• What Developmental Editing Really Looks Like (and Why It Matters)

    By Peggy Arthur Greetings! When writers talk about editing, it’s often reduced to a single, intimidating word, editing, as if it’s one sweeping process where your book is either “fixed” or “broken.” The reality is far more layered, intentional, and, when done well, deeply collaborative. Right now, The Pretender’s Game is undergoing both developmental editing

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  • The Pretender’s Game: Book One Is Complete

    By Peggy Arthur Greetings! There are moments in the creative process that feel less like milestones and more like thresholds. This is one of them. I’m thrilled to share that The Pretender’s Game: Book One is officially complete! What follows is the process, step by step, from completion to what comes next. Step One: Finishing the Manuscript

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  • What No One Told Me About Writing a First Novel

    By Peggy Arthur Greetings! No one told me that finishing a first novel might require disappearing. Not in a dramatic, romantic way. No cabin in the woods. No vow of silence. Just a series of small, deliberate choices. Staying in when I could have gone out, declining invitations, turning down the noise during a season

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  • Reclaiming the Broom: A Sacred Symbol of Power, Protection, and Passage

    By Peggy Arthur Greetings! Let’s reframe the way we view brooms. For too long, the broom has been dismissed as a mundane domestic object, reduced to cleaning floors and women’s labor. But when we pause, close our eyes, and listen inward, we make room for intuition to take root. That intuition awakens spirit. Through this

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  • Wade in the Water — A Reflection from The Pretender’s Game

    By Peggy Arthur Greetings! When I began exploring Negro spirituals for my novel, The Pretender’s Game, one song pulled me deeper than the rest: “Wade in the water, wade in the water, children. Wade in the water—God’s gonna trouble the water.” There’s something about those words that feels like a warning and an invitation all

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  • When the Middle Unlocks the Magic: Creating Harmony from Chaos

    The Story Behind Introducing My Second Protagonist By Peggy Arthur Greetings! When I first started writing The Pretender’s Game, I tried giving every chapter a different character perspective. It seemed ambitious and artistic, until it completely stumped me. Instead of one novel, I suddenly had multiple stories pulling me in different directions. Too many voices, too

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  • How I Use Artificial Intelligence to Shape The Pretender’s Game

    By Peggy Arthur Greetings! Artificial intelligence, or AI, has become one of my most valuable tools as I craft the world of The Pretender’s Game. I use it in three key ways: research, planning and plotting, and formatting. Research While The Pretender’s Game is a work of fantasy, it’s deeply rooted in reality. And contrary to popular belief – I don’t

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  • Because the Journey Is Meant to Be Shared: An Interview with Book Coach Dianne Pearce

    By Peggy Arthur Greetings! I had the opportunity to interview my Book Coach, Dianne Pearce of Current Words Publishing. I met Dianne at the 2025 Atlanta Writers Club Self-Publishing Conference this past March, and she helped me gain confidence in myself as a writer. Please allow me to share this inspiring conversation with you especially if you’re an

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  • Stephen King’s Fairy Tale: The Perfect Halloween Audiobook for Dreamers and the Brave

    By Peggy Arthur Greetings! Recently, I decided to journey into Stephen King’s Fairy Tale via Audible. The audiobook runs about twenty-four hours long; but every minute was worth it. King weaves an extraordinary tale that begins in grief and unfolds into a sweeping adventure that feels both timeless and familiar. What truly elevated the experience for me

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