Bernard Cornwell quotes

Looking back, of course, it was irresponsible, mad, forlorn, idiotic, but if you don't take chances then you'll never have a winning hand, and I've no regrets. (Bernard Cornwell)
I'm fortunate that the books sell, but even more fortunate to live in Chatham, to be very happily married and to have, on the whole, a fairly clear conscience. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
What I mean by that is that the point of life, as I see it, is not to write books or scale mountains or sail oceans, but to achieve happiness, and preferably an unselfish happiness. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
I'll happily mentor anyone who wants mentoring, and most of that goes on by internet rather than face to face. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
Every day is ordinary, until it isn't. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
We all suffer from dreams. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
The Forlorn Hope was for the brave. It may have been a courage born of desperation, or foolhardiness, but it was courage just the same. (pg. 13) View quote
Bernard Cornwell
Wyrd bith ful araed (Fate is inexorable). View quote
Bernard Cornwell
Writing is a solitary occupation. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
Of course some days are easier than others, but my worst day is better than being in most humdrum occupations. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
And yes, there's a simplicity to writing books because you're not a member of a team, so you make all the decisions yourself instead of deferring to a committee. (Bernard Cornwell)
Book tours and research provide a lot of travel - too much, I sometimes think, but we do take vacations. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
The bards sing of love, they celebrate slaughter, they extol kings and flatter queens, but were I a poet I would write in praise of friendship. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
At risk of sounding foully pompous I think that writers' groups are probably very useful at the beginning of a writing career. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
Television is a young person's medium. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
I know nothing about producing TV drama and any involvement on my part is liable to prove an obstacle to the producers, so I prefer to be a cheerleader and let them get on with it. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
It's fun. I sit down every day and tell stories. Some folk would kill to get that chance. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
So far it's 43 books in 25 years. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
Then you start another book and suddenly the galley proofs of the last one come in and you have to wrench your attention away from what you're writing and try to remember what you were thinking when you wrote the previous one. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
I sometimes wonder what would have happened if the first book had not sold... doesn't bear thinking about, but I suppose we'd have made it work somehow. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
You are like the Spanish, Captain Sharpe, confused. Cadiz is filled with politicians and lawyers and the encourage confusion. They argue. Should we be a Republic? Or perhaps a monarchy? Do we want a Cortes? And if so, should it have one chamber or two? Some want a parliament like Britain's. Others insist that Spain is best ruled by God and by a king. They squabble about these like children, but in truth there is only one real argument." "The argument, is whether Spain fights France or not?" "Exactly." "And you, believe Spain should fight against France?" "You know what the French have done to our country? The women raped, the children killed, the churches desecrated? Yes, I believe we should fight. (Bernard Cornwell)
He's actually a rather good ruler. Better, I suspect, than most of our Christian monarchs. He's certainly been good for Mysore. He's fetched it a deal of wealth, given it more justice than most countries enjoy in India and he's been tolerant to most religions, though I fear he did persecute some unfortunate Christians. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
Form them up Sergeant!" "Aye aye, sir." "You're not a bloody sailor, Sergeant. A plain yes will do. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
In the short time I've known you, Richard, I've noticed you possess a lamentable tendency to put on shining armor and look for ladies to rescue. King Arthur, God rest his soul, would have loved you. He'd have had you fighting every evil knight in the forest. View quote
Bernard Cornwell
We asked for them in February. It's June now; they must be coming." "They've been saying that about Christ for eighteen hundred years. View quote
Bernard Cornwell