New Posts
Writing Course 2026: “How to write and publish a novel”
I’m leading a writing course on the beautiful Greek island of Lesbos from 5-12 September 2026. A few places still available!
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is improbably remote, and life there is tough. Yet islanders have repeatedly preferred to live there rather than in the United Kingdom.
Introducing a “B” Story: “Blood Summit” Chapter 6: a mysterious Russian
Introducing a B story is an element of many novels. While your A story is the main narrative, the B story introduces richness and complexity.
Vienna bookshops: where to buy books by Leigh Turner
Vienna bookshops: the best bookshop in Vienna is Shakespeare & Company. You can buy all my books there including my thriller “Blood Summit”.
Bad waiters in Austria? The truth about my most spectacular experience
Bad waiters: was my experience of a remarkably mouthy waiter in a Vienna cafe an example ofAustrian service at its worst? Or at its best?
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
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