See below for information of a special deal if you book before December 31st. Plus – great advice for first time screenwriters, and an interesting blog about getting an agent from our workshop partners, Retreat West.
Winter Warmers
First, as the nights now begin around 5pm, we are delighted to light up our cosy wood-burner for our guests to enjoy, with wine-o’clock at 6pm and Wendy’s delicious home-made supper soon after. What’s your top tip for making the fire last, though? I must admit I do use instant firelighters sometimes. There are some cool ways of folding newspaper my guests have shown me over the last year, including a pretzel type loop from my old pal Jonny P, and a DNA shaped loop from a visitor called Mark. They seem to help but take some time to fold, and you end up with newsprint-stained fingers. It’s so worth it, though isn’t it? To see the calming flames, warming the soul – there’s something primal about it, I think. Hot water bottles are back in the beds too, ready for our guests to snuggle down in our Egyptian cotton sheets and superbly comfortable beds. One of the beds even has a Sealy ‘pillowtop’ supreme comfort mattress now, too – guests report one of the best night’s sleep all year!
Hot December Offer
With Christmas in the air, the decorations will be up from December 1st, ready for our yuletide guests. The Christmas tree, decorations and mulled wine will be all ready. Plus the piano’s been tuned so anyone wanting to serenade with a carol or two will be very tuneful. Sheepwash countryside will be all wintery and inviting too, so how about coming down?
December 11th and 18th – special offers. We currently have a few spaces for the upcoming weeks – if you would like to book a two night break, Mon/Tue or Wed/Thur, do email us – the usual four night preference is lifted since we know how busy people are this time of year. What’s more, come with a partner sharing your room and they will pay just half price. Or you can obtain a two-night half price voucher for you to use next year if you come on your own. £90pppn.
Email us asap mailto:[email protected]
Voucher Gift?
What a great idea it would be to request a voucher for a stay at your convenience, within six months of the date of purchase! We are able to email you a voucher with the recipient’s name on it, as soon as we receive payment (bank transfer) – and you can make it for any amount, including part payments. Let us know who it’s for, and how much you want to spend, and we will take care of the rest. Just email for more information. 
Screenwriting Tips We all like something for free, and if you are a film fan and love the idea of writing for TV or movies, you will like this. one of my favourite script writing gurus, the famous script doctor, Robert McKee, has published a list of ‘Four Traps new screenwriters fall into, here. Very timely since we are offering a screen writing workshop next year, courtesy of Retreats West and the talented screenwriter CM Taylor, next June. Click here for more information. Then read these – four traps new screenwriters fall into – some relate to new authors too…
https://mckeestory.com/four-traps-new-screenwriters-fall-into/
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Congratulations to our Stroud Festival Winner
Liz Mynard
We look forward to arranging your stay and seeing you at some point next year!
Dates for Your Diary – Book before December 31st to secure 2017 prices!
Including a superb hobby weekend for keen photographers – (only two places left), here are a selection of next year’s options…
Photography Weekend – Friday 20th – Sunday 22nd April 2018 – £270 Make more of your DSLR camera, plus photoshop skills; workshop sessions both days. Full board, including wine at dinner in Grade 2 listed, thatched house in North Devon. Bring a partner for a reduced fee. Go here to find out more.
‘Just Write’ weeks – Mondays to Fridays (many dates in 2018) £395 £395 if booked before end of December 2017. Enjoy a week’s peaceful writing time in the company of other writers and just focus on your work, whether academic, fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Enquiries via website or [email protected]
Non-Writers Weeks – Mondays to Fridays (most weeks available in 2018) £395 if booked before end of December 2017. Come to relax and be looked after, all meals cooked, no chores, lots of beautiful walks and local sightseeing. Full board and wine at dinner. More about what to do during your stay is here.
Writing Retreat With Tutor Monday 12th – Friday 16th March 2018 £ TBC – Creating Complex Characters
Wendy’s kitchen
Wendy’s Fabulous Falafel
Wendy always puts her special spin on a standard recipe, and there are so many online. So, take a standard falafel recipe and add a dash of the secret ingredient. Along with cumin and corriander, Wendy adds cinnamon! The result is a delicious concoction that gets baked in the oven and comes out crispy and fragrant. This time she combined it with home-made lamb burgers which were utterly irresistable, including potato and easy on the lamb. It was finished off with my perennial favourite, wilted kale with a special tahii sauce and it went down a treat in the middle of a blustery November.
Wendy is our regular Retreats For You cook who lives next door and adds to the feeling of being thoroughly looked after with her mouthwatering home-cooked dishes.
How to book with us Bookings can now be made directly through the new website Www.retreatsforyou.co.uk or if you prefer you can email us [email protected] or just pick up the phone: 01409231252
Best wishes to you all and looking forward to seeing you again soon!
Debbie, Wendy and team x