by Peter Leavell, @PeterLeavell

 

Contracts and the bright lights of fame all are glorious, but the true gifts of putting your backside in a chair and plinking out a few words are less tangible.

 

#1

The ability to articulate yourself. As you hone your skills, you naturally tell friends your feelings. Rather than ‘sad,’ your ‘heart feels as if two planets collided, and the floating debris are the last vestiges of your soul.’ You drama master.

#2

Respect from others. ‘Whoa! You’re writing a book? Like, I wish I was as smart as you so I could write one too.’

#3

An outlet to vent. Frustrated with your water bill? You can write in a character who is equally frustrated. This gift has no boundaries.

#4

Participation in the world of art. Writing has a long and time-honored hall of fame. You’re doing the exact same thing as the Bard. As John the disciple. As your favorite author. Welcome to the club.

#5

A unique community. Writers are a diverse and weird lot. They also hang out together. Again, welcome to the club.

 

#6

A sense of accomplishment. Writers can write garbage, but when they put ‘THE END’ on the last page, it’s garbage that is finished! Good job!!!

#7

Legacy to pass on. My grandmother wrote. She never published a book. And I have. Yet, I am walking in her footsteps. Be my grandmother and leave the publishing aspect to God. You will have a legacy.

#8

Extreme Joy and Depression and everything in between. Writers have mood swings. Enjoy the wind in your hair as you float back and forth, because our emotions are more poignant than the non-writer. Or we can articulate them better.

#9

The ability to watch fictional people in my head. Our characters talk to us, and in our community, we can discuss what they say openly with no shame.

#10

A sense of making a difference. From a social media post to a novel, to a treatise that changes the world, we make a difference, one reader at a time.

Bonus contribution from my wife.

Staying out of trouble. “WRITING HAS DEFINITELY KEPT PETER OUT OF TROUBLE. Sorry. Was that over-enthusiastic?”

 

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West for the Black Hills

Philip Anderson keeps his past close to the vest. Haunted by the murder of his parents as they traveled West in their covered wagon, his many unanswered questions about that night still torment him.

His only desire is to live quietly on his homestead and raise horses. He meets Anna, a beautiful young woman with secrets of her own. Falling in love was not part of his plan. Can Philip tell her how he feels before it’s too late?

With Anna a pawn in the corrupt schemes brewing in the nearby Dakota town, Philip is forced to become a reluctant gunslinger. Will Philip’s uncannily trained horses and unsurpassed sharpshooting skills help him free Anna and find out what really happened to his family in the wilderness?

Peter Leavell, a 2007/2020 graduate of Boise State University with a degree in history and a MA in English Literature, was the 2011 winner of 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