Bernard Cornwell

His birth certificate originally read Bernard Cornwell, but his adoptive parents changed it to Wiggins - their name - when he was just a few weeks old. Cornwell, abused by his adoptive father, legally changed his name back to Cornwell after the father's death.

Cornwell was the result of a war affair. His mother, Dorothy Cornwell, was forced by her father to give Bernard up for adoption as she was unmarried.

Cornwell was awarded an OBE (Officer, Order of the British Empire) in 2006, as per the Queen's Birthday Honours List, "in recognition of his contributions to literature and his furtherence of British culture abroad."

Cornwell had been pondering writing a novel of a soldier in the Napoleonic wars for some time. The spur was being denied a green card after he joined his wife in America. At that point, the U.S. did not require a green card for writers.

Cornwell started at BBC television as a researcher for Nationwide, his employment with them lasted ten years. His final position was as Head of Current Affairs Television in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Bernard and his wife Judy have written three books together: A Crowning Mercy, Coat of Arms, and The Fallen Angels, under the pen name "Susannah Kells.

Cornwell married his wife, Judy, in 1980. As of 2006 they reside on Cape Cod.

He dedicated his book Sharpe's Battle to Sean Bean, who plays Sharpe in the series.