New Posts
My 2026 writing course on Lesbos
I’m leading a writing course on the beautiful Greek island of Lesbos from 5-12 September 2026.
Who’s afraid of autocracy?
“Mr Nobody against Putin” and “The Wave” highlight the seductive danger of autocracy, and why we should never assume “it couldn’t happen here”.
The Laughing Halibut: the best fish and chips in London
The best fish and chips in London are found in SW1. The Laughing Halibut also inspired a scene in an upcoming novel of mine.
Austria unfriendly?
Is Austria unfriendly? Some surveys suggest that it is. But keep going with the Austrians – and many “surveys” are nonsense.
The US President in Danger: my Berlin thriller Blood Summit spills blood
The US President in danger? You’ve never seen it like this before. What happens when world leaders are seized by trained killers?
The Overton window and George Orwell
The Overton window is vital concept for political analysis. It helps explain some frightening, Orwellian tendencies in politics and society
Building jeopardy: “Blood Summit” Chapter 5: Things get worse for Helen
Building jeopardy is key to any thriller. Having set the scene and triggered the action, the protagonist’s situation must get worse and worse.
Amazing blog posts: ten of the best from 2017, from Cuba to California
Amazing blog posts and awesome photography from 2017. Chosen by readers, they include my favourite: a shot from Cuba featuring Che Guevara. Ten top
Star Wars technology
Star Wars technology has not changed since 1977. The Empire, and the Rebellion, seem to suffer from the galaxy’s most shagged-out designers.
More on POV (Point of View)
More on POV: Chapters 1&3 of “Blood Summit” are from the POV of the protagonist, Helen Gale. Chapters 2&4 have different POVs.
How to build characters
How to build characters is a key element of writing a novel. In Chapter 3 of “Blood Summit” we begin to fill in the canvas a little.
Writing novels: point of view.
When writing novels, point of view is crucial. Chapters 1 to 4 of my Berlin thriller “Blood Summit” illustrate how you can do this.
Chapter 1 of a thriller
Chapter 1 of a thriller: how can you start in a way that grabs readers and keeps them gripped as the tension, and body count, mounts?
How to start a novel
How to start a novel: an engaging, intriguing start is vital. Your reader – in a bookstore or online – must read the first few lines, and want to read more.
Ring for Jeeves by PG Wodehouse: 4 exquisite quotations
Ring for Jeeves is unusual amongst Jeeves and Wooster books because Bertie Wooster is not in it. Where is he? Find out here.
The Three Heads
The Three Heads takes a look at how social media ranking sites grade hotels. Such systems have benefits – but also risks.
Who are the Americans?
Who are the Americans? Great writers and photographers have sought to find out and depict this diverse nation of 300m people. Here’s my take
Why sequels suck
Why do sequels suck? Why does it drive us crazy? My study shows examples of what makes sequels bomb and asks why movie-makers become so lazy.
The Circle movie review
The Circle movie review. “The Circle” is a pretty decent movie, dealing with important themes. So why did critics pan it so universally? There is
How to write a blurb: the example of my novel Blood Summit
How to write a blurb is important to any author setting out to self-publish, or wanting to market their book. How do you do it?
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