Free Little Blue Studio Daylong Retreat!

Surprise! This Wednesday, August 7, a special gift for paid subscribers on Substack and Ko-Fi

Aug 04, 2024

Hello Writers!

Although there will be an official and fully-resourced* retreat the week of September 16 (dates are Tuesday Sept 17-Sunday Sept 22, see below), by popular demand and selfish need to apply my own bum glue, I’m holding a Daylong No-Frills Open House Writing Day on August 7, THIS WEDNESDAY!

No frills because I will not be providing lunch (bring a bagged lunch)—just coffee, tea and seltzer water. Nor will we be sharing work with each other. This is JUST about writing together, in reverent silence (and air-conditioning).

We’ll start at 9:45, with a prompt at 10am. I’ll read a second prompt at 1pm. We’ll be together until 5pm or so.

You can attend either in person or on Zoom. Links and address will be provided once you have registered.

This retreat is free for all paid subscribers! If you want to game the system and become a paid subscriber for $8 this month and then quit your paid subscription in September, that’s on you! And totally fine! I won’t hold a grudge. Really. Not even a tiny one. You also get free entry if you join Morning Seeding & Tending via my Ko-Fi site here.

That’s it, that’s all, OH! Wait, scroll down for some of my pics from my family’s UK trip. If you want more detail, read full blog here.

I hope to see you on Wednesday Aug 7! If you are a current paid subscriber, RSVP to this newsletter, or write me at Nerissand@gmail.com to get the link/address. If you aren’t yet, click any button below:

Become a Paid Subscriber!

Join Morning Seeding & Tending

Come to the Free Retreat

Love, Nerissa

September Retreat

In person with remote option. Finally–give yourself to your writing for one delicious week! This is a fantastic opportunity to delve deeply into an existing project, start something new, edit and revise, or just revel in the community of writers, the beautiful surroundings, the on-going discussion of writing and literature. Poets work on haiku; there are spaces for songwriters to compose in private rooms; there are indoor and outdoor spaces to curl up in and write to your heart’s content. Come in-person, or come on Zoom. All group discussion will be shared on Zoom.

There will be coffee, tea, light snacks and seltzer all day long. Nerissa will also provide a hearty one-dish grain and vegetable salad. You may bring your own bagged lunch to keep in the studio refrigerator. There is also a microwave available. The lunch break will be long enough for a drive into Northampton, 1.3 miles away.

Take a week to exercise your muse, make some new friends and enjoy Northampton in the summer! If you can’t come for the full six days, you can choose the pro-rated option here.

Family UK Trip Photos

Deliriously happy in Bath, Day 2, see below, also.

Watching England beat Netherlands at an outdoor pub in Bath

Should we move to this country where all my ancestors are from?

Despite my best intentions, I did not go here, even though I read Northanger Abbey WHILE I WAS IN BATH. No excuse. Except I don’t like High Tea.

Did not go to the famed Roman Baths because Johnny had a raging fever the morning of our reservation.

Not Stone Henge. We didn’t get tickets in time, so we went to this free government semi-endorsed site that purports to be the largest prehistoric landmark in the world.

Dylan Thomas stands (er, drinks) sentry at the mouth of our AirBnB in Tenby, Wales, directly over a noisy establishment where not one but two bridal showers were held.

This guy, Neal, overheard us talking about our plans to maybe go to a karaoke bar to sing “American Pie.” While the kids discouraged this idea, Neal insisted we all sing it immediately, even though we were not yet at the karaoke bar but instead at a fine Italian restaurant. So we sang briefly, but the kids threatened to mutiny.