.

Thankyou so much for all the fun over the years.

No real question to ask ,but I do have a snippet you might find amusing.

Like many I suppose, I was attracted to your work by the Sharpe series  on TV,  at first mainly because of its  theme tune , which to me will always be ‘ The Toothbrushing Song’

My Mother was brought up in an orphanage in a Durham Mining community in the 1920s , A tough upbringing , but not as tough as the life the kids who did have parents got in that part of the world at that time , by my mother’s reckoning.

Her method of childrearing was best described as physical, Getting me to brush my teeth ,as a toddler, was achieved by grabbing the patient/ victim ,by the scuff of the neck, then hold hold my head under the bathroom tap , and vigorously scrubbing my teeth.

I guess she had decided that a degree of motherly love was required during this operation ,so she would  sing  to me .

I still regard brushing my teeth as some kind of punishment !

The tune was, one that I had heard no one else sing until it was used as the theme song to the Sharpe series .  As I was in the presence of my Mum when I first saw the show , I commented to her that ‘ Hey Mam , that’s the toothbrush song they’re playing!’

To which she replied ‘ Oh yes “Tom, Tom the piper’s  son!’ which I guess was the title by which she knew it.

 

Anyway best wishes ,and love the books.

 

Gregg Salter