(UPDATE: currently an ensuite in the house available for the Just Write retreat in November. See below.)
AMAZING NEWS
Well it’s finally happened, those of you who have been coming here know about the book I’ve been writing for what seems like forever. ‘French or Dutch’ – based on real events 100 years ago in the early years of birth control (I call it a cross between Call the Midwife and Downton Abbey! Well, you would, wouldn’t you!)
You know how the story goes – what I usually say is, that I thought to myself: I write so well when I’m at a writing retreat, if I bought one and lived in it I’d write all the time! Doh! I bought myself a job! Then grandchildren came along one after the other, all four of them, and I hit menopause. (Don’t get me started!) Had a bit of a disastrous flirtation with a potential relationship before deciding that it’s all too much bother (even more don’t ask!) And one or two health issues (all sorted now.)
However… Could I make myself sit down and find the space to write? Ironically, only when I went away to a writing retreat! Lol. Many of you will know my favourite writing retreat in France (Chezcastillon.com – mention me – say hello to Janie & Mike – nb no financial impact if you do! :-))
Well, on the very first morning after a wonderful breakfast, in France, in 28° heat, sitting in shade by the pool, we had our first session. I told Julie Cohen, my lovely long suffering mentor, that I’ve made a commitment to get the first draft finished by the 31st of August. And she said “knowing how you write when you put your mind to it, if you can get it done by the 31st of August, you could get it done by the end of this week!’ and with the prospect of piña coladas all round, on the Saturday night, if I finished by then, something happened.
A little light bulb came on.
Somebody turned on a switch. I suddenly found myself drawn to my laptop in almost every spare moment. It helped that it was 34° outside on some of the days. I don’t do the sun (I have a thing called EPP), and I found a lovely relatively cool space in their high-ceilinged 1800s salon and settled down to write for hours on end, with an amazingly brilliant mini turbo fan from Amazon (brand is Diveblues, it’s phenomenal).
In between meal times, a few chats, and a daily swim, with the occasional venture out down into Castillon itself, I have finally, finally, got my very first working first draft.
I have finally got my very first working draft all in one document!
It’s a working first draft because I’ve written the end, and I’ve got half of the first part fully written, and then you can read it from start to finish because I describe the action in treatment form for the rest of the book. Which means basically I now have to flush it out by the end of August – so watch this space.
The piña coladas were duly produced with gratitude all round.
I did a final lap of Honour in the pool and felt very self satisfied at the end of that retreat!
I came home with the feeling that I’m now in a new era.
Thank God.
And something different to say around the dinner table finally when people say to me, as they inevitably do, “so how is that book going, Debbie? …”
I hope I don’t need another retreat before I’m able to actually get the first draft done and dusted and ready to send out to agents this autumn… Imagine that, I will finally be doing it! Like a grown-up. Now, where’s my laptop and that fan… :-)) !
And if you can’t go to France, do come to us! Dates below.
Full houses!
At time of writing we have not much space coming up at the moment! We recently had capacity bookings for the wonderful ‘develop your novel’ course with one of our top tutors, Rebecca Horsfall (she’s back in February and it’s already sold five of the nine places!)
A Memoirs retreat with the wonderfully skilled Marnie Summerfield Smith was also capacity, including a lady who bought her husband and dog who stayed in the pub with her and enjoyed the countryside and pub suppers,whilst she did the course! At time of writing it looks like the next retreat, the micro memoirs on August 5, is also capacity in the house with just one place available in the pub annexe. And even the Just Write retreat at the start of September is fully booked.
This takes us right the way through to the end of October, when the amazingly prolific Janet Gover returns with the secrets of her skills in publishing dozens of books. But a third of the place is already gone, can you come to this one? If you need to get help with your novel? She is rather brilliant.
Here’s an example of Janet in action.
And I wanted to alert you that in November we have a wonderful opportunity to stay longer with a slight discount if you can make it for seven nights – it’s our very rare weekend retreat following a normal four day Just Write. So if you ever wanted to come for seven nights, I could do you a discount if you rolled the weekdays into the weekend and make it this November! Currently it’s the only space we’ve got that is not tutored although more will be going up for the New Year so watch out for them. And there’s even an ensuite in the house available currently for November! Don’t miss it!
Apart from that next year already has a March booking for the lovely Lucy Hay an absolute afficionado in the world of scripts and screenwriting. She not only gives you a morning retreat, but afternoon information as well, and is there all day like a robot! Very impressive knowledge of the industry, which makes it all real. She’s not just a teacher who teaches, she actually does as well!
All the events are here.
Who else would you like to run a retreat here? Let me know and I’ll see what I can do…
BESPOKE STAYS
Hey what do you think of our new page? Aimed at academics and groups of writers who want to do their own cooking but desperately need space with writing desks, good broadband and a homely atmosphere rather than being in a non-descript hotel or Airbnb without desks, my new bespoke page is up – have a look at it – it includes the five minute Retreats for You tour!
By the way I thought I would mention this in case this location is more convenient for you, it’s being run by one of our lovely guests.
Special Offer for Retreats for You customers
Female Freelancers Getaway Sept 15-17 in Leicestershire
Co-run by a Writers Retreat regular, this Getaway is for you if you’d like to get some business advice and/or to try different creative and wellbeing activities alongside doing your own thing. All-inclusive of a delicious, vegetarian menu and your own room in a beautiful, rambling period house in 30 acres of rolling Leicestershire countryside. 10 minutes from the M1 J23 and 10 minutes from Loughborough mainline railway station. 3 days and 2 nights and use special code BLUEJULY to get £100 off if you book before the end of July.
Check it out https://www.femalefreelancersgetaway.co.uk/
More information please let me know.
Contact Jeanne Booth:
m. 07939 405507
MEANWHILE, am playing on the carpet with a six-year-old and a 3 1/2 year-old, as often as possible in Wales, visiting the other two in Fulham frequently, then when they all come and stay in August to my place in Devon, I will be having some proper family time, including taking the seven-year-old oldest granddaughter and six-year-old cousin to the princesses show in Exeter, and no doubt the beach! I’ll probably need a retreat to recover afterwards!. Plus of course, I’m still working at QVC at weekends, and running fundraising events including for Medical Detection Dogs (who have recently completed their studies showing that dogs can detect Parkinson’s disease early enough to make a difference to treatment). I’m pretty busy, as ever. But somehow or other, by hook up by crook, I will join the community of grown-up authors and finally finish my (fifth) book! Watch this space…
Best wishes and big hugs, and don’t forget to get in touch if you’d like to run a retreat for you and your friends, with or without catering.
Debbie
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