La Poterie:

France Writing Retreat

June 24 - July 1, 2022

SOLD OUT

Limited to 6 participants.

Daily Schedule:

The days will start with breakfast—takeaway or with your co-participants in the dining room, your choice—then quiet/free time to write, read, or prepare for class. In the mornings we'll hold one class—writing craft or publishing—then you'll either be free until lunch, or scheduled to conference one-on-one with faculty.

We'll lunch together, then again have free time to write, wander, or prepare for workshop. In the afternoon we'll meet together in workshop format, to discuss each other's manuscripts in-depth, offering guided and constructive feedback. In the evenings we'll enjoy a relaxing cocktail hour (wine, of course!), then a gourmet dinner. All meals will be prepared lovingly by the talented Cynthia Cooke, owner/host of La Poterie.

One afternoon we will venture into the nearby village, perhaps visit a cave à vin for a tasting; one evening we'll dine out. A visit to the Sunday morning outdoor market nearby is also a possibility. In the evenings we'll have post-dinner drinks and quiet conversation, but you also might want to retire early and read or write, as you wish.

About the Instructors:

APRIL EBERHARDT is a self-described "literary change agent" and author advocate passionate about helping authors be published in the most satisfying way. After 25 years as a corporate strategist and management consultant, April joined the literary world, where she saw strategic opportunity to play a role in the changing world of publishing. She advises and assists authors as they choose the best pathway to publication, and serves as a consultant to publishing startups serving indie authors. She represents a diverse group of clients in the U.S. and abroad, and speaks at conferences worldwide.

April serves on the Advisory Council for The American Library in Paris, and is a reader for The Best American Short Stories series published annually by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. She divides her time between San Francisco, New York and Paris.

KARIN GUTMAN, MFA, is a memoir and story coach who has been guiding writers for over 20 years towards discovering and writing their life-based stories. The safe, dynamic spaces she creates allow for this deeply personal work to unfold, as writers peel away the layers, dig deep, and make meaning out of their life experiences. Her clients have sold books to major publishers, including HarperCollins, Macmillan and Simon & Schuster.

A former story analyst for Creative Artists Agency and 20th Century Fox, she is a published author and has written and developed projects for Nickelodeon, the Jim Henson Company and National Geographic Kids. She has taught at Cal State Fullerton, UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, San Miguel Writers’ Conference and UCLArts & Healing, and currently offers workshops, retreats and one-on-one coaching under her Spirit of Story banner.

The Hosts:

Aimery deMoucheron, the descendant of a prominent French family, met and married Cynthia Cooke, originally from Hawaii, while both were students in Paris.

Aimery currently heads his own advertising agency, Mister Brown, and Cynthia is a painter whose work is regularly exhibited in Paris and abroad.

They are the parents of four adult children.

Questions you may be asking...

Who is this retreat for?

This retreat is ideal for those who are deep into writing a full-length memoir. You may be writing your first draft or in the revision process.

What is included?

Rigorous group discussion of your manuscript, sessions on writing craft & publishing, ample daily solitude, one-on-one conferences, local excursions, and gourmet meals.

Lodging in a privately owned castle where the retreat takes place.

Local transportation on site.

What is not included?

Travel Expenses: Flights to/from France and transportation to/from the airport to the retreat site.  

Travel Insurance: Not required, but recommended.

What is your Covid policy?

Compliance requires proof of vaccination upon registration.

What are the accommodations like?

Each participant will have a private room, furnished beautifully and comfortably, and each room will have a desk. Most have private bathrooms.

We will hold our group sessions around the large table in the dining room, on comfortable couches in the living room, or outdoors, weather permitting.

Will I have time to explore the area?

Yes! There will be opportunities for local excursions as a group or on your own to the local town and nearby wineries. Also, the castle is situated on a beautiful, rolling countryside for daily walks and quiet solitude.

We encourage you to add time on to your trip to fully explore the Loire Valley and other parts of France.

Will I need to rent a car?

No. We will provide transportation for the local group excursions. You are also welcome to use the bikes on site to get to town.

How much material can I submit for feedback and discussion?

Each participant will submit a synopsis and 15-20 double-spaced pages to April Eberhardt one month prior to the retreat. This is the material you will receive feedback on from both the faculty in one-on-one conferences, and from your fellow participants in workshop.

I am interested. How do I register?

Please email April Eberhardt who will share the process for registration. Since space is limited to six participants, we encourage you to submit as soon as possible.

If you are considering the retreat, and want to make sure it is a right fit for you, I am happy to have a conversation. Contact me!

“So grateful to you for creating a safe space where new writers, like me, can find their voice.”

Wendy Adamson, author of Mother Load and Incorrigible

So grateful to you for creating a safe space...

It’s a messy process, and you helped me find order, clarity and calm.

“I have been having some pretty good thoughts about you lately while I work. Like, literal daydreaming moments of how good you are at your job. It’s a messy process and you helped me find order, clarity and calm. Others came before and failed! Having the order in my brain is so friggin’ amazing. Gives me room to create, make connections, trust that I don’t need to capture everything, just the essence. I seriously don’t know how you did it. It’s pretty great. Very satisfying!”

KC

“I am always drawn to the group of people you are able to put together. You have a very calm sense and huge understanding that sometimes a prompt can take you a completely different direction and that there never is anything ‘wrong’ in your response. You also have a impeccable sense when it comes to 'listening' what is being read. It could be that you find thing in between the lines or pinpointing exactly a feeling or emotion to an overall situation described in a piece. I love your feedback and am often amazed how ‘on target’ your observations and questions are when I share my work.”

Malona Badelt

... amazed how 'on target' your observations and questions are...

... Something in me is being ‘faced’ by the very act of writing...

“I'm really looking forward to another class... and another and another after that. Something in me is being ‘faced’ by the very act of writing whatever it is that comes out. Your class is definitely stirring my pot and I find that so rewarding. Thank you!”

Molly Jordan

“What you're offering is really magical and unique. I love your feedback and I love feedback in general that challenges me out of my comfort zone, uncomfortable as that may be. The group really opened me up to realizing what 'my' story is, or at least, what the story is I want to tell.  And it also helped me get confident and comfortable with my voice. The more I write and open myself to creativity, the more creative I feel.”

Suzanne Ely

What you're offering is really magical and unique...

Thank you for creating such sacred spaces… finally I feel the earth opening up.

“Thank you for creating such sacred spaces. Thank you for thinking so deeply. Thank you for the prompts that you give that are not just thrown at us but come from an extension of your own soul. From your wise intuition and inner curiosity. I have a lot more work to do but finally I feel the earth opening up.”

Valerie Hager