“I have been writing for a long time and, out of desperation to finish a project or meet a deadline, I often try to sequester myself away from family, and responsibilities for a few days to blast through the work. But that’s what it feels like — blasting through something, through the story, through my doubts, through my discomfort — and it has historically been very painful for me to write for extended periods of time, despite the fact that writing is part of my profession and of utmost importance to my life. This weekend retreat, however, marked a turning point for me in that, for the first time, I was writing at a lovely, comfortable, and desired pace and didn’t feel viscerally uncomfortable or in doubt. I simply felt connected to my story, to my characters, and was enjoying being with the discoveries that revealed themselves. I feel very relieved and anticipate working this way regularly by making it fundamental to my lifestyle — because writing is truly a way of life.”