Leigh Turner diplomacy and writing

“Luxury Spa” is the thirteenth in Leigh Turner's "Hotel Story" series, and the first set in Austria. Ms N is the world’s most glamorous, brilliant and mischievous hotel manager. She loves to solve problems – especially when they are caused by men. She and her colleague Tatiana travel to the HealCol 2000 well-being and weight-loss luxury spa, high in the Austrian Alps, for a well-earned break. But they find an institution in crisis.

Doctor Schmerz, chief doctor at HealCol 2000, prescribes tailor-made programmes of extreme dieting and exercise for her elite guests. Those guests include the owner of HealCol 2000, Ernest von Mannstein, known as “Always Angry Ernie” for his fits of rage and impossible demands. The starvation diets leave most of the guests depressed – yet a few seem strangely frisky. When a woman is found dead in a luxury suite and Always Angry Ernie is accused of her murder, Ms N must investigate.

You can read the post on which this episode is based on Leigh Turner's website here or buy "Luxury Spa" on Amazon here.

#stories #luxury #spa #luxuryspa #shortstory #comedy #strongwomen

"Salonica - City of Ghosts" is an eery, elegiac portrait of a city that - in many respects - had a completely different identity to modern Thessaloniki. " This podcast is based on my review of Mark Mazower's book of the same name about Greece's second city and its tragic history, including the extermination of its majority Jewish population. #Thessaloniki #Thessalonica #Salonica #Jews #Jewish #Greece #nationalism #diplomacy #diplomat #diplomats #diplomacybooks #booktok #books #Mazower #CityofGhosts

"German punctuality is a myth that German diplomats work hard to dispel. I... regularly attended meetings of European Union ambassadors where our German colleagues seemed to make it a point of honour to be the last to arrive." From Chapter 10 of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: "How to know people". #diplomacy #lessonsindiplomacy #diplomat #diplomats #diplomacybooks #booksaboutdiplomacy #booktok #books #stereotypes #assumptions #Germany #Germans #military #militarywomen

Being the most powerful country in the world may sound appealing. But there are big downsides. "Many people couldn't believe that the US was as vulnerable as 9/11 seemed to suggest. But another factor was at play, too: reflex anti-Americanism."

From Chapter 15 of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠⁠⁠⁠: "How to make diplomacy reflect our changing world". #topnation #diplomacy #lessonsindiplomacy #diplomat #diplomats #diplomacybooks #booksaboutdiplomacy #booktok #books

Why did the US bomb Iran? We can learn much from the failed US intervention in Somalia in the early 1990s, culminating in the Battle of Mogadishu. This podcast is adapted from part of Chapter 15 of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: "How to make diplomacy reflect our changing world". #Iran #trump #diplomacy #ambassador #ambassadors #diplomat #diplomats #diplomat #booksfordiplomacy #diplomacybook #booksaboutdiplomacy

Listen to Chapters 2 and 3 of my Berlin thriller "Blood Summit", with diplomat action hero Helen Gale. The Prologue and Chapter 1 are in the previous podcast. You can find "Blood Summit" ⁠on Amazon⁠. #writing #writingtips #thrillers #thriller #international #books #book #booktok #Berlin #Germany

Listen to the Prologue and Chapter 1 of my Berlin thriller "Blood Summit", with diplomat action hero Helen Gale. Chapters 2 and 3 will be in a future podcast. You can find "Blood Summit" on Amazon. #writing #writingtips #thrillers #thriller #international #books #book #booktok #Berlin #Germany

"President Putin's unprovoked invasions of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 turned diplomacy on its head. In response, countries supporting Ukraine must show strategic patience... and explore how the Russian leader got his decision so wrong."

From Chapter 5 of ⁠⁠⁠Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠⁠⁠: "How to understand Putin's war on Ukraine". #Ukraine #Russia #Putin #diplomacy #ambassador #ambassadors #diplomat #diplomats #diplomat #booksfordiplomacy #diplomacybook #booksaboutdiplomacy

"The fact that many ordinary Russians fear that the alternative to authoritarianism is chaos in part reflects their grim experience of the 1990s." From Chapter 4 of Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠⁠⁠: "How (not) to introduce democracy". #diplomacy #ambassador #ambassadors #diplomat #diplomats #diplomat #booksfordiplomacy #diplomacybook #booksaboutdiplomacy #Russia #authoritarianism #economicreform #reform

"I was surprised to find a political adviser telling off a senior cabinet minister in this way. I was even more surprised when [Boris] Johnson ate humble pie, apologising profusely even though it was not his fault." From Chapter 3 of "⁠⁠Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠⁠": "How to fail at geopolitical change: Brexit". #diplomacy #ambassador #ambassadors #diplomat #diplomats #diplomat #booksfordiplomacy #diplomacybook #booksaboutdiplomacy #Brexit