The Full-Bodied Writing Retreat, “Entering the Heart of Your Story,” is June 28-30. We have four openings remaining, and our discount deadline is Sunday, March 31.
Today, author and faculty-member Janet Lee Carey shares with us about her process.
- What are three of your favorite things about your work? I love losing myself inside the story, the moments when characters surprise me with something I didn’t know before, the exhilaration of writing a satisfying ending. Fini!
- What made you want to do what you do? Reading other writers who swept me into their worlds, shared their stories and characters with me made me feel human, included and vividly alive. The stories gave me permission to explore who I was and where I belonged in the world. I wanted to pass that gift on to others.
- What is “full-bodied” about creativity?
If I’m writing from my head, there’s a disconnect. I’m not inside the character deeply enough to pass on a real experience. I try to be courageous enough to enter the character’s body, experience what’s happening around them and inside them. They say, “The body doesn’t lie.” Whatever the character is saying, doing, hiding, the body will resonate with the true emotion. Centering and writing from the heart out works best for me. - What’s a book you’ve read—recently or a long time ago–that delighted you?You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins. Passage of the Kissing People by Peter Kahle, The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond, Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier. (I know I’m breaking the rules by listing 4 but I could have made the list much longer.)
(Aww, thanks, Janet!)
Quick Retreat Facts:
- faculty includes Katherine Grace Bond, Janet Lee Carey, Andrew Bond, and Peter Kahle
- thought-provoking craft sessions
- manuscript critique
- gourmet meals by Chef Tracy
- stunning views
- a healing massage by Rene Pinkham, LMP, or a choice of massage or wellness consult with Dr. James Drake, LMP, ND.
We have only four spots left.
The final discount code is SPRINGSPCL and gives you $70 off.
The retreat takes place on Hood Canal in Western Washington.
Transportation from the airport can be arranged.
Janet Lee Carey is the award-winning author of nine Young Adult novels including her newest release, In the Time of Dragon Moon, book three of the Wilde Island Chronicles, ALA Best Books for Young Adults. Winner of the Mark Twain Award and finalist for the Washington State Book Award, her books highlight the courage of children and teens, and explore the challenges of staying true to your values while following your dreams. School Library Journal starred review calls her work, “fantasy at its best-original, beautiful, amazing, and deeply moving.”