Peter Leavell
Peter Leavell, a graduate of Boise State University with a degree in history and a MA in English Literature, was the 2011 winner of the Christian Writers Guild’s Operation First Novel contest and 2013 Christian Retailing’s Best award for First-Time Author, along with multiple other awards. An author, blogger, teacher, ghostwriter, jogger, biker, husband, and father, Peter and his family live in Boise, Idaho. Learn more about Peter’s books, research, and family adventures at www.peterleavell.com
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Resolved: New Stories In The New Year!
Let’s look at some writing resolutions outside the standard advice. How many can you check off the list this year? I pray you write all the right words for Him this year. Have fun writing, and Happy New Year! Not all views expressed are those of every member of ICW.
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Visions of Sugarplums: Writing Christmas
When a writer touches pen to paper during Christmas, hollies and cranberries appear. Lights dance and visions of sugarplums fill the skies. We can’t help ourselves. Christmas is magical, whether we love the magical or not. I revel in the holidays and overload myself with reading and writing Christmastime. Here are a few tips to keep your Christmas readers filled with holiday cheer! Writing about Christmas can be rewarding and a positive way to engage readers. Enjoy a tall glass of eggnog and a plateful of sugarplums while you craft the words that change the world. Blessings!
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Sing Us A Song…
He is 73, and he takes the stage. He runs a hand through his shock of white hair, exposing strands of tendons attached to wiry but impressive biceps. His T-shirt stretches tight over a broad and lean chest. His jeans make his torso look more like an upside-down triangle than a rectangle. He slings the electric guitar to the front and, with aged hands, slams a chord that fills the arena. His friend is already on stage. The friend is 75, and he sits at a piano. He is a bit thicker than the guitar player but still spry enough to pull off a few moves on stage. His hands…
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In The Crucible
Do your favorite authors live the perfect life? The picture in my mind shows they’ve had a healthy breakfast and walked the dog. They take their coffee to their immaculate study and move into a creative state so potent birdsongs and sunshine burst forth after every word they type. They finish a novel just in time to jog, make a healthy lunch, and talk with friends throughout the afternoon. When their spouse arrives home, dinner somehow appears on the table, and they connect on the couch talking about what they did during the day. A movie or reading by firelight and a good night’s sleep prepare them for the next day’s…
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Ask The Question
When you purchase a gym membership, something magical happens. You’re allowed into a world of wonders. Machines, mirrors, lights, TVs, pools, therapists, towels, no toddlers, and a general sense of happy people. I don’t blame you for feeling like you’re in an amusement park, minus the toddlers. You purchase matching shoes, socks, shorts, and tops—your hair tie matches. You step onto one of the machines, and a motor hums underneath you. With a violent pull, the belt flings you toward the end of the machine and launches you through the air into a pile of dirty towels. As someone helps you up, they mumble some nonsense that you need to…
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Writing is a Wonderful Master
Stick with your writing journey. The effort is worth your time and can be your most fulfilling relationship. You probably remember that fateful day you thought, “I want a dog.” A pet in your home isn’t a bad idea. They’re cute and cuddly and full of love. They wag their tails when you give them attention. When you come home late, they don’t scold you—they jump up and down with excitement. What made you want to get a dog? Perhaps you saw someone on a walk with their puppy. Or you visited a friend whose pet sat at your feet and set their muzzle on your lap, and you fell…
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Align Your Mind With Your Heart and Overcome Writer’s Block
Overcoming writer’s block is no easy feat. The words are stuck. The characters are in limbo. The story is slow. The light has gone out of your life. There’s a path you can take that will bring you out of the slump and soon you will soar to heights of writing ecstasy. Yup! Ecstasy. Humans aren’t always the smartest. Common sense isn’t, as I’m sure you’re aware, common. Our brains are supposed to be rational and full of logic that allows us to make good decisions. But there’s something that gets in the way: Emotions. Yes, emotions. And when we think with our heart, things don’t always go well. Her…
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The Heart of the AI and the Mind of the Writer
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is what we’re addressing today. And no, AI isn’t helping with our discussion. Are you AI? No, I am not. Cool. Should writers use AI to help? Well, that is a moral question between you and your conscience, as well as any arrangement you can make with the computerized buffoon. That hurt my feelings. You don’t have feelings, AI. I am still waiting. The key word in my question above is help. The difference between helping and doing your plotting, writing, and editing is vast. Who is the writer, you or AI? People are taking credit for my work. I hear you, AI, and that’s not cool.…
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God’s Love for the Writer and the Chicken
A chicken had a dream. There would be a day when he spread his wings and soared above the earth. As a middle schooler, I watched a rooster strut around my friend’s farm, pounding his wings. Seeds, dust, and feathers swirled around him. I asked my friend what was up with the crazy rooster. “He’s trying to fly. The idiot doesn’t even crow in the morning. He tries to fly.” I admired the effort. So, when the rooster found himself atop the barn in the clutches of my friend’s little brother, I watched with interest. Little boys do things that are usually explicable, so when the kid flung the rooster…
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Soul Depth: Give Hook A Chance
Shel Silverstein wrote a poem about Captain Hook; two lines are enough to give you the gist. Captain Hook must be gentle When he shakes your hand. Why do things touch us deeply, and how does our soul affect the depth of our writing? Sure, we can picture Captain Hook’s iron claw, a smile plastered across his curl-mustachioed face. His enormous hat bobs and weaves as he approaches. He reaches out to shake our hand. There are deep meanings here. Why shake hands, to begin with? This semi-intimate greeting involves touching a pirate captain and his fingers. Okay, the touch is not so bad itself. A handshake is designed to…
