C.Q. Turnstone | Historian | Historical Fiction Author

It’s nearly 20 years since I last had the privilege of calling Stirling home, and I’m thrilled that from a week today I’ll be able to again!

Emma and I are looking forward to new friendships and professional connections, and to contributing to the local and wider Scottish creative community.

2026 fireworks

2025 was the year of my debut novel, my youngest son graduated as a zoologist, I completed a Masters in History, and my incredible partner gained her PhD. Now it’s time to look forward to new challenges and adventures in 2026. Happy New Year! 🎉

That’s a really interesting distinction. Thanks for expanding your reply. I’m learning lots.

This came out of a recent conversation with a friend who works as a clinical psychologist and happens to be aphantasic. Visual metaphors are unhelpful for them, but it’s interesting to hear that’s not the case for you.

Thanks for sharing your perspective on this. It really helps to get a better sense of how varied the experience of aphantasia seems to be. Replying to your metaphor point below.

Visualising Narrative For people who aren't able to voluntarily create mental images — aphantasia — visual descriptions and metaphors have little or no utility.

Do you have a visual imagination? For people who aren’t able to voluntarily create mental images — apparently a condition called #aphantasia — visual descriptions and metaphors have little or no utility. I’m fascinated by the implications the phenomenon has for writers and storytellers.

BBC Two - Empire with David Olusoga, Series 1, Episode 1 David Olusoga tells the story of the beginnings of the British Empire under Elizabeth I.

Don’t forget to watch this much needed and long overdue series on the British Empire. Remarkably, it’s not based on the opinions of a travelling ‘personality’, but on what historians who’ve actually researched it say!

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Grand Harbour, Valletta, Malta in 1890. AI-colourised photo.

#Malta features a couple of times in Avarice of Empire, most importantly in chapters 31 & 32 after the HMS Serapis arrives at #Valletta in March 1873.

This AI-colourised photograph from 1890 gives an impression of how the Grand Harbour would have looked.

#historicalfiction #booksky

Thrilled to find Avarice of Empire gracing the fiction section beside Mark Twain at Waterstones in Taunton!

#historicalfiction #booksky #histfic

Lavelle Road, Bengaluru, India

Lavelle Road in #Bengaluru is named after Micky Lavelle - the soldier turned #Kolar gold miner from County Mayo - who makes his first appearance in Avarice of Empire in chapter seven when Charles Agnew and Morgan Farrell attend his garden party with Dr John Orr.

#historicalfiction #history

Smith & Corona typewriter

I’m enjoying immersing myself in the writing of my second book, and very glad I don’t have to type it on one of these. An #historicalfiction novella this time, “Where The River Meanders” is set in and around #Stirling, Scotland, during the early twentieth century.

AI-generated image of a birthday cake with the words happy birthday Charles Agnew.

AI-rendering of a Harry Payne painting of the 16th Lancers in review order.

Charles Agnew was #bornonthisday 189 years ago, 24th September 1836, in County #Antrim. Son of James and Catherine Agnew, and brother to William and Harriet. The family home until 1865 was Cairncastle Lodge on the #Carnfunnock Estate (now Carnfunnock Country Park) near #Larne. #history

AI-rendering of “La Tribune des Souverains” by Edouard Riou and Eugène Cicéri, illustrating the opening ceremony of the Suez Canal at Port Said in November 1869.

Chapter eighteen of Avarice of Empire recounts the opening of the Suez Canal in November 1869 from the perspective of George West, the British Vice Consul in Suez, and how a ship of the British Navy jumped the queue to be the first vessel through the new waterway.

#historicalfiction #history

Heartfelt thanks to all the Avarice of Empire readers who’ve given the book 5-star reviews…

#historicalfiction #histfic #booksky

HMS Serapis (AI generated image)

HMS Serapis (AI generated image)

Launched in 1866, HMS Serapis was one of five Euphrates-class troopships used primarily to transport British troops and their families to and from India. In 1873 she played a prominent role in Charles Agnew’s story, as depicted in chapters 28-30 of Avarice of Empire.
#history #historicalfiction

Madras from the Madras Roads (AI generated based on 1754 painting)

Madras from the Madras Roads (AI generated based on 1754 painting)

Masula boats landing at Madras (AI generated based on 1885 photo)

Masula boats landing at Madras (AI generated based on 1885 photo)

Charles Agnew and the 16th Lancers reached Madras on the Golden Fleece 160 years ago this month and taken ashore by masula boats. These generated images give an impression of the scene that greeted them. Read the full story of the voyage in Avarice of Empire.

#history #historicalfiction

Lady Florence Caroline Dixie

The character of photographer Sophia Munro in Avarice of Empire was inspired, in part, by Lady Florence Caroline Dixie who was a Scottish feminist, writer, traveller and war correspondent. Read more about her here: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Fl...
#history #feminism #nineteenthcentury

Map showing key story locations and steamship voyage routes that feature in Avarice of Empire by C.Q. Turnstone.

From Ireland to India, and Newfoundland to Egypt and Malta, Avarice of Empire tells the story of many adventurous journeys, some overland by train or on horseback, others across oceans by steamship. Follow them in the paperback or Kindle edition: www.amazon.co.uk/Avarice-Empi... #historicalfiction

Thank you!

1870 sketch map of telegraph routes to India by Alfred Brasher

After months of radio silence, last Friday I submitted my MA #History about 19C telegraphy and Malta’s role in British imperial comms. Like earlier essays, it was inspired by themes explored in ‘Avarice of Empire’.

A new creative writing project is already sparking my imagination.

Carte de Visite of Carrin Churchward The carte de visite of Lieutenant Charles Carrington 'Carrin' Churchward of the 16th Lancers was likely made in Dover in 1865.

If you've read Avarice of Empire you'll remember an officer known as 'Carrin' Churchward. This carte de visite portrait was likely taken in Dover shortly before his leaving party at Kearnsey Abbey on 16th August 1865. #cartedevisite #photography #history #historicalfiction #booksky #histbookchat

Strathallan Castle link to assassination mystery uncovered in new book How a member of the Drummond family, the former owners of Strathallan Castle, became involved in the story of a murder in Egypt is revealed in Avarice of Empire by C.Q. Turnstone (Brindle Books, March...

Very pleased to see the connection between Strathallan Castle, the Drummond family, and Charles Agnew’s story being highlighted by The Scotsman.

#strathallancastle #history #scottishhistory #histbookchat #booksky

Thanks Gareth, much appreciated!

Launch: C. Q. Turnstone’s Avarice of Empire - Historical Novel Society INTERVIEW BY ANNE EASTER SMITH Before studying for a Master’s in Imperial and Global History at the University of Exeter, C.Q. Turnstone spent most of his career specialising in digital marketing and ...

Many thanks to Anne and everyone in the Historical Novel Society’s author interviews team for doing this Q&A with me.

#historicalfiction #histfic #hfchitchat #histbookchat #historicalnovelsociety #authorinterview #booksky

#DoTheWriteThing

#DoTheWriteThing and sign the @societyofauthors.bsky.social petition to protect authors’ livelihoods from the unlicensed use of their work in AI training: www.change.org/p/protect-au...

Carnfunnock Country Park history brought to life in new book Turning point in Carnfunnock and Larne history is setting for opening chapter of Avarice of Empire by C.Q. Turnstone (Brindle Books, March 2025)

Super little feature in the Belfast Newsletter about Charles Agnew’s family home on the estate that is now Carnfunnock Country Park near Larne.

#historicalfiction #carnfunnock #larne #history #booksky

In chapter 33 of Avarice of Empire, Alec Innes has an important task to perform in Canterbury and walks into town from the cavalry barracks.
#historicalfiction #histfic #hfchitchat #histbookchat #booksky #canterbury

Review of Avarice of Empire, titled “Brilliantly articulated and addictive reading!”

Review of Avarice of Empire, titled “Extraordinary narrative of an extraordinary life.”

Love these reviews of Avarice of Empire!

#historicalfiction #histfic #hfchitchat #histbookchat #booksky

Avarice of Empire among the great new reads at Blackwell’s bookshop in Exeter.

Following the book signing there last week, Blackwell’s in Exeter now have Avarice of Empire in the ‘Great New Reads’ 3 for 2 promotion. It’s fantastic to see my book rubbing spines with work by authors for whom I have so much admiration.

#historicalfiction #histfic #history #booksky #blackwells