Rainforest Writers’ Retreat 2008


Fairwood Press’ Rainforest Retreat was a smashing success for the twenty-eight writers who met on the Olympic Peninsula near Seattle, on the weekend of March 22 – 25. Patrick and Honna Swensen were the perfect hosts, and guests Jay Lake and Barb and J.C. Hendee were a wealth of information and inspiration. Sessions included plotting the novel, synopses and, of course, readings by our guest authors. In addition, Susan Matthews ran a fascinating session on runes. However, the main reason to go was to get away from it all and write.

The location was perfect: beautiful, with no cell coverage, no internet and no sunshine. Over 77,000 words were written by the participants. And, when our fingers became too stiff from typing, there were communal meals and down time to get to know one another and swap stories about the writing business.

One of my big thrills was to meet David Levine, winner of the 2006 Hugo for best short story. All in all, it was a wonderful weekend.

Rainforest Retreat 2007


I will be attending the Rainforest Writers’ Village retreat sponsored by Fairwood Press‘s Patrick and Honna Swensen.

Guests include Barb & JC Hendee, authors of the Noble Dead Saga, and Jay Lake, a writer, editor, and publisher. Jay’s novels have been published by Fairwood Press, Mainspring, Night Shade Books & Tor, and he is the winner of the 2004 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, as well as a multiple nominee for the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.

Other attendees include David D. Levine (winner of the Hugo and Writers Of The Future contest), Susan R. Matthews, Syne Mitchell, Eric Nylund, and Louise C. Marley.