Beach Bound Retreat 2008

Retreat October 31 - November 2, 2008

Please click here to view bios and fees

Tentative Schedule

Fri Oct 31:

4:30pm Arrival
6:30pm Lowcountry Welcome Dinner

Sat Nov 1:

7:00 - 8:30am Breakfast
9:00 - 11:00am Right to Write - with Joanna Wayne
12:00 - 1:30pm Lunch
2:00 - 3:00pm Survive to Write and Write to Survive–How to Hang in There Until You’re Published - with Robin Owens
3:30 - 4:30pm Writer’s Journey into the Secret Garden - with Debra Moffitt
6:00pm - Mexican Fiesta with Margaritas

Sun Nov 2:

9:03 - 11:30am Champagne Brunch
12:00 noon - 2:00pm Building Characters - with Bill Murray
2:30 - 4:00pm Panel of authors - State of the Market and answering your questions!
5:00pm Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant (this meal not included in price)
5:00pm Checkout time for those not staying for Hermit Week 1

Speaker Bios and Workshop Abstracts

Robin Owens
Survive to Write and Write to Survive–How to Hang in There Until You’re Published

Bio: RITA winner Robin D. Owens has been writing longer than she cares to recall. Her fantasy/futuristic romances from Berkley started with HeartMate in 2001. Since then, Heart Thief was a launch book for Berkley Sensation in 2003, Heart Duel was published in 2004, and Heart Choice in 2005. Her Luna Books series includes shape-shifiting fairies and average American women summoned into another world to fight monstrous evil. The first, Guardian of Honor, came out in 2005 and Sorceress of Faith was released in 2006. Read more about Robin and her books at www.RobinOwens.com

Worshop abstract: Practical techniques and discussion include: defining yourself as a writer, goal setting, accentuating the positive (supportive techniques) and eleminating the negative (kill that inner critic!), practicing your craft and determination and luck.

Joanna Wayne
Right to Write

Bio: The best-selling, award-winning author of more than thirty novels, Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994, but she will be the first to tell you that the wheels were set in motion years before. She started reading at four years of age, the same age that she began making weekly trips to the library to check out as many books as they’d let her have, only to finish reading them all before bedtime. That love of books never waned. oanna was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the middle child of a large family. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984 when she married her current husband. New Orleans opened up a whole new realm of activities and she found the mix of cultures, music, history, food and sultry southern classics along with her love of reading a natural impetus for beginning her writing career. It was there that she attended her first writing class and joined her first professional writing organization. From that point on, there was no looking back.

Now, almost forty published books later, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and mainstream novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College. Learn more about Joanna at www.JoannaWayne.com

Worshop abstract: Avoid burnout and writing block while finishing your book in record time. Strategies and techniques to keep you optimistic, creative and focused while producing record number of pages with even limited writing time.

Debra Moffitt
Writer’s Journey into the Secret Garden

bio: Debra Moffitt was a successful international business executive before making a leap of faith into the writing world by parachuting out of a plane at 12,000 feet above St. Tropez. She decided if she had enough courage to face her fear of falling, then she could face the perils of leaving the steady income of a high-paying business career to become a fulltime writer. The leap of faith has paid off in a rewarding career in writing and speaking to others about making life changes that connect with the heart.

Dreams, symbols and creative vision are the focus of Debra’s writing in both fiction and non-fiction. Her fiction was broadcast globally by BBC World Services Radio and stories from her collection Riviera Stories: Just Below the Surface, appear in The French Literary Review and in Cha: Asian Literary Journal. Her non-fiction essays and articles on dreams, creativity, sacred space, wines, travel and architecture have appeared in The European, Venture Inward, Architecture Week, Faith and Form: The Journal of Art, Religion and Architecture, Hors Ligne: Luxury, Lifestyle and Adventure Magazine, Ticino Welcome, Southpark and other publications in the U.S. and Europe.

Debra is an active member of the International Women Writers Guild (IWWG), and has led workshops all over the world. She has spent fifteen years practicing meditation, working with dreams and writing. She has lived in the South of France, the Swiss Alps and Charlotte, NC and continues to divide her time between the U.S. and Europe. Visit her website at: www.debramoffitt.com.

Workshop abstract: This workshop will focus on ways to nurture creativity and imagination through weaving symbols and creative inspiration into writing through the metaphor of the secret garden. We will explore gateways to using intuition, dreams, meditation and creative images to inspire writing and keep the creative well full.

Bill Murray
Create Unforgettable Characters by Understanding Psychological Type— the MBTI® as a practical tool for Authors

Bio: Bill Murray (no, not that Bill Murray; “the original Bill Murray”) has had multiple successful careers: AF officer, Fortune 500 exec, entrepreneur, publisher, poet, author. He’s sung the male leads in The Merry Widow and Die Fledermaus, started a successful manufacturing corporation, climbed pyramids, been in seven different categories of Who’s Who, including Arts & Entertainment, Commerce and Industry, Who’s Who in America, and in The World. More to the point, he was a founding member of the Association for Psychological Type. The first day he was introduced to the MBTI® he realized the practical power and importance of personality Type, and it became his mission to improve the world, one life at a time, by spreading the word.

That mission launched his current company, Type & Temperament, Inc. and The Type & Archetype Press (the focus being positive psychology). Based in Charleston, TTI provides practical tools, from books, to training, focused on solving “people problems” and creating great relationships.

Bill’s publications include: Give Yourself the Unfair Advantage; And You Didn’t Think You Had A Prayer; When ENFP & INFJ Interact- a Practical Guide for Relationships; OPPOSITES- ENFP & ISTJ; Type & Teambuilding; Type Communication; Type & Your Career; Introduction to Psychological Type; Thinkers and Feelers; and more. TTI phone number is 1-(800) IHS-TYPE; email Bill@IHSType.com; the website www.IHSType.com will be offering free relationship secrets to those interested in learning ways to improve their various relationships.

Workshop abstract: Who can forget Rhett? Or Scarlett? Characters are unforgettable when they are “true to life.” I say, “True to Type.” OK, it didn’t hurt to have Clark Gable in that role; but millions of books were sold in the GWTW phenomenon before there was ever a movie. True to Type characters will make for a better acting performance in the movie they make from Your Words. (Hamlet was an INFP.)

Learn how to use Type to (1) understand, and (2) create “real” characters. Type can help you become world-class in plot structure, theme, character development, dialogue, and action. Learn the Secrets.

By the way, it can also improve your real life!

2007 Fees

Beach Bound Retreat Fee*:

Full Board:      
$250,   LRWA: $165
Includes workshops, shared queen-sized bed (singles as available) and all meals through Sunday brunch**
Note: one single still available!

Daytrippers (for Saturday AND Sunday):
$125,   LRWA: $75
Includes workshops, all meals on Saturday and brunch Sunday**
Friday welcome dinner: $20 flat fee (daytrippers only)

Optional: bring a yummy dessert to share!

* The fine print: Deposit required. After Aug 1 full payment required. Refunds will be given for written cancellations (minus a $50 handling fee) received on or before June 30, 2008. After July 1, 2008, refunds will be given (minus the deposit) only if we are able to fill your reserved spot.
**Please note: No special food will be provided; if you have food allergies or issues, please plan to provide your own substitutes. This goes for low carb dieters, too!

Click here to view rooms

Please note: ocean view rooms fill up quickly. Get your reservation in early!

Questions?