[WT Sharpe]

Recently I was asked if I was the English satirical novelist Tom Sharpe. No, I’m not, which is a good thing from my standpoint as he died in 2013. Then I realized that there are other people with whom people might be confusing me.

I am not Tom Sharpe the actor and writer, although I think this person’s existence is the reason for a party invite I once received via email from Eddie Murphy. My niece was doing stand up in California at the time and I suspect my name on her email list which also included numerous popular comedians was the real reason I got the invite. Or maybe Mr. Murphy was in the mood to invite people who shared his birthday (I do). I’ve always wondered what he would have said had I shown up at his door.

I’m not the actor and comedian Thom Sharp. He’s from Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan; a place I’ve never been. Besides, I have hair. My own real growing hair that I can wash, I can comb, I can mess up if I want to.

I'm not the mathematician William F. Sharpe. It just doesn't add up.

I AM, however, the Richard Sharpe that Bernard Cornwall writes all those stories about. He evidently thought that calling me “Richard” would sell more books than using my given name of William Thomas. What can I say? Writers and their poetic license!