Summer Retreats
And fun things to share with you
Hello writers,
Besides being the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s ride on Friday, this weekend, as Jews conclude their celebrations of Pesach, Christians of the world are observing Easter. At our little church in West Cummington, we had a melding of two Abrahamic religions in a Maundy Thursday service during which we dipped sprigs of parsley in salt water. Tears of grief mixed with the green of hope—we can all share in those feelings.
Signs of hope: No Kings Marches all over the country, including ours in Northampton.
This gorgeous, meditative video about the egg-painting process of a Romanian artist.
Last weekend, Tom sent me to my happy place (Kripalu) to chill out for a sweet 48 hour retreat. Also, I bought princess yoga pants.
For a glorious two days, I was blissfully untethered, able to take long walks through the early spring countryside, be fed by other people, read whatever I wanted, letting my mind wander down delightful rabbit holes. Fun esoterica I learned:
-Boston was originally an almost-island, connected to the mainland by a tiny isthmus called Boston Neck which, at high tide, was only about 120 feet wide.
\My wrist is healing, I’m playing guitar every day, my novel draft is nearly done, and the little dwarf cherry tree is flowering. Read on to sign up before May 1 to get a 20% discount off of Summer Writing Camp.
I was going to write an essay on how Jacobean England holds clues for religious dissidents of today, and also how I grew up trained to distrust the King James Version of the Bible by my Presbyterian indoctrination, but how I nevertheless secretly love it. And this book I just finished reading, God’s Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible by Adam Nicolson, does such an amazing job of presenting and analyzing the context of its conception and creation.
For instance: You know how weirdly old-fashioned the language sounds, how archaic? Well, that’s exactly what the listener/reader thought back then. The Translators of that Bible did that on purpose! Because they wanted it to sound majestical and old-fashioned.
Not only that, but whereas Martin Luther translated the Latin Bible to the vernacular German by aiming to make the language sound like normal German people speaking colloquially, translating language into the kinds of phrases and idioms folks would understand, King James wanted his Bible to be an exact translation of the Hebrew and Greek, syntax included.
Still, wow. It was a weird experimental compromised project that managed to become the foundation of a ton of amazing western literature and poetry.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. -Genesis 1:1-2.
But I’m not going to write that essay. You’re welcome. Instead, here’s Hudson on the high school baseball field looking for Johnny.
Practice resurrection, people. Peace out, and carry on.
Love,
Nerissa
Upcoming Opportunities
Summer Writing Camp
Finally–give yourself to your writing for one delicious week! This is a fantastic opportunity to delve deeply into an existing project, work on a phD thesis, start a children’s book, edit and revise, or just revel in the community of writers, the beautiful surroundings, the quiet, 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.
Summer retreat is like summer camp for writers. Take a week to exercise your muse, make some new friends and enjoy Northampton in the summer! Sign up for more information here. Sign up before May 1 to get 20% off!
September Back-to-School Weeklong Retreat
Immerse Yourself in a Week of Creative Writing
Join us in person or remotely for a transformative week dedicated to your writing. Whether you're diving into a memoir, starting a children's book, revising your novel, or simply craving the camaraderie of fellow writers, this retreat is your perfect escape.
Why Attend?
Deep Focus: Delve deeply into your project with uninterrupted writing time.
Creative Inspiration: Surround yourself with a community of writers in beautiful, serene surroundings.
Diverse Opportunities: Work on anything from poetry to songwriting in dedicated indoor and outdoor spaces.
Flexible Participation: Join us in person or via Zoom; all group discussions will be accessible online.
Daily Schedule
9:00 AM: Gather in Nerissa’s cozy front room (and on Zoom) for a brief discussion and an optional writing prompt.
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM: Dedicated writing time.
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Family-style lunch break with an optional walk around the picturesque Childs Park.
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Afternoon writing session.
3:00 PM: Sharing hour for those who wish to discuss their work.
Meals & Refreshments
All-Day Access: Coffee, tea, light snacks, and seltzer.
Lunch: A hearty one-dish grain and vegetable salad provided, or bring your own lunch to store in the studio refrigerator. A microwave is also available.
Explore: The lunch break is long enough for a quick trip to Northampton, just 1.3 miles away.
Why Northampton?
Inspiration: Exercise your muse in a vibrant, artsy town.
Connection: Build new friendships and grow within a supportive writing community.
Relaxation: Enjoy the peace and beauty of Northampton in the summer.
Take this opportunity to fully immerse yourself in your writing and rejuvenate your creative spirit!
You can attend either in person or on Zoom. Links and address will be provided once you have registered.
Membership Opportunities
And then you’re automatically part of my Community Writes Tuesday evening group! For the price of becoming a regular subscriber to this newsletter, you get a writing group with a feedback-free open mic. We begin with a prompt at 6pm, then we write for an hour. At 7pm, there will be a half-hour-long open mic, with up to six readers reading for 5 minutes apiece. Friendly feedback in the chat. (Free to any member of Morning Seeding & Tending––part of the $20 a month the program costs.)
Or, for more accountability, join Morning Seeding & Tending, which also gets you Community Writes Tuesdays. Subscribe via Ko-Fi to become a regular member, or try it for a month via my website. We are a jolly yet non-naggy accountability group of dedicated writers who show up, set intentions in the chat, listen to a prompt (or not) and then get the writing quotient for the day done. “Done” being, at times, better than “brilliant and immortal.”
