WHERE?
The former Wisehart Springs Inn, which lies about a mile and a half from downtown Paonia, Colorado, a tiny town that’s my heart’s home and Colorado’s greatest secret.

WHEN?
From dinnertime on Friday, Oct. 3 through lunch Tuesday, Oct. 7. Wisehart is a five-hour drive from the Denver area.

HOW MUCH?
The $1,180 fee includes instruction (we’ll have a pair of two-and-a-half hour sessions of generative writing and sharing, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I’ll also serve four lunches, and the welcome dinner. (After that, I’ll send you off on your own for breakfasts and dinners so you can explore the culinary delights of a valley so packed with organic farms and divine food it’s been referred to as The American Provence.) The fee does not include lodging.

But there’s great, reasonably priced lodging right at this gorgeous place, which  has three rooms available on-site for $160/room/night for rooms with a private bathroom, and $140/night for a room with a shared bathroom. If you’d like to take advantage of this short commute (and reasonable pricing!) contact me.

Paonia has a plethora of bed and breakfasts and a couple of hotels to choose from. Our meeting place lies 1.5 miles from downtown.

These retreats will be a mix of generative writing sessions guided and supported by me, reading aloud, and eating delicious meals together. There’ll also be alone time to wander the 40-or-so acres of the horse ranch that’ll serve as our base, and explore the small, vibrant town of Paonia, and even hike the gorgeous Rocky Mountains.

The nearest airports are in Montrose and Grand Junction, each of them about 90 minutes away. Denver International Airport is about 4 1/2 hours away. You cannot beat this location for otherworldly beauty. Paonia is my favorite place on the planet. When I lived here and roamed the world as a travel writer, I’d weep with gratitude when I returned to this beautiful, homey, friendly community.  I’d love to share it with you!

HEALTH PRECAUTIONS: I want to keep everyone safe, so participants  need to agree to steer clear of the group if they’re feeling ill, or if they test positive for Covid, flu, measles, or any other communicable disease. They also need to be willing to be tested if they become symptomatic during our time together.