Planning a Writers' Retreat

Need space to write?  A friendly source of feedback on the WIP?  We usually run a writers' retreat/writing course at Peralta in the spring.  But this year, because of the economic downturn, we're running it at the end of September so that participants can take advantage of  the cheaper off-peak flights. 

For anyone who hasn't already come across it, Peralta - high on the slopes of the Alpi Apuane looking out over the Mediterranean - is an idyllic place.  It's an area once settled by the Etruscans and just further north is the ancient and mysterious kingdom of Luni.  

Peralta was left to fall into ruin after WWII, but was discovered by the Italian sculptor Fiore de Henriquez, who fell in love with the hamlet, traced the owners of each ruined house one by one and rebuilt them.  She wanted to create an artistic community, renting out to tourists in the summer to pay its way, but filled with artists and writers in the winter.  Dinah, who runs Peralta now, tries to do so in the same spirit.  It is a beautiful place with a very special atmosphere and a good place to write.

Laura  - who has cooked for Peralta since she was a girl - still provides us all with wonderful Tuscan home cooking.  There's local wine and prosecco by the gallon and the guarantee of convivial company.

This time my partner at Peralta is the novelist and memoirist Caitlin Davies who is a very impressive writer (and the daughter of Margaret Forster and Hunter Davies)  and we make ourselves available for  one to one consultations as well as running workshops for anyone who wants to participate.

All details are on the internet here,  special rates can also be provided for anyone who only wants to come for a few days retreat rather than the full week.   Come and join us in September and watch the sun set in the Mediterranean!