The Sharpe Chefs wish everyone a very Happy New Year. May it bring Health and Prosperity as well as everything you wish yourselves.

Just a note to remind all our followers that the two Sharpe Chefs cookery books are still available from Youbooks

There are some great seasonal offers, so go and see what you can do to lighten your present-buying load and help worthwhile charities as you do so.

All the Sharpe Chefs would like to wish our supporters the happiest of Christmases. Once again we would like to thank those who have continued to support the cookery books and the charities which benefit from their sales, especially those connected with ‘Sharpe’, who have kindly donated their time and contributions. Special thanks, as always, go to Bernard Cornwell, Daragh O’Malley, Jason Salkey, John Tams, Lyndon Davies and Paul Bigley, who have unceasingly given their support.

A chance to share in the extraordinary series ‘Sharpe’, seen through the eyes of one of our dear friends and supporters, Jason Salkey.

“The Harris Diaries”

So much planning for so long; so many e-mails and phone calls going before and was it worth it? MOST DEFINITELY!!!

Our signing in the vibrant city of Nottingham was a very special one for us. We wanted to take the event to the hometown of our dear friend and supporter Chris Clarke, whom we lost so tragically earlier this year. Chris was the founder of The Sharpe Appreciation Society and when I was introduced to her back when we started the books, she took me under her wing as she did with so many. Despite having a family, a job and running the SAS, she still found time to introduce me to all the people we needed to help make our books so special. The director of Sharpe, the producers and of course the wonderful cast, who have supported us and the charities so vehemently ever since.

Nottingham Waterstones were very gracious hosts and come the day, come the hour, The Chosen Men, Jason Salkey and Lyndon Davies, and our very own flogged man, Paul Bigley were seated ready for the affray! They began signing and very soon, we needed a barrier to ensure that people were seen in the correct order. After a very short while, a very special Chosen Man came to sign with them. The wonderful John Tams quietly came in to take his place at the table. This was very exciting indeed for us as it was the first time John had been able to join us at a signing and the Chosen Men were clearly glad to see each other.
As ever the guys signed books and photos until their fingers went numb! They posed for photographs and chatted to people, who made it very clear to them that Sharpe was still a force to be reckoned with.
We were also very happy to welcome a representative from the CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA Charity, Pippa Gough, who was happy to answer questions from members of the public.

Please allow me now, on behalf of myself and my fellow ‘Chefs’ to thank everyone for their continued support in these difficult financial times. Sadly Childhood Leukaemia recognises no financial recession. It does not stop affecting children because funds for research may be harder to come by. In these times it makes it even more important to keep this and other charities in our hearts and minds.

So a big Thank You to Sophie, the events manager at Waterstones for making us so welcome, to Pippa for her support and enthusiasm ever since I first approached her. To the members of the 3rd 95th Regiment of Re-enactors who guard us at every event, so gallantly and with such a fun spirit. To our wonderful Partisan, Laura, who not only stood guard in the shop window to draw people in, but also helped us with much of the arrangements as she is a Nottingham Lass! A thank you also to the supporters of our books, the Sharpe books and the Sharpe series. And, most especially, a massive thank you to Jason, Lyndon, Paul and John, without whom these events would not be able to take place.

It was a memorable event, our own tribute to a wonderful lady.

In Memory of Chris Clarke, Whom We All Miss Greatly.

Adele James

A wonderful, special day. Full report coming soon from our General. In the meanwhile, drool over the pictures!

By the way – all photos on this blog are copyright and watermarked and, whilst we are happy for them to be used appropriately (it helps spread the word!) we would ask that people seek permission before using them elsewhere.

Thanks.

Yes, it’s less than two days (and only two sleeps!) to the Nottingham signing of the Sharpe Chefs cookery book – ‘Sharpe Chefs II – on Campaign’, our tribute to Chris Clarke, founder of the Sharpe Appreciation Society. We are very much looking forward to their representative will be joining us. Our Sister Chefs are already arriving from all over the world and we are looking forward to meeting once again.

If you are lucky enough to be able to join us, don’t forget that the first Sharpe Chefs book, winner of the UK element of the Gourmand Awards (scroll down to UK), will also be on sale. This means you can buy the pair and support two charities at the same time. The books are also still on sale from Pickard Communication.

Also available at the Waterstones venue will be signed photographs from the ‘Sharpe’ series, along with the ‘Harris Diaries’ directly from Jason Salkey, who played Rifleman Harris.

Join The Sharpe Chefs, our special guests Jason Salkey, Lyndon Davies and Paul Bigley, and a host of Sharpe supporters for an afternoon to remember!

A new attendee at a Sharpe Chefs’ signing will be Traci Moore, co-founder, with Myriam Lechuga, of Sharpe Pointe, one of our staunchest supporters. Traci, who hails from Los Angeles, has long wanted to join the international Chefs at one of the Waterstones’ events. This month her busy schedule left an opportunity to visit the Nottingham gathering and she is looking forward to meeting some of the international band of women who share her admiration of Sean Bean and the character he plays – Richard Sharpe.

Traci told me, “I am thrilled to be attending the Sharpe Chefs Book Signing in Nottingham this month. Covering the evolution of these books on Sharpe Pointe from idea to publication has been exciting indeed. Never underestimate the combined power of Sharpe Women! I am looking forward to meeting everyone in person at long last, after enjoying such a special Anglo-American relationship via the Internet.”

We are looking forward to seeing you there, as well! Safe trip across the Pond!

We can now confirm that Paul Bigley (Rifleman Dobbs – ‘Sharpe’s Eagle’), who is about to finish a successful run in “The Ring of Truth” at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, will be joining Jason Salkey (Rifleman Harris) and Lyndon Davies (Rifleman Perkins) at the next Sharpe Chefs book signing at the Nottingham Waterstones. Also, there will be an international selection of the Sharpe Chefs themselves.

It is still hoped that further celebrity guests will be able to attend – watch this space!

Put Saturday, October 17th in your diary and meet us there!

It is now just over three weeks until the Nottingham book signing. Hotels are booked, travel arrangements made, protection assured (in the form of the 95th Rifles) and our esteemed guest contributors signed up – and not a shilling in sight! The might of the Sharpe Chefs is once again about to descend upon an unsuspecting town centre but we promise to be good.

As this is a very special signing, in memory of dear Chris Clarke, founder of the Sharpe Appreciation Society, we hope that as many people who can will make it to Waterstones on Saturday, 17th October. Both Sharpe Chefs books (‘Sharpe Chefs’ and ‘ Sharpe Chefs II – On Campaign) will be on sale, as well as Rifleman Harris’s (Jason Salkey) Diaries and photos from the ‘Sharpe’ series.

We look forward to seeing you!