Bernard Cornwell's Blog

Waterstones: An Evening with Bernard Cornwell at St. James’s Church, London

On Tuesday 28 October I will be talking with Stig Abell at St. James’s Church, London beginning at 7pm

Tickets: https://www.waterstones.com/events/an-evening-with-bernard-cornwell-at-st-jamess-church-london/london-piccadilly

An Evening with Bernard Cornwell

I am looking forward to participating in The Spectator evening speaker series on Monday 27 October in Westminster, London beginning at 7pm

Tickets: spectator.co.uk/booksevents

SHARPE’S STORM

the Special Collector’s Edition of Sharpe’s Storm features a beautiful foil on board design beneath a dust jacket and is available to the first UK print run only, while stocks last.

Pre-order to secure yours!

https://smarturl.it/sharpesstorm

Cape Cod Shakespeare Festival in Chatham

The fourth season of CCSFC will run from July 21 – 31, 2025 in Chatham, MA on Cape Cod

This year I will play Gremio in ‘Taming of the Shrew’ and Brabantio in ‘Othello.

These free performances take place in Kate Gould park on Main Street and begin at 7pm. Bring a chair, a blanket and picnic and enjoy the show!

https://ccsfc.org/index.html

SHARPE’S STORM

Sharpe’s Storm

I’m delighted to share the news that I’ve just finished my new novel, SHARPE’S STORM.

As some of you may remember, I was originally on track to share Sharpe’s newest adventure with you last autumn but I hit a couple of road-blocks. 

Firstly, Sharpe got himself into a two-body problem.  I’d been merrily planning to have him in one place at the end of STORM – and then, when I happened to glance through SIEGE to check some facts, I realised to my horror that he was already somewhere else on the exact date I needed him to finish STORM, so I needed a new solution. 

And secondly, my wonderful editor Susan – who has been my partner through every book I’ve ever written – tragically passed away last summer, so I was left to solve the two-body problem on my own. 

But I’m very relieved to say that after a difficult year the two-body problem has been resolved and Sharpe has shown his usual cunning, determination and bravery to fight his way through to an ending I really like … and so I’ve told my publishers they can fire the starting pistol in the campaign to get the book out into the world this coming autumn.

I’m very pleased with how the book has ended up.  But putting my pen down on this particular Sharpe novel feels rather poignant as well, because I suspect this might be his very last adventure.  I can’t guarantee that Sharpe will never ride again – never say never! – but I have a couple of other books very clearly in mind for my next two projects (more news on them in due course) so I think this is probably it for Sharpe for now.  I hope you all enjoy it when it hits bookshops in a few months’ time …

Bernard

Pre-order here: https://smarturl.it/sharpesstorm

Sharpe’s Storm

My next book, ‘Sharpe’s Storm’ is scheduled to be published in the UK on 21 October 2025 and in the US on 2 December 2025.

Althorp Literary Festival

I will be appearing at this year’s Althorp Literary Festival on Sunday 13 April beginning at 6.30pm. Tickets are available now online and on the day of the festival: https://althorp.com/book-tickets-online-literary-festival/

The Festival runs from Friday 11 April – Sunday 13 April. Tickets for the Author Session £25 per person

Interview – Other Terrain Journal

A recent interview available here: https://www.otherterrainjournal.com.au/genres/interviews/interview-with-bernard-cornwell/

AN APOLOGY

2024 is going to be the first year since 1980 that there will be no new
Cornwell book delivered to my publisher. I am deeply sorry for that, and for
those of you who were looking forward to Sharpe’s Storm I want to provide a
brief explanation.

2024 has been a year from hell. I won’t go into detail, but just say there
have been too many surgical procedures, chemotherapy sessions, dentists and
hospital visits, and those things play merry hell with a writing schedule.
Nevertheless I had finished about two thirds of the book by July when it all
came to a screeching halt because of the Cape Cod Shakespeare Festival. I had
agreed to play Prospero in The Tempest and a much smaller role in Romeo and
Juliet. I knew, because I first played Prospero in 2016, that the role would
take an immense amount of time; the part is long and not easy. I made an
admittedly feeble effort to refuse and give the role to one of our professional
actors, but the feeble effort was rejected and I had to first relearn the part and
then give up day after day in rehearsals. I don’t regret it because I revel in
being a member of a company composed of enthusiastic and talented young
people (the pic shows me as Prospero and the incredibly talented Sadie O’Conor playing Ariel), but that indulgence meant more time lost. Also it was high summer
which means the boat must be given time too, and so she was (Seraph, it’s an anagram!). I would also like to add that I am now 80 years old and, as the great George MacDonald
Fraser once remarked to me, ‘you slow down at eighty.’ I have.

Sharpe’s Storm was still on track for completion. I needed to write
about five more chapters and all the necessary research was done, but then I
hit a road-block. I knew the events of Storm fell between Regiment and Siege
and, reluctant as I am to re-read my books, I did glance through Sharpe’s Siege
to check some facts and, to my horror, realised that the grand finale I had
planned for Sharpe in Storm was impossible, because it would overlap with
events in Siege. He might be a peerless hero, but even Sharpe cannot be in two
places at once. Normally I would have consulted my extraordinary editor at
HarperCollins to ask whether I could get away with it, but Susan had just
unexpectedly and tragically died, and I was left to conclude that she would
have brusquely told me not to be an idiot and find another solution.
I’m happy to say that I have found a solution which will make Storm a
much better book, but that solution demands intensive research, new chapters
and a monumental rewrite of the existing chapters. Sharpe will be freed of the
two-body problem, and all will be well, but it cannot be well in time for
delivery and publication this year. For that I am sincerely sorry. I like the
book, such as it is, and it certainly puts Sharpe through a monstrous ordeal, but
it must wait for 2025 during which I promise to refuse any major
Shakespearian role and will do my utmost to avoid doctors and, especially, dentists.

My Dream Team

 I received tragic news this week – of the death of Susan Watt, who has been my editor and publisher at HarperCollins since the very first Sharpe book – Sharpe’s Eagle – way back in 1980.
      Susan was a huge supporter of Sharpe and a brilliant publisher. She had enthusiasm, energy, and a deep care for both Sharpe and his creator.  She accompanied me on many visits to Wellington’s battlefields where her pointed questions forced me to think more deeply about what had happened there. Thus, in Seringapatam, she challenged the accounts of the Tippoo Sultan’s death and made me realise that the spot marked for that event was in the wrong place. Susan became a dear friend to Judy and myself and we will miss her laughter, her hospitality and her endless ungrudging support.  Sharpe will continue without her, but she will be forever missed.