Leon A. Harris

Leon A. Harris (born October 12, 1956) is an American writer and editor known for his novels, non-fiction books and magazine articles. He is a former contributing editor to Harper's Magazine, a creative consultant to many television networks, and the author of several non-fiction and fiction titles.

Harris was born in West Covina near Los Angeles, California, and grew up in a diversely populated neighborhood. After attending college at California State University, Northridge, Harris worked for many years in magazine publishing and television. He has written for The New Yorker, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and San Francisco Chronicle, among others. Harris was also the editor of Playback Magazine, a teen magazine devoted to Hollywood and youth culture.

Harris has authored several titles in both fiction and non-fiction. His fiction works include a trilogy about the afterlife, entitled The Arcado Mountains trilogy. The first novel in the series is entitled Stiletto: A Novel of Life and Death. The second, The Raven's Nest, was released in 2004, and the third and concluding volume, Crystal Tears Down, was released in 2020. The trilogy follows the adventures of an angel named Timothy and his mortal companion, Kit, as they strive to protect people from a sinister force of evil.

In addition to the Arcado Mountains trilogy, Harris is the author of several non-fiction books. His first book was titled CIA & Other Intelligence Agencies (1995), which detailed the workings of the Central Intelligence Agency and other intelligence agencies. In 1996, he wrote Spyworld: Inside the CIA, FBI and Foreign Intelligence Services, which examined the inner workings of the American intelligence establishment. In 2005, Harris released The Quotidian Life, a book of essays about life, death and the human condition.

Harris has also written several books about the writing process. His Writing as a Way of Knowing (2007) is a philosophical approach to writing that encourages readers to explore the depths of their own creativity. His most recent book, Bound to Tell: Reflections on the Writing Journey (2013), is Harris’ personal reflections on the craft of writing, and how it has shaped his life, philosophy and worldview.

Harris is a former contributing editor to Harper's Magazine, where he wrote a column entitled “The Art of Thinking.” He has been a creative consultant on many television shows and networks, including ABC, NBC and CBS, and has also written scripts for feature films and television specials.

Leon A. Harris continues to be a prolific writer and has contributed greatly to the literary world. Through his novels, non-fiction books, magazine articles and creative work, Harris has created a lasting body of work that will continue to inspire writers and readers alike.