“Amazing way of finding out who my characters are” –Karen Neal

“A wealth of luxury in every way—had to pinch myself that I was here…and deserved every second.” –Karen Dedrickson

“I give this 100 stars!” –Brian Bek

Fourth Annual “Full-Bodied Writing”

Summer Retreat

June 28 – 30, 2019

“Opening the Heart of Your Story”

FAQ

Authors Katherine Grace Bond and Janet Lee Carey and actor Andrew Bond invite you to approach the world of your characters from the inside.

Enter your story through the practice of Deep Characterization

A professional massage therapist will provide a relaxing massage (included in retreat cost,)

Katherine and Janet will offer one-on-one manuscript consultation.

2018 SCHEDULE (subject to adjustments)

FRIDAY

2:00-3:30 Check in Massage sign ups, etc.

3:30 Intro: What’s Your WIP. Share work.

6:00 Dinner

7:00 Craft Session 1, Janet– “Character Key” + Additional intros/WIPs

After a mindfulness exercise, we’ll use a vital tool to unlock your character’s emotions and motivations through key relationships.

9:00 Relax, Write

SATURDAY

8:00 Breakfast

8:45 Craft Session 2, Andrew– “Embodying a Scene”

Enter the mind of an actor before entering each scene in your story to understand what your character might do in that scene . We will focus on the character’s relationship to the setting.

10:15 Free time: write/relax/make art/massages/consultations

12:00 lunch

12:45 Craft Session 3, Katherine—“What We Leave Behind”

What has your character left behind? A relationship? A treasured item? A place? Using symbolic objects, you will choose a location with special meaning for your character, to discover how the past haunts the present and what it means for your story.

2:45 Free time: write/relax/make art/massages/consultations

6:00 Dinner

7:00-9:30 Sharing of Work. Group Reflection

SUNDAY
7:45 Breakfast
8:30 Craft Session Katherine 4 “What we Find”

The spaces that haunt your character—both literal and figurative—are what bring them to a point of discovery. This session takes your character to an unexpected place and challenges them to find meaning in what they find there.
11:45 Lunch
12:15 Closing

1:00 Check Out

OUR FACULTY

Janet Lee Carey

Janet brings seventeen years of publishing experience to the retreat. We’ll look at writing from the inside out, linking childhood experiences to present emotions and subconscious motivations. We’ll use active movement to embody scenes and meditation to enter deeper into our characters. Janet is an award-winning author of ten books for children and teens including In the Time of Dragon Moon.

Katherine Grace Bond

Katherine brings her actor training, as well as her many years of publishing and teaching. When working on a book, she lives deeply inside it, often having conversations with her characters. This year, she is excited to explore how our hidden story impacts our fiction, and how periods of intense concentration can not only fuel productivity, but create powerfully Deep Characterization.

Andrew Bond

Andrew brings us his experience of stage acting and historical reenactment with the Brotherhood of Oceanic Mercenaries (B.O.O.M) performing at Renaissance Faires and pirate festivals up and down the West Coast. Also a writer, Andrew looks forward to showing you how body position, movement, and voice affect the psychology of characterization, whether on the boards or on the page.

Rene Pinkham, LMP

Rene specializes in an eclectic fusion of disciplines, particularly blending Swedish and Esalen style with Acupressure and Connective Tissue techniques, and incorporating a lovely blend of spa treatments such as Thermal and Aromatherapy. With over ten years experience in therapeutic massage, Rene practices in a comfortable clinical setting in Everett WA, while also offering Mobile Massage to most areas between Seattle and Bellingham.