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Bernard Cornwell speaks with Sharp's Book Co. Part 1

Here is the first part of our interview with Bernard Cornwell author of many books including the Sharpe series.

Bernard Cornwell was born in London in 1944 - a 'warbaby' - whose father was a Canadian airman and mother in Britain's Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted by a family in Essex who belonged to a religious sect called the Peculiar People (and they were), but escaped to London University and, after a stint as a teacher, he joined BBC Television where he worked for the next 10 years. It was while working in Belfast that he met Judy, a visiting American, and fell in love. Judy was unable to move to Britain for family reasons so Bernard went to the States where he was refused a Green Card. He decided to earn a living by writing, a job that did not need a permit from the US government - and for some years he had wanted to write the adventures of a British soldier in the Napoleonic wars - and so the Sharpe series was born. Bernard and Judy married in 1980, are still married, still live in the States and he is still writing Sharpe.

[Sharp’s Book Co] Do you feel that modern warfare has lost some of the literary romanticism that seems to be associated with some of the earlier historical periods? Have you ever considered writing about modern conflict?

[Bernard Cornwell] It's certainly lost the trappings - I think of Napoleon's doomed army on the morning of Waterloo assembling in full parade uniforms; all those plumes and epaulettes, breastplates and standards. But I don't think the essential virtues of courage and defiance are gone. I recently wrote a booklet for the Royal Mail to accompany the issue of VC stamps, and one of the essays is about Charles Upham, the New Zealander who won two VC's in the second world war, and his story is dramatic, extraordinary and inspiring! Not that I've ever been tempted to write about modern conflict - I'm much happier in olden days.

 

[SBC] When the decision was made to create the television series of “Sharpe” there was obviously the difficult task of casting someone for the lead role. Many readers will have noticed how much Sean Bean differs from the Richard Sharpe of the books. Did you have any input or influence on the casting of Sean Bean for the part?

[BC] I had absolutely no influence whatsoever, and nor did I want any. Casting is a skilled occupation, and I have no ability or experience in it, but enough knowledge to realise that the part should be played by someone who captures Sharpe's essence if not his looks. I think Sean does a terrific job.

 

[SBC] All of your books are extremely well researched and contain many factual events and references. Approximately how long do you spend on the research phase for each novel?

[BC] I haven't a clue! The research for each book is not a discrete event, but a lifelong occupation. I rarely research and write a book in one go, but draw on years of reading. Every new Sharpe book demands a refresher course, and a few weeks of dedicated reading, but I get very bored with that and so start writing because that's more interesting. On the whole each book takes about five months to write, but probably a lifetime to research.

 

[SBC] In “Sharpe’s Eagle” Sharpe and his sergeant capture a French Eagle during the Talavera campaign. Is this event based on historical fact?

[BC] It's based on Ensign Keogh and Sergeant Masterman, of the 28th (a good Irish regiment), who captured the first eagle to be taken by the British in the Napoleonic Wars. Keogh died in the fight, but Masterman (who subsequently became an officer) marched away with the eagle and the immortal shout, 'Look, boys, I've got their cuckoo'.

 

[SBC] Many authors have different writing techniques and ways to try and avoid the dreaded “writers block” – do you lock yourself away in a study and write whilst the inspiration is there, or are you a more methodical writer who likes to set targets of say “500 words today,” come what may?

[BC] What is writer's block? We all volunteer for this, knowing that it's better than working, and then we bitch about how hard it is? I'll believe in writer's block on the day that a nurse can phone up a hospital and be excused duties because she's got 'nurse's block'. I write every weekday, starting at around 5.30 am, and work steadily, don't count words, but do count myself extremely fortunate to be doing the job. If you need inspiration, get a mortgage. My inspiration is that I love doing it.

 

[SBC] People who have only seen Sharpe dramatised on TV may not realise that the first novel you actually wrote in the series was Sharpe’s Eagle. We first meet Sharpe already an officer with his men. Did you find it difficult to develop Sharpe’s character in the subsequent prequels and keep his past inline with later developments, especially as you say you haven’t re-read Sharpe’s Eagle?

[BC] I'm not sure I found it as difficult as I should have done, meaning that I really ignored some of the problems of fitting the sequels into the original series. I think Sharpe has changed over the years and it seemed better to let him change, even if, once or twice (or more) he jars against his earlier self. I do try to dovetail the books, but story always takes precedence - so that, for instance, when I wrote 'Sharpe's Fortress' it was impossible to keep faith with lines in earlier books which said Sharpe was with Hakeswill as they assaulted Gawilghur. To have made that happen would have changed the story utterly, and for the worse, so I was content to let the discrepancy exist.

 

To be continued...

 

Bernard Cornwell’s website can be found at http://www.bernardcornwell.net – The site includes news, information and interactive areas including a forum.

by..Sharp's Book Co