Anyone who claims to have an entirely clear conscience is almost certainly a bore. Bernard Cornwell More Quotes by Bernard Cornwell More Quotes From 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. Bernard Cornwell marriedclearbook Research is a lifelong occupation so it's hard to factor it in, but I reckon most books take 5 months from start to finish. Bernard Cornwell monthsresearchbook 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. Bernard Cornwell oceaninspirationalfunny At risk of sounding foully pompous I think that writers' groups are probably very useful at the beginning of a writing career. Bernard Cornwell careerswritingthinking 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. Bernard Cornwell bookfirststhinking Television is a young person's medium. Bernard Cornwell mediumsyoungtelevision I'll happily mentor anyone who wants mentoring, and most of that goes on by internet rather than face to face. Bernard Cornwell mentorgoes-onwant 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. Bernard Cornwell cheerleadingtvsdrama 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. Bernard Cornwell queenskingswriting Madness ends sometimes. The Gods decree it, not man. Bernard Cornwell madnesssometimesmen 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. Bernard Cornwell writingbookthinking You know what circumcision is, Private? Bernard Cornwell circumcisionknows We don't build,' I said to my son, 'we just destroy. Bernard Cornwell my-sonsaidson Latin! The language of God! Or perhaps He speaks Hebrew? I suppose that's more likely and it will make things rather awkward in heaven, won't it? Will we all have to learn Hebrew? Bernard Cornwell awkwardlatinheaven So far it's 43 books in 25 years. Bernard Cornwell bookyears 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 regretwinninghands A man does not see where he treads in battle, for he is watching the enemy. Bernard Cornwell battlemenenemy One book at a time... though I'm usually doing the research for others while I'm writing, but that sort of research is fairly desultory and I like to stick to the book being written - and writing a book concentrates the mind so the research is more productive. Bernard Cornwell researchmindtimebook So the books have a greater appeal to a British audience, but that hasn't stopped them making best-seller lists in places like Brazil, Japan and at least a dozen other countries. Bernard Cornwell placeslikebrazilaudience Judy couldn't move to Britain for family reasons, so I had to come to the States, and the U.S. government wouldn't give me a Green Card, so I airily told her I'd write a book. Bernard Cornwell megreenfamilygovernment
