‘WRITE AWAY!’

Creative Writing Holidays with Chris

These are not courses but real holidays with an opportunity to stretch your creative side in a friendly and relaxed environment. Chris provides themed inspiration along with a wide choice of workshop exercises - or you can do your own thing, so long as you write something during the day and read it out to a small group. You can write in whatever genre or style you like and can be anything from complete beginner to experienced writer. We normally laugh a lot and get to know and trust each other quickly.

Holidays in 2010

Four are planned and will have new themes of course.

1) Guernsey, 18-22 March, 2010 (Thurs to Mon) is at a location new to Chris. Having sampled the food, the meeting rooms and the views while in Guernsey recently she said we have to have a writing holiday here! Les Cotils overlooks St Peter Port and the panoramic views from the house and large grounds extend over the islands of Herm, Sark and Jethou

.     Imagine sitting here writing...!

We’ll be able to have two writing sessions on the Thursday, and a final morning together on the Monday, so there will be seven ‘normal’ workshop/inspiration sessions on 2010’s themes of ‘Islands’ and ‘Rock’ plus, we hope a day-conference on the Saturday, to include Guernsey residents. ‘Writing: what’s your story?’ will help everyone to fous on something which they really want to write and plan a strategy for achieving that.

Cost has been set for £275, which includes ensuite, single occupancy bedroom for the four nights; half board plus morning coffee and all the writing sessions. Return flights to Guernsey are from about £67 and go from various airports. It’s worth checking out the Aurigny site as they are a Channel Island-based airline and reputed to be very good.

There are coastal walks all round the island and it is very easy and cheap to get almost anywhere on the splendid local bus service. Les Cotils is set in extensive grounds, with plenty of places to sit and write if the weather is warm enough and it has a charming and inexpensive conservatory cafe for lunchtime snacks, cake, coffee etc if you don’t want to leave the place. There is also a small kitchen on every floor where guests can make coffee, tea etc at any time.

There will be plenty of free time to explore on the Friday and Sunday as we’ll finish our morning workshop well before lunchtime and have feedback only after the evening meal. If you do want to venture further, it’s about 10 minutes’ downhill walk to the picturesque centre of town with its shops, cafes, museums, parks, harbour etc. The extraordinarily cheap and plentiful Guernsey buses will whisk you just about anywhere on the island - and there’s a spectacular coastal path going all round it which the buses enable you to walk in stages.

Les Cotils has a very good chef so the food is classy. You can buy wine with evening meals and the peaceful dining room has waitress service.

 If you are interested in this holiday email Chris or Gill Ellis who is taking bookings ellisgillian@googlemail.com as we need to reserve rooms as soon as possible. Gill is a writer, magazine editor and Guernsey expert/fan who is helping Chris with the admin and will be with us for the holiday. We will limit numbers so that there is not a large group. But as Les Cotils discounts their charges to us as the number of writing guests increase, it may be possible, once we’ve passed a certain number, to refund some of your £275. So do encourage any friends who would love this holiday to book as well!

2) Cotswolds By popular demand - another for writing friends of Judy and Chris in May 2010

3) Lee Abbey, 12-16 July, 2010 on the spectacularly beautiful Exmoor coast of north Devon. Chris will run morning workshops and plenty of other inspiration will come not only from the landscape but from the creativity and inclusiveness of an extraordinary international Christian community to which this place is home. Come to worship, walk, write, eat well, meet interesting people - and a total experience you won’t forget. Chris says, ‘New, wonderful and surprising things happen every time!’
See photo of many of those on last year’s holiday below.
Places are limited and normally Lee Abbey have to turn people away from Chris’ holidays, so don’t delay booking if you want to come, especially as the brochure came out in early January 2010. The price for this year’s holiday, full board, is from £236. See www.leeabbey.org.uk , email relax@leeabbey.org.uk or phone 01598 752621

4) Brunel Manor, Torquay, 18-22 October 2010 (Mon-Fri) is in parallel with card making again and with a holiday led by John and Jane Wibberley exploring the Book of Proverbs. Jane is a great pianist and all guests will be able to join them for evening meetings. Brunel Manor is described as a ‘place for physical and spiritual refreshment’ and has great food and accommodation, comfortable areas in which to relax, a heated indoor pool, a games room plus 12 acres of gardens and grounds with panoramic views. See photos taken last year below. £276 half-board www.brunelmanor.com Phone 01803 329 333

 Brunel Manor

Holidays which happened in 2009

Include the Cotswolds (see ‘Cotswold Writing’ page on this website) - a holiday specifically for writers known to Chris and her friend Judy, in June 2009. We had a wonderful time and laughed as much as ever!

 Here we all are (except Chris who was taking the photo)

with Paul Sussman, our visiting author. We don’t think he’s quite recovered yet!

Lee Abbey in North Devon 3-17 July2009 ran  alongside a holiday with an environmental theme led by Dave Bookless from A Rocha.              

Lee Abbey Writers July 2009 Left to right

Back row: Martin Naylor, Tanya Neave, Nadia O’Connor, Pauline Latter, Lyn Richardson, Kathy English, Rob Cochrane, Rob Richards

Others standing: Anna Naylor, Anne Rasmussen, Jean Dancy, Margaret Aird, Sue Blake, Rosie Berry, Rosie Brown, Michael English, Christine Regas, Graham Swinerd

Seated: Chris Leonard, Vicky Larkin, Valerie Conway, Sharman Jeffries, Michael Chatfield, Alison Sheldon

( few were missing from this photo.)

Highlands Hotel, La Corbiere, Jersey          25-29 May 2009

A very small group were ‘guinea-pigs’ for Chris’ 2009 holiday themes on ‘The Senses’ and they rose to the challenge magnificently, including the hotel manager who attended every session and gave us print-outs of at least three pieces of writing done every day. Despite appearing to be on duty from 8.00am to 11.00pm. The rest of the group had a more relaxing time. Some of us explored the beautiful island together, filling up our senses with coastal wonders and far too much food.
                   Brunel Manor 26-30 October 2009 A fine anthology has been made from the writings last year at Brunel, edited by Gill Ellis, one of the participants. You can obtain it from http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/footprints/6996609 Chris has been invited back to lead another at Brunel in October 2010, see below.

2009 Brunel writers left to right: Tony, Brenda, Joan, Olive, Alan, Sheila, another Olive, Megs, Maureen, Caroline, Ken, Margaret, Ruth, Kathy (another Ken missed the photoshoot and Chris took the photo.)

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