Hello. I’m a Classics student at Leeds University, and I’m hoping to write historical novels myself – although unfortunately I find myself agreeing with Russell Baker: ‘The only thing I was fit for was to be a writer, and this notion rested solely on my suspicion that I would never be fit for real work, and that writing didn’t require any.’ (Not strictly true of course… as I understand it writing does require some work!) What I was actually writing to ask you about though was a quote I read of yours on the cover of Conn Iggulden’s ‘Emperor: The Gates Of Rome’, where you said that you wished you’d written (personally I wasn’t that taken with it). But what it did get me wondering was whether you had ever considered writing something set in the ancient world? I for one would love to read it. Anyway, aside from that all I can say is thank you for the books that you have written and that I’m enjoying reading them (I’ve waited to acquire the whole ‘Sharpe’ series to date before reading it and have poughed through the first five in chronological order in the last week – don’t really know if I want to continue given that at some point I’ll have to reach the end! And I think the ‘Warlord Chronicles’ are absolutely brilliant). Thank you again. MSL.