Ubud, Bali – A World Lost In Time

by gerbaultUncategorizedPosted on Comments are Disabled

Join Abroad Writers’ Conference Masterclass for 8 Days Land of Ancient Temples and Sacred Traditions

May 23 – 30, 2027

Berlima Boutique Resort

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Some places don’t just inspire writing — they insist on it. Ubud is one of them. Here, where terraced rice fields catch the morning light like green water, where temple bells drift through jungle air thick with incense, and rivers carve their slow path beneath ancient stone, the line between the world and the page begins to blur. This is not a place you visit so much as a place that rearranges something in you.

It is here, in this small luminous corner of Bali, at Berlima Resort where we will be staying for 8 days. We have closed the gates to the public and reserved the entire resort for ourselves, turning this lush oasis into our personal creative living room. We invite you to gather with us—to write, to dream, and to sit at the feet of some of the most celebrated literary voices working today.

Beyond the workshops and readings, you’ll be immersed in the living art of Bali itself — the hypnotic grace of traditional Balinese dance, the flickering ancient storytelling of shadow puppet theater, and the rich, fragrant flavors of Balinese cuisine. These are not mere interludes to the conference; they are part of its lesson. Bali has always understood that story lives in movement, in shadow, in the shared act of a meal — and for 8 days, it lives in us.

Yellow flowers honor the Hindu god Mahadeva and pray for prosperity

This daily devotion is woven into the very fabric of Ubud—a town whose name literally translates to medicineor healing. For centuries, this misty jungle valley has served as Bali’s spiritual and creative epicenter, attracting artists, thinkers, and seekers from across the globe.

In Ubud, art is not something confined to a museum grid; it is a living, breathing landscape. It is found in the rhythmic strike of a woodcarver’s chisel, the scent of fresh frangipani on a cobblestone path, and the quiet contemplation of a mountain morning. To write here is to step into a timeless lineage of storytelling. It is an invitation to let the medicine of this place slow your heartbeat and open your senses to the blank page.

It is within this deeply inspired landscape that our faculty will guide you.

AUTHORS JOINING US

Robert Olen Butler 

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Distinguished Professor at Florida State University, holding the Michael Shaar Chair in Creative Writing

Robert Olen Butler is the author of eighteen novels and six collections of short stories, including A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, which won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. A Vietnam War veteran and fluent Vietnamese speaker, he has spent his career writing across cultures, memory, and the quiet aftershocks of history on ordinary lives. He has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts grant, and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Award for Outstanding Achievement in American Literature.

A writer whose work has long explored the hidden chambers of memory, longing, and the human heart across war and peace, distance and return.

~

Julie Kane

Professor Emerita at Northwestern State University.

Julie Kane is a formalist with a deep love of meter, rhyme, and the long tradition of poetic craft, she has also written extensively on women’s poetry and the recovery of overlooked poetic voices. Her own work moves fluidly between strict form and free verse, often returning to themes of memory, womanhood, and her Louisiana roots. As Professor Emerita at Northwestern State University, she spent decades helping younger poets find precision and music in their own lines — and she brings that same generous, exacting ear to every workshop she leads.

Julie Kane is the author of six books of poetry, including Rhythm & Booze (winner of the National Poetry Series), Jazz Funeral (winner of the Donald Justice Poetry Prize), Mothers of Ireland (winner of the Poetry by the Sea Book Prize), and her newest collection, Naked Ladies: New and Selected Poems (2025). She also co-authored a Vietnam War memoir and has translated poetry from French and Lithuanian. She is a Fulbright Scholar.

She brings the music of decades spent listening closely to language, helping writers cover the poetry that already lives inside them.

~

Josip Novakovich

Croatian author, Finalist for the Man Booker International Prize, Professor at Concordia University, Canada

Born in Croatia and now writing in English, Josip Novakovich has published a dozen books, including the novels April Fool’s Day and Rubble of Rubles, five story collections, and three collections of narrative essays exploring exile, war, and homeland. His work has been translated into more than a dozen languages, including Russian, Japanese, Italian, and French. 

Josip has built a body of work — novels, story collections, and essays — shaped by displacement, war, and the absurdities of living between two worlds at once. His fiction was a finalist for the Man Booker International Prize, recognizing a career that moves between sharp, dark humor and the quiet devastations of exile. Novakovich teaches creative writing at Concordia University in Montreal, where he continues to mentor writers navigating questions of identity, homeland, and the strange freedom of writing in a borrowed tongue.

He carries with him the soul of a wanderer — a writer for whom exile became enchantment, and distance became the very material of story.

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WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Robert Olen Butler

After Craft and Technique: The Process of Writing Fiction 

This workshop will focus on the fundamentals of the creative process for fiction writers who aspire to create enduring literature.  It will examine what is distinctive about the way the serious writer addresses the world, the inner self, and the objects to be created.  But in thus understanding what makes a work of fiction “literary” at its core, we can also embrace not only work generically identifiable as “literary” but as “entertainment,” as well. Thrillers, mysteries, romances, works of speculative fiction–such as fantasy and science fiction–can also all be fully “literary.” The workshop will be for any fiction writer who wants to dig deep. 

Julie Kane

Putting Together Your Poetry Book or Chapbook

You have been writing poems for a while now, and you finally feel ready to put together a chapbook (20 – 20 pages) or book (48 – 70 pages). This workshop is for you! Together we will identify your themes, tones, recurring images, the perfect opening poem, the perfect closing poem, weak poems to be revised or removed, new poems to be written to round out gaps, ordering and sequencing strategies, and sectioning strategies. The goal is an emerge from the workshop with a publishable poetry collection. We will also explore poetry book and chapbook publishers and publications contests with an eye toward identifying the best fits for your collection.

Josip Novakovich

We will write and critique narratives in different forms: short stories, novel chapters, personal essays, memoir chapters, travelogues, character profiles, etc. We’ll emphasize the story, whether true or fabricated or a combination of the two as in autofiction. You can bring along some finished manuscripts and we’ll write something new, from writing prompts and ideas. We’ll also read a few exemplary pieces of writing available online. We’ll read the manuscripts presented in the workshop by the participants (up to 25 double-spaced pages) to offer detailed critique and feedback and brainstorming discussions if so desired.

The Art of Movement and Metaphor

In Bali, performance is not entertainment—it is a sacred text written in the tilt of a hand, the flash of an eye, and the rhythmic clash of the gamelan. Following our focused morning workshops, our afternoons and evenings will open up to these living narratives.

We will witness the hypnotic storytelling of traditional dance and shadow theater, studying how epic scale and intimate human emotion are held simultaneously. These cultural encounters are designed to expand your narrative lens, offering new ways to think about tension, character, and drama on your own pages.

Daily Schedule

Workshops are scheduled for the afternoons, so sightseeing can happen during the cooler morning hours. We’ll spend the hot afternoons indoors with air conditioning.

DayDateMorningAfternoonEvening
ArrivalMonday, May 23Arrive, check inBerlima Resort
Workshop: Josip 3:00–6:00pm		Berlima Resort
Welcome party & dinner at Berlima
Day 2Tuesday, May 24Free / shuttle into UbudBerlima Resort
Lunch 1:00pm Workshop: 2:00-5:00pm Robert/Julie		Berlima Resort
Readings 5:15 pm dinner: Berlima following reading
Day 3Wed, May 25Free / shuttle into UbudRerlima Resort
Lunch 1:00pm Workshop: 2:oo – 5:00pm Robert/Julie		Berlima Resort Readings 5:15 pm
6:30
Cantina Rooftop
Dinner out in Ubud
Day 4Thu, May 26Free / shuttle into UbudBerlima Resort
Lunch 1:00pm Workshop: 2:00-5:00pm
Josip		6:00 Readings
7:00 pm
Balinese Dance Dinner, Kaukau Restaurant
Day 5Fri, May 27Free / shuttle into UbudBerlima Resort
Lunch 1:00pm Workshop: 2:00-5:00pm
Robert/Julie + Josip		Reading 6pm Berlima Dinner following readings
Day 6Sat, May 28Free / shuttle into UbudBerlima Resort
Workshop: 9:00-12:00pm
Josip
Lunch 1:00pm
Workshop: 2:00-5:00pm
Robert/Julie		Free Night
Day 7Sun, May 29Free / shuttle into UbudBerlima Resort
Lunch 1:00pm
Workshop: 2:00-5:00pm
Josip
Reading 5:15 pm Closing dinner at
7:00 pm
TanaDewa Resort
DepartureMon, May 30Breakfast, checkoutDepartures—

Accommodations at Berlima Boutique Resort

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COST

TierPrice
Single (private room) workshops
$2,500, includes two workshop
Shared (2 participants, both in workshops)
Travel to Bali with fellow writers — read, talk craft, and explore Ubud together, without the pressure of formal workshops.		$2,000 two participants sharing a room, includes two workshop each.
Plus-One Companion (non-participant)
Includes meals and cultural excursions; does not include workshops with authors.		$550
Non-workshop /Literary Vacationone Single — None writing, Includes meals.$2,100
Plus-One CompanionPlus-one specifically for a None Writing participant. Just along for the trip. Includes meals.$550


Extend your Journey and join us for an special experience: The 12-Day Borneo Wildlife Masterclass

June 1 – 12, 2027

For those ready to push their creative boundaries, our journey extends across the Java Sea to the rugged, biodiverse landscapes of Borneo. This intensive, 10-day masterclass is specifically designed to bypass the urban rush, placing you face-to-face with Borneo’s most iconic wildlife,

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

6 Nights at Sabah Hotel Sandakan

June 1 – 7

Our standalone Borneo masterclass begins in the historic coastal sanctuary of Sandakan, the old-world 19th-century capital of British North Borneo. To protect our creative focus and maintain elite comfort, we balance deep wilderness immersion with premium amenities. We anchor our creative basecamp at the Sabah Hotel Sandakan, a premier nature-oasis property nestled on a lush hillside surrounded by protected rainforest gardens. Here, resident monitor lizards, giant squirrels, and exotic birds roam the tree canopies right outside your private balcony.

June 7 – 12, 2027

On June 7, we take a short internal flight across the island to the historic capital of Sarawak, checking into The Ranee Boutique Suites along the vibrant Kuching riverfront. Rebuilt from 19th-century shophouses, this 24-room boutique gem serves as our elegant urban sanctuary for the final 5 nights. Our daily rhythm shifts from raw wilderness tracking into history & evolution. Josip leads the afternoon workshops in the hotel’s private Reading Lounge, Dr. Jerry Drawhorn steps in to anchor the evening lecture series, grounding the writers’ text in the deep scientific and cultural history of the land.

Writing Workshop and lectures

Author, Josip Novakovich

Anthropologist Professor Gerrell Drawhorn

Information to follow soon.

For more information and to receive an application, contact Nancy Gerbault at nancy@abroadwritersconference.com

CANCELED : Writing the Unspoken: A New Residency in an Ancient Setting

by abroadwritersconferenceUncategorizedPosted on Comments are Disabled

Celebrating 22 years of literary travel with our most intimate circle yet.

OLD QUEBEC CITY, AUGUST 27TH – SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2026

“Since 2004, Abroad Writers’ Conference has hosted hundreds of writers at legendary sites—from private Villas on Lake Como and the literary streets of Dublin to the historic halls of Hever and Lismore Castles. Today, we are deliberately pivoting to something rare. This residency is our first Intensive Masterclass Circle: a strictly limited, 18-person deep-dive designed to offer the kind of profound, one-on-one mentorship that only happens in a truly intimate setting.”

In the heart of Old Quebec, where the St. Lawrence River meets centuries of hushed history, old stone walls hold secrets of the past. We gather to explore the stories that usually go untold. Our 2026 residency, Writing the Unspoken, moves beyond the traditional lecture hall and into the intimate sanctuary of the Royal Suite at Hotel Port Royal.

Here, beneath exposed beams and beside a shared table, we join masters of the craft—Amy Bloom, Connie May Fowler, Josip Novakovich, Mikhail Iossel, founding director of The Summer Literary Seminars, plus special guest authors—to dismantle the silences that haunt our work. Together, we will explore the dizzying intersections of memory, exile, and the ‘unspoken’ truths that define the human condition. Whether it is the complexities of the heart, the absurdity of exile, or the physical traces of history etched into the cobblestones streets outside. We invite you to break bread with us and finally find the words for what has, until now, remained unsaid.


The visual anchor for this year’s residency is my painting of the Extinct Passenger Pigeon. Once the most numerous bird on earth, its sudden silence is the ultimate metaphor for the ‘unspoken’ histories we seek to reclaim. Every participant will receive a limited-edition residency garment featuring this original work—a physical reminder of the voices we are here to honor.

Painting by, Nancy & Alain Gerbault

To enter Old Québec is to step into a living archive. Outside our door, the cobblestones and 400-year-old stone walls stand as silent witnesses to centuries of secrets. This is where your journey begins—leaving the noise of the modern world behind to walk the same narrow paths that have inspired seekers and storytellers for generations.

Our Sanctuary Home in Old Quebec City, The Royal Suite at Hotel Port Royal

Main Room

Royal Suite Terrace

Authors Teaching Workshops

Third Author will be announced shortly

AMY BLOOM

Amy Bloom is the author of four novels: White Houses, Lucky Us, Away, and Love Invents Us; and three collections of short stories: Where the God Of Love Hangs Out, Come to Me (finalist for the National Book Award), and A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You (finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award). Her most recent book is the widely acclaimed New York Times bestselling memoir, In Love. She has written for magazines such as The New Yorker, New York Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Vogue, Elle, The Atlantic, Slate, and Salon. Her first book of nonfiction, Normal: Transsexual CEOs, Crossdressing Cops and Hermaphrodites with Attitudes, is a staple of university sociology and biology courses.

Amy Bloom’s short stories have appeared in Best American Short Stories, Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards, and numerous anthologies here and abroad. She has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, O Magazine and Vogue, among many other publications, and has won a National Magazine Award for Fiction. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages.

She has written many pilot scripts, for cable and network, and she created, wrote and ran the excellent, short-lived series State of Mind, starring Lili Taylor.

CONNIE MAY FOWLER

Connie May Fowler is a bestselling, award-winning author of eight highly acclaimed books. Her novels include How Clarissa Burden Learned to Fly, The Problem with Murmur Lee, Remembering Blue (recipient of the Chautauqua South Literary Award), Before Women had Wings (recipient of the Southern Book Critics Circle Award and the Francis Buck Award from the League of American Pen Women), River of Hidden Dreams (recipient of a Florida Individual Artist Grant), and Sugar Cage. Her first memoir, When Katie Wakes, explores domestic violence and its generational echoes. Her second memoir, A Million Fragile Bones, was a finalist for the 2018 Clara Johnson Award in Women’s Literature.

Three of her novels have been Dublin International Literary Award nominees. She adapted Before Women had Wings for Oprah Winfrey. The result was an Emmy-winning film.

Her essays have been published in The New York Times, London Times, International Herald Tribune, Japan Times, The Sun Magazine, Oxford American, Best Life, and elsewhere.

Connie has written extensively about the environment, family violence, multiculturalism, poverty, women’s issues, and sumo wrestling. Much of her fiction contains elements of magical realism and offers historical, sociological, and environmental perspectives of the American South. Her essays and stories have been widely anthologized in the United States and abroad.

She is Professor Emeritus at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

JOSIP NOVAKOVICH

Josip Novakovich is a Croatian-American writer who now lives in Canada

Novakovich emigrated from Croatia to the United States at the age of 20, attending Vassar, Yale and the University of Texas. He has published a dozen books, including a novel, April Fool’s Day (in ten languages), four story collections (Infidelities, Yolk, Salvation and Other Disasters, Heritage of Smoke) and three collections of narrative essays, as well as two books of practical criticism.

His work was anthologized in Best American Poetry, the Pushcart Prize and O.Henry Prize Stories. He has received the Whiting Writer’s Award, a Guggenheim fellowship, the Ingram Merrill Award and an American Book Award. He is currently a professor of creative writing at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

He was shortlisted, for his entire body of work, for The Man Booker International Prize 2013.

Special Guest Author

MIKHAIL IOSSEL

Mikhail  Iossel was born in Leningrad, USSR (now St. Petersburg, Russia), where he worked as an electromagnetic engineer and belonged to an organization of samizdat writers before immigrating to the United States in 1986. He is the author of Notes from Cyberground: Trumpland and My Old Soviet Feelingand one previous collection of fiction: Every Hunter Wants to Know. A frequent contributor to the New Yorker, his stories and essays have also appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Foreign Policy, Ecotone, Guernica, Tikkun, Best American Short Stories, and elsewhere. Iossel, a Guggenheim, National Endowment for the Arts, and Stegner Fellow, has taught in universities throughout the United States and is an associate professor of English at Concordia University in Montreal.

Masterclass Workshop Descriptions

In our Intensive Circle, every participant works directly with all three instructors.

The Format: Three intimate groups of six | 15 hours of direct instructional time.

AMY BLOOM: The Illuminated Sentence

For the better sentence, the stronger story, and characters that live.
This workshop is open to anyone interested in the process of making characters come alive and writing prose that illuminates without being showy, self-conscious, or self-promoting. 

Samuel Beckett—everyone’s favorite cheerleader—said: “Try. Fail. Try again. Fail better.”

We will tackle the art of trying, failing, and failing better. Our time will be split between deep-dives into your current works-in-progress and generative exercises designed to push your craft. I take your work seriously.

JOSIP NOVAKOVICH: The Architecture of the Absurd

Writing the unspeakable without falling into cliché.
How do we write about the violence of war, the disorientation of exile, or a life lived between borders? Join award-winning author Josip Novakovich to explore the “mongrel” perspective and “cruelly whimsical” storytelling. Known for finding humor and humanity in the darkest of historical silences. Jospip leads writers through the process of dismantling the “unspeakable.”

Whether you are crafting a memoir of immigration or a novel set in alandscape of conflict, this session challenges you to speak the truths that history books often leave out.

CONNIE MAY FOWLER : Are Your Characters Lying to You?


Sometimes we protect our characters because we don’t want to deal with the emotional outflow. Other times, we simply choose surface truths because excavating the feral territories of the psyche is scary, difficult work. But the hidden, uncomfortable stuff is where literary magic resides.

Some of the questions we’ll ask: What are your characters’ internal truths versus their external lies? What truths, needs, traumas, joys, and desires motivate their behaviors? What are your characters not saying?  Are you silencing them? Are you prepared to do what it takes to reveal their hidden pulse beats? If so, how do you do that? And most important of all: What’s next?

Whether you are writing fiction or creative nonfiction, we’ll explore the deep waters that motivate and define the human condition. This is a braided workshop that explores works-in-progress and new material.

Schedule

Group Daily MEAL PLAN

Chef-Curated Lunches and Dinners

The Residency Daily Schedule

A 6-Day Immersive Journey into Craft & Cuisine

Day 1: Thursday, August 27

  • 09:00 | Morning Workshop: Fresh Baguettes & Croissants with Cloudberry Jam, salted butter and Fresh Wild Blueberries
  • 11:30 | Boreal Lunch: Charcuterie Platter with freshly baked bread; Chouquettes nature.
  • 13:00 | Afternoon Masterclass Maple Leaf Cream Cookies
  • 15:30 | Writing & Reflection: Solo time in Old Québec.
  • 18:30 | Nightly Salon: 3 Participant Readings & Welcoming Group. Served with Le Riopelle de I’Isle Cheese + Maple Bathed Sliced Pears and Sparkling Cider
  • 19:30 | Welcome Dinner: Arugula and Pear Salad w/maple & aged balsamic vinaigrette; Coquilles St. Jacques (Vegetarian: King Oyster St. Jacques) with Canadian Normandy Style Sparkling Cider; Tarte au Sucre

Day 2: Friday, August 28

  • 09:00 | Morning Workshop: French Toast with Sea Buckthorn Sauce and Fresh Wild Blueberries
  • 11:30 | Garden Lunch: Québec-style Salad Niçoise with tuna, capers, and lemon zest; Cookies.
  • 13:00 | Afternoon Masterclass Maple Shortbread
  • 15:30 | Writing & Reflection
  • 18:30 | Nightly Salon: 3 Participant Readings & Featured Connie May Fowler. Served with Le Hercule de Charlevoix Cheese + Toasted Walnuts and Sparkling Cider
  • 19:30 | Fireside Dinner: Coq au Vin with morels and thyme; Scalloped Potatoes; Canadian Pinot Noir Wine, Blueberry Clafoutis.

Day 3: Saturday, August 29

  • 09:00 | Morning Workshop: Fresh Baguettes & Croissant with Lingonberry Jam, salted butter and Fresh Wild Blueberries
  • 11:30 | Harbor Lunch: Lobster and Lion’s Mane Rolls with garden salad; Blueberry Ice Cream.
  • 13:00 | Afternoon Masterclass Maple Leaf Cream Cookies
  • 15:30 | Writing & Reflection
  • 18:30 | Nightly Salon: 3 Participant Readings & Josip Novakovich. Served with Le Bleu d’Elisabeth Cheese + Maple Syrup Drizzle and Sparkling Cider
  • 20:00 | Exploration: Free Night Out for Dinner in Petit Champlain.

Day 4: Sunday, August 30

  • 09:00 | Morning Workshop: French Toast served Serviceberry sauce and Fresh Wild Blueberries
  • 11:30 | Boreal Refresh Lunch: Cucumber, Blueberry, and Watermelon Salad with Feta; Maple Leaf Cookies.
  • 13:00 | Afternoon Masterclass Maple Shortbread
  • 15:30 | Writing & Reflection
  • 18:30 | Nightly Salon: 3 Participant Readings & Mikhail Iossel. Served with Le Baluchon Cheese + Apricot Glaze and Sparkling Cider
  • 19:30 | Signature Dinner: Baked Goat Cheese Frisée; Grilled Duck Breast with juniper and cognac (Vegetarian: Crispy Mushroom “Duck”); Canadian Pinot Noir Wine, Dark Chocolate Mousse.

Day 5: Monday, August 31

  • 09:00 | Morning Workshop: Fresh Baguettes & Croissants with Cassis Jam salted butter and Fresh Wild Blueberries
  • 11:30 | Heritage Lunch: Savory Meat or Vegetarian Tourtière (Pies) with maple vinaigrette; Pouding Chômeur.
  • 13:00 | Afternoon Masterclass Maple Leaf Cookies
  • 15:30 | Writing & Reflection
  • 18:30 | Nightly Salon: 3 Participant Readings & Amy Bloom. Served with Pied-de-Vent Cheese + Cracked Black Pepper & Aged Balsamic and Sparkling Cider
  • 19:30 | Celebration Dinner: Citrus Salad with fennel; Spicy Maple Prawns over Wild Rice; Canadian Chardonnay, Apple & Apricot Tart & Ice Wine.

Day 6: Tuesday, September 1

09:00 | Morning Workshop: French Toast served with Hasp Berry Sauce and Fresh Wild Blueberries

11:30 | Farewell Lunch: Maple Smoked Salmon (or Carrot Lox) on Rye with lemon zest and dill; Raspberry Tart.

13:00 | Final Workshop & Wrap-Up assortment of Cookies, Toasted Walnuts, Jams and Fruit.

15:30 | Final Reflection Time

17:00 | The Grand Finale: Final 3 Participant Readings. Served with Le Migneron Cheese + Maple Bathed Apple Slices and Sparkling Cider. Followed by celebration dinner at Chez Rioux & Pettigrew.

The Grand Finale: “The Experience” at Chez Rioux & Pettigrew

This Michelin-recognized evening is designed as a sensory journey through the “unspoken” flavors of Québec’s history. As a chef-led event, the menu remains a complete surprise until each course is presented.

This 4-course surprise menu includes a curated three-tier wine service(White, Red, and Sparkling). A sophisticated non-alcoholic botanical pairing is also available for those who prefer a zero-proof journey.

Workshop Schedule

The 18 participants are split into three small cohorts (Groups A, B, and C) that rotate through 2.5-hour sessions. Two in the morning and one in the afternoon.

PhaseDays 1 & 2Days 3 & 4Days 5 & 6
Group A (6)Connie May FowlerAmy BloomJosip Novakovich
Group B (6)Josip NovakovichConnie May FowlerAmy Bloom
Group C (6)Amy BloomJosip NovakovichConnie May Fowler
TimeDays 1 & 2Days 3 & 4Days 5 & 6
09:00 – 11:30Connie May Fowler(Group A)Josip Novakovich (Group B)Amy Bloom (Group C)
09:00 – 11:30Josip Novakovich (Group B)Amy Bloom (Group A)Connie May Fowler(Group C)
13:00 – 15:30Amy Bloom (Group C)Connie May Fowler(Group B)Josip Novakovich (Group A)

COST

The “Writing the Unspoken” Retreat: What’s Included

Early Bird Artist Rate: $2,350 first 4 people to sign up will receive the discount.

Afterwards registration fee: $2,650 USD covers the complete six-day curriculum, masterclass access, and a curated culinary program in the heart of Old Québec.

Social Guest Pass Policy

We are delighted to welcome partners and companions to join us in Old Quebec City. To ensure a seamless experience for our writers while providing high-quality hospitality for guests, we offer a Social Guest Pass for $600 USD,

This includes: Full access to our private culinary program, including daily continental breakfast (featuring local boulangerie pastries and boreal fruits, lunches and our signature multi-course dinners. Including regional specialities like Lobster rolls, duck and scallops. Plus our Grand Finale tasting dinner at Chez Rioux & Pettigrew including wine.

Literary Salon: Admission with hors d’oeuvres and sparkling cider.

The 2026 Residency Artifact

The Limited-Edition Artist’s Signed Print
The 11″ x 14″ museum-quality Giclée print of the Passenger Pigeon, featuring original artwork by Nancy Gerbault and Alain Gerbault.

Exclusivity: Each print is hand-signed and numbered (1 through 18) specifically for our Old Québec cohort.

Museum Provenance: This work was a cornerstone of Nancy & Alain Gerbault’s solo exhibition, “Coup de Grace,” at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California.

Archival Excellence: Printed with museum-grade pigment inks on 100% cotton rag, acid-free paper.

1. Elite Craft & Mentorship

  • 15 Hours of Intensive Workshop: Small-group sessions (maximum 6 students) led by Amy Bloom, Connie May Fowler and Josip Novakovich.
  • 6:1 Master-to-Student Ratio
  • One-on-One Consultations: A private 30-minute manuscript or craft session with Amy Bloom, Connie May Fowler and Josip Novakovich to discuss your specific work.
  • The Nightly Salon Series: Participation in six evening “Literary Salons.” Including, Guest Authors.

2. “All-Inclusive” Gourmet Meals. A “Taste of Québec” Meal Plan

  • Chef-Curated Daily Lunches: From Lobster & Lion’s Mane Rolls to Québec-style Niçoise, enjoyed as a community at Hotel Port Royal Suite.
  • Gourmet Multi-Course Dinners: Five nights of French-inspired dining, featuring local delicacies like Duck with Juniper Berries, Coquilles St. Jacques, and traditional Pouding Chômeur.
  • Vegetarian Excellence: Thoughtfully designed, high-end vegetarian alternatives for every single meal.
  • The Workshop Table: Freshly baked croissants, baguettes, French Toast, special Canadian jams and Wild Blueberries are provided every morning during your sessions.
  • Celebratory Toasts: Including a special Ice Wine tasting sparkling cider pairings and Canadian wines.

3. The Grand Finale

  • The Farewell Gala: A final night celebration 4 course blind dinner with wine, at the Michelin-recommended Chez Rioux & Pettigrew. The restaurant is a short stroll from our base hotel.

The “Royal” Base: All workshops and readings take place in the historic Royal Suite at Hotel Port Royal, ensuring a cohesive and atmospheric environment.

What is not included:

  • Accommodations (Multiple historic options ranging from $825 – $2,024 are available for separate booking with me).
  • Travel to/from Québec City.
  • One “Free Night” dinner (August 29th), allowing you to explore the local bistros of Petit Champlain at your leisure.

Your Home in Old Québec

Choice of HOTEL ROOMS — 6 nights

I have reserved rooms in the following hotels.

August 27th – September 2nd

To ensure you are fully immersed in the “New and Ancient” spirit of our retreat, we have reserved blocks at three distinct, historic properties within walking distance of our base at Hotel Port Royal.

****The Quiet Path: Le Monastère des Augustines (4-Star–10,896 based on TripAdvisor)

Includes Silent Breakfast

Experience the 400-year-old sanctuary of a restored monastery. Perfect for those seeking monastic silence and a contemplative writing environment.

  • Shared Twin Room (Shared Bath): $825 per person
  • Private Single Room (Shared Bath): $1,140

****The Historic Comfort: Hotel des Coutellier (4-Star–2,425 TripAdvisor) 3 – 5 minute walk

Includes Breakfast

Elegant, modern amenities inside a historic stone building.

  • Superior Double Room (Private Bath): $1,130 per person (Shared)

Hotel Atypig (3-Stars) 5 – 10 minute walk

Includes Breakfast

Room with Queen size bed (Private Bath): $1,356

The Base Camp: Hotel Port Royal (4-Star)

Breakfast Not included

The site of our workshops and nightly salons. Features kitchenettes and the ultimate convenience.

  • Superior Deluxe Double (Private Bath): $1,625

The Inspiration: Auberge du Trésor (3.5-Star) 5 – 8 minute walk

Breakfast Not included

Breathtaking park views in the heart of the historic district.

  • Double Bedroom (Private Bath) $1,639
  • Deluxe Queen with Park View (Private Bath) $2,024

You are free to book your own accommodations.

Contact

Nancy Gerbault Director

209 256 2567

nancy@abroadwritersconference.com

Join the Circle: Application Instructions

To maintain the intimacy and high-level craft of the “Writing the Unspoken” retreat, we are strictly limiting enrollment to 18 participants. We seek a diverse group of dedicated poets, memoirists, and fiction writers ready to dive deep into the craft.

The Application Process

Admission is on a rolling basis. Once the 18 seats are filled, we will open a waitlist.

  1. The Manuscript: Please submit up to 10 pages of your current work-in-progress (double-spaced). This helps our instructors group you with the most compatible peers.
  2. The Intent: A brief paragraph (200 words max) telling us why you want to work with our authors?

Deadlines & Deposits

  • Application Fee: A non-refundable $25 application fee is required to review your manuscript.
  • Deposit: Upon acceptance, a $1,325 Non-Refundable deposit is required within 48 hours to secure your tuition.
  • Final Balance: The remaining tuition is due by May 27th.

Deadline for Full Room Payment is June 1st.

To Apply for the 2026 Residency Circle:
“To maintain the intimacy of our 18-person group, we do not use automated registration. Please email your 10-page manuscript and statement of intent directly to Nancy Gerbault at nancy@abroadwritersconference.com. Upon review and acceptance, you will receive a secure invitation to join the circle and select your residency artifact.”

Apply Now: nancy@abroadwritersconference.com

Cancellation Policy

We Strongly Recommend Travel Insurance.

“Due to the intimate nature of this 18-person residency and our fixed commitments to our faculty and venues, all payments are non-refundable. We strongly recommend all participants purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance to protect their investment.”

  • Upon Acceptance: $1,325 Non-Refundable Deposit (Due within 48 hours to hold the seat).
  • 90 Days Before (May 27th): Final Balance of $1,325 Due. Once this is paid, the entire $2,650 becomes non-refundable.

 Travel Insurance to protect your investment in the event of personal emergencies.”

“Minimum Enrollment
Abroad Writers’ Conference requires a minimum of 14 participants to proceed. In the unlikely event that this minimum is not met by July 15th, the residency will be cancelled. In this specific case, 100% of all residency fee.

II

Writing in the World of Jane Austen: Masterclass

by abroadwritersconferenceAbroad Writers ConferencePosted on Comments are Disabled

Abroad Writers’ Conference is hosting a literary retreat in Bath, UK, from August 2nd to 8th, 2026.

We’ll be celebrating the 250th Birthday of Jane Austen.

Conference Highlights

This event is a creative workshop and cultural experience. It is designed for writers to immerse themselves in the Regency atmosphere. This setting inspired Austen’s “Bath novels,” Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. It also influenced other literary giants like Mary Shelley and Charles Dickens.

Workshops: Sessions cover fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry. Ask about our “extra service” full manuscript reading and editing.

Legacy of Inspiration

  • Jane Austen: Resident from 1801 to 1806. Austen used Bath’s fashionable, gossipy society as the essential backdrop for Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. The Pump Room and Assembly Rooms remains today, where her heroines, Catherine Morland and Anne Elliot, often visited.
  • Mary Shelley: In 1816, Shelley resided at 5 Abbey Churchyard, where she wrote a significant portions of Frankenstein. Shelley moved to Bath to hide her stepsister’s pregnancy with Lord Byron’s child. Her original residence was demolish due to the extension of the Pump Room. Her legacy lives on at the immersive “Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein” museum in Bath.
  • Charles Dickens: A frequent visitor since 1835. Dickens famously satirized Bath’s social life in The Pickwick Papers (noting the local mineral water tasted of “warm flat irons”). He is believed to have conceived Little Nell of The Old Curiosity Shop while visiting St James’s Square. His love for the city’s famous Sally Lunn’s buns was immortalized in his 1844 Christmas book, The Chimes.

Why Bath?

From the historical Roman Baths–the “social Heart” Austen and Dickens often satirized. To the majestic Royal Crescent and cozy historic pubs like the Saracen’s Head. Bath offers a unique “magical experience” that continues today. It serves as a pilgrimage site for readers and a sanctuary for writers.

  • Austen’s 250th Birthday: A “once-in-a-lifetime” celebration focused on the author. She lived in Bath from 1801–1806. Austen used its social scene for Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.
  • Literary Landscapes: Workshops will be held near iconic sites. These include the Pump Room (where Shelley’s home once stood), the Assembly Rooms, and the Royal Crescent.
  • Diverse Workshops: Sessions cover fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry. You can even ask about the cost of a full manuscript reading and editing service.

AUTHORS JOINING US IN BATH:

JACQUELYN MITCHARD–Master of family dynamics and suspense (the “Queen of the Deep Dive”).

Jacquelyn Mitchard is a New York Times Bestselling Author. She was Oprah’s Book Club’s first selected author in 1996. She has won the Bram Stoker Award, Shirley Jackson Award and Walkabout Prize in the UK.

Jacquelyn is regarded as a “literary powerhouse”. She focuses on balancing real life with writing, maintaining high productivity, and crafting compelling narratives. She’s widely regarded by other authors and critics as a master of suspense and complex human emotions. Particularly in portraying family crises and “motherly love”.

RUTH PADEL–Award-winning poet blending science, nature, and lyrical prose.

Ruth Padel is a highly acclaimed and award-winning British poet, novelist, and academic. She’s celebrated for her work in literature, classical studies and conservation. She Won the UK National Poetry Competition, 5 times Shortlisted Finalist for the T.S. Eliot Prize and all major UK poetry prizes. She also served as a Judge for the T.S. Eliot Prize. She’s a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. She was the first woman to be elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford University. Ruth has published 16 poetry collections, 2 Fiction, 4 Non-Fiction and 6 Criticism, editing books.

Ruth’s has worked as a broadcast journalist for BBC Radio 3. Served as the the first writer in residence at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Fellow of the Zoological Society of London and she has written extensively on wildlife conservation.

MICHELE ROBERTS–Sensory-focused novelist and former Booker Prize finalist.

Michele Roberts won the highly prestigious British, WH Smith Literary Award. She was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and she served as a Booker Prize Judge. Michele is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a Chevalier de l’order des Arts et des Lettres. She hold the title of Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.

Michele has also served as Poetry Editor at Spare Rib and City Limits, editing work by many emerging feminist writers.

 MASTERCLASS

Half Agony, Half Hope: Mastering the Radical Depth of the Heart

This masterclass curriculum offers a sophisticated, technical deep dive into 

Regency-era fiction, moving past aesthetic clichés to focus on the psychological and sensory “mechanics” that makes Jane Austen’s work enduring.

Here is a breakdown of the core pedagogical pillars of the workshop:

1. The Architecture of Social Satire: Politeness & Poison

This module focuses on the spatial subtext of the Regency world, specifically using the “Pressure Cooker” environments of Bath.

  • Setting as Character: By analyzing the Pump Room and Assembly Rooms, writers learn how physical space dictates behavior. The friction between an internal desire and the rigid filter of decorum creates the “Politeness & Poison” tension.
  • The Technical Engine (Free Indirect Discourse): This is highlighted as the “secret sauce.” It allows the narrator to maintain a “posh” objective tone. Meanwhile, the character’s internal chaos and “damage” are nested directly within the prose.
  • Modern Mirroring: The course uses Jacquelyn Mitchard’s insights into family dynamics. It maps how modern social constraints often mirror the restrictive politeness of Austen’s era.

2. The Sensory Landscape: The “Warm Flat Iron” Effect

This section aims to add “grit” to the setting to prevent prose from becoming overly “airy” or precious.

  • The Warm Flat Iron Concept: A technique to ground the aesthetic in the reality of labor and physical utility.
  • Tactile Prose: Inspired by Michele Roberts, this module emphasizes visceral, physical reality over abstract description.
  • Sensory Mapping: It includes a “Sensory Walk” to historical sites like Sally Lunn’s and Saracen’s Head. The goal is to practice grounding scenes in specific smells, textures, and sounds.

3. Nature, Science, and the Romantic Heart

The final module bridges the gap between Enlightenment logic and Romantic emotion. This connection makes the famous “Half agony, half hope” state feel earned.

  • Romantic Logic: Led by Ruth Padel, this approach links scientific observation with emotional longing. It treats deep emotion as a logical conclusion of the character’s circumstances rather than a random outburst.
  • Movement as Revelation: Writers use Anne Elliot’s walks from Persuasion as a model. They learn to blend lyrical emotion with grounded observation.
  • Managing Turmoil: A technical workshop on navigating the transition between an objective narrator and a character’s heightened emotional state. This workshop ensures a deep impact while avoiding sentimentality.

Workshop Highlights

  • Renowned Faculty: Instruction from JACQUELYN MITCHARD (NYT Bestseller), RUTH PADEL (T.S. Eliot Award shortlistee), and MICHELLE ROBERTS (Booker Finalist).

This creative retreat combines immersive writing workshops at the Queensberry Hotel Garden with visits to Bath’s most iconic historical landmarks. It also includes culinary landmarks. Each location offers a unique atmospheric lens for your storytelling.

To help you get the most out of this creative retreat, here is a quick breakdown of what to expect at these iconic Bath locations:

  • Lunch: The Olive Tree: Since it’s your “Michelin bookend” (August 2 & 7), expect ultra-seasonal British ingredients. It’s located in the basement of The Queensberry Hotel. The setting offers a chic, quiet atmosphere, perfect for decompressing after a morning workshop.
  • Lunch : The Pump Room: It adjoins the Roman Baths. This grand neo-classical room has been the social heart of Bath for centuries. It is a quintessential spot for observational writing. Here, you can capture the “theatre” of afternoon tea. It is accompanied by live music, much as Austen’s characters would have experienced. The “Politeness & Poison” theme fits perfectly here—it’s where Jane Austen’s characters would have paraded. The acoustics are grand, often featuring a live string trio.
  • Lunch Sally Lunn’s: As one of the oldest houses in the city (c. 1480). It has a strong connection to the 1816-1817 period. During this time, Mary Shelley lived nearby at 5 Abbey Churchyard. She wrote much of Frankenstein there. The restauant is cramped, historic, and smells incredible. The “Sensory Mapping” exercise will likely focus on the famous Sally Lunn buns, a favorite of Charles Dickens. The “crooked rooms” and basement kitchen museum provide an intimate atmosphere. This setting is perfect for writing about culinary heritage. It is also ideal for exploring hidden histories.
  • Lunch: Royal Crescent Hotel restaurant, Montagu’s Mews–a Michelin Recommended Restaurant. Literary reference in Northanger Abbey, Austen refers to the Royal Crescent as a place to “breathe the fresh air of better company,” highlighting its status during her time in Bath.
  • Lunch The Saracen’s Head: A total shift in energy—think dark wood, history, and Dickensian grit. It’s a great spot to pivot from the “high society” feel of the Crescent. You can easily transition to something more grounded and “old world.”

Cost & Lodging

Workshop Fee: $2,400 (excludes room costs).

Accommodations in Bath: We have reserved rooms at several hotels in Bath. Prices range from $461 to $2,570 for a six-night stay. You’re not restricted to using only the accommodations we reserved.

THE QUEENSBERRY HOTEL

Abroad Writers’ Conference is hosting our Literary Event at the Queensberry Hotel. It was built in 1771 as a private residence for the Marquess of Queensberry. There we will be pairing the Georgian elegance of the Queensberry Hotel. Joined with the Michelin–starred artistry of The Olive Tree Restaurant perfectly honors the 250th birthday of Jane Austen. She so brilliantly captured Bath’s social and culinary nuances.

Culinary Inspiration: The Olive Tree is renowned for its tasting menus, which provides a creative springboard for sensory writing exercises.

Atmospheric Venues: The hotel’s drawing rooms offer the exact “fashionable, gossipy society” atmosphere Austen used in Northanger Abbey.

Garden
Garden

Daily workshops and readings will take place in the Garden.  Since August in Bath typically sees about 60-70mm of rainfall, having an “indoor” literary room inside has been arranged.

Screenshot

Why the Queensberry Hotel is the Perfect Venue

The Queensberry Hotel is positioned as a premier venue for our workshops and readings. This is due to its seamless blend of literary history. It also embraces Georgian heritage and modern excellence. 

Creative Atmosphere: The venue’s mission is to honor the classic. It also aims to create something fresh. This makes the venue ideal for masterclasses and creative retreats.

Historical Significance: The hotel is located near St. James’s Square, the site where Charles Dickens reportedly conceived the character Little Nell.

Architectural Context: It sits close to the Royal Crescent and Assembly Rooms. These are landmarks famous for their appearance in Jane Austen’s Persuasion.

The “Living Classroom”: Its physical space acts as an educational environment, balancing classic 18th-century design with contemporary innovation.

Michelin-Starred Innovation: It houses The Olive Tree in Bath. It is the city’s only Michelin-starred restaurant. The restaurant represents the “fresh and vital” counterpart to the city’s historic roots.

Where will You be Housed

Unfortunately, not everyone will be lucky enough to stay at the Queensberry Hotel. It’s a small hotel with limited rooms.

These hotels are excellent alternatives. They are located within a 6 to 15-minute walk from the Queensberry Hotel in Bath.

We offer discounted room rates for full non-refundable payment.

The Queensberry Hotel 4.6 stars (426)

The Queensberry Hotel in Bath offers 29 uniquely designed, stylish bedrooms across four Georgian townhouses. It’s a blend of modern comfort with historic charm. Rooms have high ceilings, Georgian windows and some with fireplaces.

$2,180 (1503 pounds) Classic Room

$2,375 (1638 pounds) King Size Bedroom Room

$2,570 (1773 pounds) Deluxe Room

$3,129 (2158 pounds) Junior Suite Non-refundable

The Francis Hotel 4.5 stars (1.3K)

The Francis Hotel in Bath, England, is a Bridgerton-style place to stay in Bath.This historic hotel is a Grade I listed Georgian townhouses that were converted in 1884.

Room Rate: 6 nights, breakfast not included.

Hotel Overview for Writers

  • Literary Atmosphere: The hotel is situated in Queen Square. This area is central to Bath’s rich literary heritage.
  • Writer-Friendly Features:
    • Dedicated Writing Spaces: The hotel recently added a new “snug”. It is designed specifically for guests to think. It also serves to spark conversation and make new connections.
    • Historic Setting: The interior features period charm with Regency-inspired decor. It includes crystal chandeliers and antique writing desks. This setting is ideal for an immersive writing environment.
  • Significance of the Location: While the hotel itself is not the specific location of the Austen family home, the surrounding Queen Square area was where Jane Austen lived

Proximity to Conference Events 

The Abroad Writers’ Conference hosts its primary literary events at the Queensberry Hotel. It’s .3 miles away, 5–15 minute walk, from the Francis Hotel.

Room Rate: 6 nights, breakfast not included

$2,003.00: Small Classic Bedroom Non-refundable rate $1,694.00

$2,198.00: Deluxe Bedroom with King Size Bed Non-refundable rate $1,876

Apex City of Bath Hotel 4.5 stars (2.1K)

The Apex is Bath’s newest luxury four-star hotel. The Apex Hotel represents two distinct complementary sides of Bath’s identity. Offering a functional bridge between modern and the historical inspiration of a quintessential Georgian residence built in 1771. The Apex serves as a contemporary counterpart that reflects modern luxury.

The contemporary hotel design features a curved facade of blond Bath stone. This design is meant to blend modern elements with the city’s UNESCO World Heritage status.

The Apex is situated on James Street West, approximately 0.4 miles (about a 9–11 minute walk) from Queensberry Hotel. It is one of the larger hotels in the city and features a pool, gym, and on-site restaurant.

Room Rate: 6 nights, breakfast not included.

$870.00 : Classic twin bedroom shared room by two AWC participants.

$1,875.00 : Deluxe King Size Bedroom non-refundable rate $1,593

Hampton Hilton 4.4 Stars (854)

The Hampton Hilton  serves as a practical and modern “home base.” It complements the historical and atmospheric experience of the Abroad Writers’ Conference at The Queensberry Hotel. The Queensberry provides Regency-era inspiration. It offers Michelin-starred dining. Meanwhile, the Hampton offers functional amenities. These amenities support a writer’s daily needs.

Located on Avon Street, this hotel is approximately 0.5 miles (a 10–13 minute walk) from Queensberry Hotel. It offers dependable, modern accommodations and is very close to the main shopping areas and Bath College.

Convenient Commute to the Queensberry Hotel 10-15 minutes

Room Rate: 6 Nights, Complimentary Hot Buffet Breakfast included

$810.00 per person: Twin Room shared by two paying participants. Non-refundable $616

$1,620.00: Room with Queen size bedroom. Non-refundable $1,232

Three Star Non-Refundable Hotels–I will need to reserve for you

***The Z Hotel Bath Queen size non-refundable room for $883 for 6 nights.

***Holiday Inn Express Bath Standard Room, Double Bed with Free Breakfast $923. 2 Twin Beds Room with two paying participants $461.50

***Premier Inn Bath City Centre Standard Double Room non-refundable room $993.00 for 6 nights

For the 

Abroad Writers’ Conference,

Nancy Gerbault, Founding Director

Nancy Gerbault, through the following channels:

If you are looking to apply for a program, you need to first email your resume. Include your literary career details in the email. Send it to the email above. This is required before you receive an official application form.

Write, Relax, and Reimagine Your Craft – 5* Luxury Literary Retreat in Vietnam

by abroadwritersconferenceUncategorizedPosted on Comments are Disabled

March 28 – April 4, 2026 / Da Nang, Vietnam / Join Pulitzer Prize-Winning Authors at a 5-Star Coastal Escape

Reserve Your Spot Now

Meet the Authors – Elevate Your Writing – Relax in Paradise

The Abroad Spring Experience offers a unique opportunity to

explore a historic destination while enriching your

creative spirit through writing workshops,

cultural events, nightly readings, group dinners

with award winning author

 6,700 sq ft Garden Villa

 3 Bedrooms: 2 King, 2 Twin Beds

 Private Pool + Terrace

Free Wi-Fi

 Lush Garden Views

Meet Your Mentors

 GERALDINE BROOKS

Pulitzer Prize Winner –  #1 NYT Bestseller

Memoir Workshop (12 hrs)

Her novels People of the Book, Caleb’s Crossing, The Secret Choir and Horse all were New York Times Bestsellers. She is also a nonfiction author of 3 books. Her latest book, Memorial Days, was published January 24, 2025 in Australia.

She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction in 2006 for her novel March. Her novels People of the Book, Caleb’s Crossing, The Secret Chord and Horse all were New York Times Bestsellers. Her first novel, Year of Wonders is an an international bestseller, translated into more than 25 languages and currently optioned for a limited series by Olivia Coleman’s production company. She is also the author of the nonfiction works Nine Parts of Desire, Foreign Correspondence and The Idea of Home. Her latest book, Memorial Days, was published January 24 in Australia, and February 4 in the United States.

Brooks married fellow journalist and author Tony Horwitz in Tourette-sur-Loup France in 1984 and were together until his sudden death in 2019.  They have two sons, Nathaniel and Bizu, She now lives with a dog named Bear and a mare named Valentine by an old mill pond on Martha’s Vineyard and spends as much time as she can in Australia.  In 2016, she was named an Officer in the Order of Australia.

JOSIP NOVAKOVICH

Booker Finalist

Short Story and Poetry (12 hours)

He will also have a critique & revision workshop for 6 hours

Josip Novakovich was born in Yugoslavia (in 1956) and grew up in the central Croatian town of Daruvar. Novakovich studied medicine at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia. He left Yugoslavia to avoid service in the Yugoslav People’s Army, and moved to the United States at the age of 20. He continued his education at Vassar College (A.B.), Yale Divinity School (M.Div.), and the University of Texas, Austin (M.A.)

Novakovich is a recipient of the Whiting Award, a Guggenheim fellowship, two fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts, panelist of National Endowment of the Arts, an award from the Ingram Merrill Foundation, and an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation. Novakovich was a finalist for The Man Booker International Prize in 2013. He was anthologized in Best American Poetry, Pushcart Prize (three times), and O.Henry Prize Stories. Kirkus Reviews called Novakovich “the best American short stories writer of the decade”. In 2017, Tumbleweed was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize.

JAYNE ANNE PHILLIPS

Pulitzer Prize Winner – NYT Bestselling Author

Fiction Workshop (12 hours)

Jayne Anne Phillips is the author of six novels, including Night Watch, Quiet Dell, Lark And Termite, MotherKind, Shelter, and Machine Dreams, and two widely anthologized story collections, Fast Lanes, and Black Tickets. Night Watch was awarded the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and Long listed for the National Book Award: Quiet Dell was a Wall Street Journal and Kirk’s Review Best Fiction selection. Lark and Termite, winner of the Heartland Prize, was a finalist for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Prix de Medici Etranger, Machine Dreams, chosen as one of (12) New York Times’ Best Books of the year, was a finalist for National Book Critic’s Circle Award. Black Tickets, awarded the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction from the American Academy, is often cited as a book of stories that influenced a generation of writers. The recipient of Guggenheim, National Endowment for the Arts, Howard, Bunting, and Rockefeller Foundation Fellowships, Phillips is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Letters. See information, essays and text source photographs at her website, www.jayneannephillips.com.

Room Rates without workshops

Room TypePriceMeals Add-OnDescription
Shared Bedroom (Twin)
Includes daily massages and activities		$2,450 pp+$420 (3 meals a day)
Shared room in 3 bedroom villa, 6,000 sf, 4 participants
Private King bedroom
Includes daily massages and activities		$2,950+$420 (3 meals a day)Private room in shared villa, 3 bedrooms, 4 participants
One Bedroom Private Villa (King)
Includes daily massages and activities		$3,450+$420 (3 meals a day)Entire villa to yourself
Extra Guest Fee
Includes daily massages and activities		$1,000+$420 (3 meals a day)Add-on person in a private King bedroom in Shared Villa or Private One Bedroom Villa.

For each guest, we’ll offer a full-service spa, daily massages, meditation, yoga

Three Bedroom Shared Villa

One Bedroom Villa

Writing Workshops Rates

Basic rate: $750 workshop with guest authors Geraldine Brooks, Josip Novakovich, Jayne Anne Phillips.

Addition Add-on Workshops

1. Extra class with Guest Authors –12 hours–$750

2. Josip Nonakovich, will also be teaching a Critique-and-Revision Seminar for a small number of writers. This workshop is for writers who have completed or nearly completed manuscript of fiction, non-fiction or memoir. It will focus on strategies for revising and perfecting the narrative to increase the potential for successful publication. Manuscripts for this Master Class will be submitted in advance on a competitive basis and just two manuscripts selected, in order to provide the intensive attention of a small-group setting. These two manuscripts will be edited prior to arrival and discussed in a six-hour class. $8.00 per page.

(no charge for submission)

Dining Experience at Naman Retreat

Many retreats offer writing and yoga—our event also offers Vietnamese cast-net fishing, calligraphy, cooking classes and plaster painting!`

Free Daily Massages, Yoga, Beach Meditation, Tai Chi
Cast-net fishing
Calligraphy
Cultural and Musical performances
Meditation
Vietnamese Cooking classes

Daily Schedule

March 28th, 2:00 pm Check-in Naman Retreat

5:00 pm Welcome Party at Authors Villa

7:00 Dinner, Naman Special Seafood BBQ Night

Daily 7:00 – 8:00 Naman Awaken Yoga, optional

Daily 8:00 – 9:00 Meditation, optional

Daily 8:30 – 12:30 workshops–March 29th- March 31st Geraldine Brooks, April 1st – 3rd Jayne Anne Phillips

12:30 – 1:30 Lunch at Authors Villa–for those on meal plan

1:30 – 4:30 workshops–March 29, 31, April 2, 3 Josip Novakovich

Daily Readings

Excursions

Hoi An

April 3rd, Hoi An leave at 3:30, Dinner at 5:30 at Hoi An Sense, visiting the night market plus a lantern boat tour of old Hoi An.

Image Lantern Night Market and restaurant Hoi An Sense where we’ll be eating dinner. Hoi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a charming well-preserved ancient town. Dinner at Hoi A Sense.

Hoi An is an exceptionally well-preserved South-East Asian trading port. The architecture dates back to the 15th – 19th century.The buildings, street plan reflects the influences from both indigenous and foreign settlers. This combination produced a unique heritage site.

Monkey and MARBLE Mountain

Red-Shanked Douc Monkeys

April 1st, Monkey Mountain, leave at 12:30, take-out Traditional Banh Mi sandwiches, dessert and beverage. Dinner 6:00 Rang, Indian Michelin Bib rated

Son Tea Mountain is a must see experience in Da Nang. Monkey Mountain is located 10 kilometers from Da Nang. The mountain is a primordial woodland with breathtaking vistas. There’s around 1000 plant species and 120 animal species found in the old forest.

Hiking on the lower route of the mountain allows you to see the inspiring coastline of the mountain. The upper route leads you to the peaks with the most panoramic views.

The lush jungle trails you’re able to spot endangered species, pygmy slow lorises, rhesus macaques, red-shanked doc langurs.

Coming to Son Tra Mountain (monkey mountain), there’s nothing more interesting than watching golden monkeys swinging from the trees to find food.

Lin Ung Pagoda is an attraction in Da Nang. The pagoda was built in the 18th century.

The Lady Buddha statue, is the tallest statue in Vietnam. It’s the most important visible feature of Line Ung.

Dinner at RANG. Michelin Bib Gourmand Award

RANG is a delightful blend of Mediterranean essence and Indian flavors.

DA NANG

Dragon Bridge

March 30th, Da Nang visit city after lunch at 1:30. Dinner at 7:30 Madame Lan (riverside table), 9:00 pm Dragon Bridge fire and water show begins. We’ll be able to watch from our table at Madame Lan’s.

Free Afternoon: what to do

MUSEUM OF CHAM SCULPTURE

PINK CATHEDRAL

HANDICRAFT STORES

DRAGON BRIDGE

Meet at Michelin recommended, MADAME LAN, for Dinner @ 7:30, and to watch the Fire and Water performance on Dragon Bridge

We’ll be tasting the top 10 Da Nang specialties for dinner.

TESTIMONIALS

” The great strength of your conferences involves the near constant availability of your faculty for your students.  The insularity of the venues and your ever-expanding social/formal contact inevitably foster ongoing pedagogical contact one on one or in small, impromptu groups. Intensity is the splendid product you sell to your students.” Robert Olen Butler — “Attended …

Attended the Abroad Writers Conference…. in Lake Como, Italy, 6/21-28. Workshop leaders were Pulitzer winners Jane Smiley and Rae Armantrout and several other winners of prominent awards including Alex Shumatoff, Paul Hardin, and Nikky Finney. Workshop students were also accomplished writers with publications. Many held university teaching positions or worked as consultants or editors, which made exchange of ideas about the craft of writing lively and productive.”  Maija Rhee Devine

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“I was overwhelmed at the level, quality, and generosity of the instructors.”

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“The week I spent with Robert Olen Butler and Paul Harding at Hever castle was marvelous and memorable, not just for the spectular venu that the castle provided for the conference. It was really reinvigorating and reinspiring to get into the work of our eleven participants, an incredibly varied bunch of backgrounds and sensibilities all of whom had serious literary chops and distinctive voices. To know that the written word is not dead, that  it still has such passionate afficinados with whom I could share the insights into the writing game and tricks of the trade I have picked up over the decades, and could make specific textual suggestions on how to make their work clearer and stronger, to “make every word tell,” in Strunk and White’s famous injunction, to “love” the writing, as William Shawn used to tell us at the New Yorker, until the sound and flow and sense of the words become what they are talking about. I particularly enjoyed interacting with two great fiction writers, and I think the participants benefited from having the perspectives of both novelists and a literary journalist. It was fun, but intense. Some of these writers we are definitely going to be hearing more from.  Ic raise my glass to Nancy Gerbault for putting together such an interesting gathering.”

Alex Shoumatoff

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“The mix of people, the professionalism of the writers, both teachers and participants. I felt renewed and energized from the experience – the entire climate of the conference was really positive .”

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“Readings”

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“Enjoyed the variety of readers – the accord given to the big names and the lesser known – loved the addition of local readers as well.”

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“I loved the readings. Everyone was brilliant. I was introduced to so many wonderful writers whose work I am now reading. I loved the atmosphere and the hall as well. Wonderful acoustics for the readings.”

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Words cannot begin to express how grateful I am to you for acknowledging my work and for making my life-altering (truly) experience in Provence. You have created something truly extraordinary–a communion of artists and thinkers of various backgrounds and disciplines and provided the magical space for like minds to meet. You have, in this rare creation, enabled writers at all stages of their careers to come together and shape their thoughts and ideas, and change one another in the process. You have built in every sense a true contemporary “Salon”, a remarkable forum. You should be so very proud of your brain-child, after so much thought, effort and planning. It’s an extraordinary reality! I am honored and grateful to have been chosen to be a part of it. When my career takes off I know it will be, in no small part, because of the support and encouragement I received from you and all associated with ABROAD WRITERS’ CONFERENCE. It meant more than you know. GRATEFULLY, Kelleigh Greenberg

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“I enjoyed the workshops tremendously. Both my workshop leaders were absolutely wonderful, as were my workshop peers. I have never attended better poetry workshops. It was an honor to study with Patricia Smith and Michele Roberts.”

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“You introduced us to a new world here and I should never forget this experience. A very brave and inspiring enterprise.”  Margaret Drabble

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“The people were extremely talented and inspiring. The castle was gorgeous.”

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“I liked the accomplished teachers. Jacquelyn Mitchard, Jane Smiley and Ethel Rohan. Would never have had the opportunity to take a class from someone with their expertise.”

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“I had a magical few days in a wonderful location with a very special group of people and I won’t forget a moment of it for a very long time to come. May I say that I was full of admiration for the way you’d brought the whole thing about – not only such an impressive combination of writers, but the huge amount of planning that had gone into making the entire week such a rich experience for everyone, from the fish soup to the pope’s palace.” Rebecca Abrams

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“For somebody expecting judgement, Jane’s [Smiley] was a pleasant surprise. I have since found out by research that Jane changed the way this is taught in the entire university system. Instead of you getting anxious about your work, she simply stays completely away from that  and teaches you analytical tools so that you can analyze what does work in your own work or what doesn’t . It is empowering the writer. Since the workshop Jane has continued to be accessible.”

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“I liked the teaching style of each leader. I enjoyed being treated like a colleague by everyone including leaders and not just a wanna be writer which at my age and achievment is getting old, older than me lol. I have kept in touch and heard from all the workshop leaders since we came home. All are open to answering questions and lending a hand with publication issues etc.”

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“With thanks for inviting me to be a part of this amazing conference–I’m excited by the prospects for the future…..and grateful for the wonderful opportunity. I don’t think I ever could have imagined that I’d find myself in such an astonishing, magical setting– amongst such astonishing people.” Dan Chaon

Booking

  • How to book? Contact Nancy@abroadwritersconference.com
  • Do I need to be an experienced writer? we accept writers from all levels and readers
  • Are flights included? no

Contact: Nancy Gerbault, Abroad Writers’ Conference, Director. nancy@abroadwritersconference.com

209 256 2567

Visit Ancient Worlds of Legends and Myths

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JULY 15th – 24th

ABROAD WRITERS’ CONFERENCE is going on a cruise with Finishing Line Press Authors. We’ll be traveling together as a group, from Athens to Rome on Atlas Ocean Voyages, to Mykonos, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Valletta, Malta; Syracuse (Sicily), Italy; Lipari Island (Sicily), Italy; Capri, Italy; Rome, Italy

We’ll be cruising on the Mediterranean Sea. Learning from Award Winning Authors and Listening to new and veteran authors reading excerpts from their latest books, while sipping a glass of wine. Daylight will be the time for walking on the footsteps of ancient worlds. In the evening, sea scents mingle with aromas of craft cuisine.

Authors joining us: Deirdre Fagan, Leah Maines, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Billy O’Callaghan.

For more information about the cruise please contact me directly: nancy@abroadwritersconference.com

CELEBRATION OF AUTHORS FROM FINISHING LINE PRESS

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COME JOIN US ON A JOUNEY INTO A WORLD OF PRODUCTIVE CREATIVITY AND INSPIRATIONAL JOY. ABROAD WRITERS’ CONFERENCE INTIMATE LITERARY CRUISE SALON.

VENICE TO ATHENS

JUNE 5 – 14, 2024

Award Winning Authors, Poets, Filmmakers and Lovers of the Arts will be joining us for a fabulous cruise on Atlas Ocean Voyage from Venice, Italy to Athens, Greece. From Venice we’ll be stopping in Ancona, Italy; Hvar Island, Croatia; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Montenegro, Kotor; Corfu, Greece; Delphi. Our final destination is Athens, Greece

.We’ll be cruising on the stunningly beautiful Adriatic Sea. Crystal clear water that varies in color from green to azure blue, is home to an abundance of marine life, dolphins, sea turtles and various species of fish. On board, you’ll experience the delights of three different restaurants with a variety of choices—meals and drinks covered by the cost of your stateroom. Dive into the swimming pool or take a full treatment spa treatment, inviting hot tub. A voucher will be offered to use on services.

Evening begins with Learning from Award Winning Authors and Listening to new and veteran authors reading excerpts from their latest books, while sipping a glass of wine. Daylight is a time of exploration. Visiting the sites and sounds of ancient cities and ruins of the past.

Atlas Ocean Voyages is giving our group a $1,000 discount.

We’ll be offering a variety of workshops and master classes in poetry, children’s book writing, fiction & nonfiction, memoir.

Award Winning Authors joining us: LINDA OATMAN HIGH, BILLY O’CALLAGHAN, Poet to be announced shortly.

For more information, please contact us at nancy@abroadwritersconference.com

JUNE 2019, Abroad Writers’ Conference is going to visit, one of the world’s greatest food cities, SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN

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HONDARRIBIA, SPAIN

In mid June, Abroad Writers’ Conference is going to travel to San Sebastian, Spain. We’ll be staying in the ancient town of Hondarribia in a 10th century Castle. Hondarribia is just outside of San Sebastian. This charming Old Medieval Basque Town is one of the most beautiful places in the region.

This historic coastal fishing town, is surrounded by fortified walls. Inside the walls lies a beautiful old town, with cobble stone streets, old Basque houses in vivid colors, Michelin star restaurants, pinto bars and charming shops.

For the past 10 years, San Sebastian has been known as one of the food meccas of the world. Yearly, one of the top 10 restaurants in the world is situated in San Sebastian. A food and writing experience in San Sebastian, Spain.

I’m just starting to line-up authors for this exciting event.

Events for the future

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Unfortunately, we will not be holding a conference this year because of a family illness. Hopefully, we’ll be having another event next summer.

I look forward to seeing you next year.

Best,

Nancy

12/8-15/2017 Partial or FULL MANUSCRIPT RETREAT in GUALALA, California

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ST ORRES, Gualala

 

ABROAD WRITERS’ CONFERENCE has been offering Full-Length Manuscripts Edit & Critique Workshops for Six years. This highly successful workshop has helped numerous writers get their manuscripts published.

This December, we’re planning on holding a special Full or Partial Manuscript Retreat at St. Orres in Gualala, California. We will be accepting both Fiction & Non-Fiction Manuscripts with no page limit.

What makes this event different from our normal workshop?

– The conference will focus specifically on Full Manuscripts. We will not be offering single chapter workshops, just completed work.

Daily Schedule

– 8:00 – 12:00 Daily morning workshops with Jacquelyn Mitchard or Connie May Fowler. Each day, one participant will receive a 4 1/2 hour critique of manuscript from instructor and participants in workshop. Prior to arrival, all participant in workshop must read, edit and write a critique of all participants manuscripts. Workshops will have a maximum of 8 attendees.

– 2:30 – 6:30 Afternoon Craftwork with Guest Authors will be teaching a series of Craft workshops. Workshops various topics such as:Time Present and Time Past in Visual Settings, Tension within a story, Dialogue, Plot, Narrative Structure and Writing about Politics.

-6:30 – 7:30 Readings & Panel Discussions

-7:30 Dinner

– All participants will submit information to Literary Agent, Jeff Kleinman prior to arrival:

– Query letter
– One-page single-spaced synopsis
– First 20 pages of manuscript, doublespaced, times roman 12, 1” margins.

At Retreat:

Jeff Kleinman will have, One on One with each participants. They will discuss their manuscript and the possibility of representation. If not with Jeff, whom he would recommend.

– Afternoons are devoted to writing and exploration. St Orres is located on the coast in Mendocino County. This uniquely crafted Russian style hotel is a California landmark. The owner built this magical hotel in the redwoods 45 years ago. magnificent location is rich in wildlife and natural beauty. From your cabin in the woods, you’ll experience the pleasure of being in
one of the most beautiful locations in California.

INSTRUCTORS:

CONNIE MAY FOWLER – Full Manuscript Edit & Critique

JACQUELYN MITCHARD – Full Manuscript Edit & Critique

GUEST AUTHORS:

ETHEL ROHAN – The Art of Tension

Tension is anticipation. Who are the main and secondary characters? What do they need and want? Why do they need and want what they do? How do they go about achieving their desires? What’s in their way? Will they succeed or fail? Story collapses without tension and conflict. There have to be burning motivations, high stakes, and mounting obstacles. In class, we will dissect a sampling of stories and zero in on tension in particular to study the various and most compelling ways it is achieved.

GABRIELLE SELZ – Visual Element of Setting/Time and Space in a Story

AGENT:   JEFF KLEINMAN of Folio Literary Management

Books Jeff Kleinman is looking for:

  • Books with a distinctive, special voice.
  • Books with a very unique premise,  “I haven’t seen this before”.
  • Upmarket/literary suspense/thrillers. Psychological suspense stories with unique concepts and strong writing.
  • Escape stories that take us totally out of our world and into another.
  • History has always been a passion, so I’m on the lookout for something that brings the past to life.

A great story can allow you to enter other people’s thoughts and lives – and, when you close the book with a sigh, transform you: maybe you’re a little more grateful, or a little kinder, or a little wiser. I love books that inspire me to become better, smarter, more present. This has been the case with many of the books I’ve represented, and it’s something I seek in new projects. I believe strongly that books can make a difference. Good writing and smart ideas can change our world.

 

Dining Room

 

Price:

Single Room in Hotel with shared bathroom                                               $3,150

Choice of staying in a Single Creekside Cabin or an Elegant 2 bedroom Creekside Cottages with private bath                                 $3,350

Creekside Suite with Sauna or Deep Soaking Tub                                 $3,750

Price includes:

Full Manuscript Edit & Critique Workshop

Guest Author craft workshops & Seminars

Agent Review of Manuscript

Full Breakfast & Three Course Dinner

Spa with Sauna and Hot Tub – Extra fee for Massages

Exciting News, JOHN BANVILLE, will be joining us in Kinsale

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JOHN BANVILLE

JOHN BANVILLE will be joining us at the Abroad Writers’ Conference in Kinsale, Ireland, August 6th at Blue Haven Hotel. Tickets will be 15 euros. 

William John Banville was born in Wexford, Ireland, in 1945, the youngest of three siblings. He was educated at Christian Brothers schools and St Peter’s College, Wexford. After college John worked as a clerk for Ireland’s national airline, Aer Lingus, before joining The Irish Press as a sub-editor in 1969. Continuing with journalism for over thirty years, John was Literary Editor at The Irish Times from 1988 to 1999.

John’s first book, Long Lankin, a collection of short stories and a novella, was published in 1970. His first novel, Nightspawn, came out in 1971, followed byBirchwood (1973), Doctor Copernicus (1976), Kepler (1981), The Newton Letter(1982), Mefisto (1986), The Book of Evidence (1989), Ghosts (1993), Athena(1995), The Untouchable (1997), Eclipse (2000), Shroud (2002), The Sea (2005),The Infinities (2009) and Ancient Light (2012). His non-fiction book, Prague Pictures: Portraits of a City, was published in 2003 as part of Bloomsbury’s ‘The Writer and the City’ series. In 2012, an anthology comprising extracts from John’s fifteen novels to date, together with selections drawn from his dramatic works and various reviews, was published under the title, Possessed of a Past: A John Banville Reader.

Among the awards John’s novels have won are the Allied Irish Banks fiction prize, the American-Irish Foundation award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, theGuardian Fiction Prize. In 1989 The Book of Evidence was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and was awarded the first Guinness Peat Aviation Award; in Italian, as La Spiegazione dei Fatti, the book was awarded the 1991 Premio Ennio Flaiano. Ghostswas shortlisted for the Whitbread Fiction Prize 1993; The Untouchable for the same prize in 1997. In 2003 John was awarded the Premio Nonino. He has also received a literary award from the Lannan Foundation in the US. In 2005, John won the Man Booker Prize for The Sea. In 2011 he was awarded the Franz Kafka Prize. Last year, John was awarded the Irish Pen Award for Outstanding Achievement in Irish Literature.

Under the pseudonym Benjamin Black, John has published the following crime novels: Christine Falls (2006), The Silver Swan (2007), The Lemur (2008), Elegy for April (2010), A Death in Summer (2011) and Vengeance (2012). Later this year, Mantle will publish Holy Orders, the sixth book in the Quirke series. The first three have been adapted by Andrew Davies and Conor McPherson for the BBC, and will be broadcast later this autumn, starring Gabriel Byrne in the title role.

John (again writing as Benjamin Black) has also been commissioned by theRaymond Chandler Estate to pen a new Philip Marlowe novel which will be published by Holt in the US in 2014.