Bernard, I am so thrilled to write you. You have become my favorite author. I have spent many days and nights the past two years reading everything that I can get my hands on. You have taught me more about the Napoleonic wars than a semester of history. I have just finished the Nathaniel Starbuck series and am reading Stephen Sears’s book about Antietam. As I was reading the series it occurred to me that Colonel Lassan is indeed Richard Sharpe’s son, you sly dog! It raises the question of how create your characters. You obviously created the son while you were developing the father, judging by the copyright dates. Does this mean that Starbuck will continue the war and when should we expect to be at Chancelorsville and into Gettysburg? I also wanted to ask you if you write your novels in the chronological order as they appear in the books or do you write as the thoughts occur and then edit later to give the sequence? Also do you ever tire of a character and decide to have them killed or removed? Is Hakeswell as beloved to you as say Adam Faulconer or even Sharpe and Starbuck? I will let you go before I take up too much of your time. I have Sharpe’s Fury in the wings and am desperately looking for Sharpe’s Revenge to see how Colonel Lassan was procreated. Best wishes and thank you for keeping me company, Rick Schatz