Dear Mr. Cornwell: First let me tell you what a big fan I have been of your writing! Oddly, I have never read any of your Sharpe Novels, but I loved your King Arthur series, your Archer/Holy Grail series, and I am really enjoying your Uhtred of Bebeenburg (sp?) series. Uhtred especially is fantastic story telling! I wanted to ask something if I may about your style of writing. I myself am a fledgling novelist and my problem is details. I am fantastic with characters and dialogue, but I am lousy at detailing. And I dont know if you remember The Pale Horseman very well, but I wanted to ask about the final battle of the book between Alfred and Guthrum and Svane? Did you purposely set out from the time Alfred decided to go to war and when Alfreds forces made their first shield-wall to set the scene? Like I noticed you went into such details about one character Uhtred sees vomiting his breakfast, had I written that scene, I probably would have started with&In the morning I got up put on my armor and just before the sun rose, the battle started. I guess what I am asking is, as you wrote the set up to the battle, did you write it automatically or did you have to go back and add details? I usually find if I need to write an action scene, I will write basically what happens, and then go back and fill in more details. I hope I am making myself clear, but I doubt it. Either way, thanks so much for your work, I enjoy it! Thanks, Don E. Smith Jr.