Breckenridge writing retreat

Aspen trunks in Breckenridge, Colorado
Copyright (c) 2010 Wendee Holtcamp

I'm back from my 5 days at the Writing Away Retreat in Breckenridge, Colorado. I met some very cool writers, and ate some amazingly rich food, and got some great feedback on my book. Didn't come back with a book contract, but I guess that was a bit much to hope for aye? Breck sits at 9,600 feet elevation so climbing the stairs would get me out of breath! I shared a room with writer Kathleen Lourde, and spent several hours talking with the very cool Cheryl Reifsnyder, a writer who has a Ph.D. in biology and is also a Christian. She is very excited about my book and I so enjoyed talking with her - much of it in the huge B&B's hot tub outside! We also went on a hike. I think it's funny that Doug (my boyfriend) lived in Colorado for a decade, and in Breckenridge for 5 years. He was a snowboard instructor there. Plus, that was the place where I first went skiing, right before I first began this very blog in 2005.

Some of my favorite moments from the retreat:

* The drive out to the retreat with Jeff Dugan, Pat Holland Conner and Lee Ann Ward was full of anticipation and the excitement and getting to know one another

* Getting one-on-one feedback from the staff, which included two book editors, an agent, and an author - all of it very positive and quite helpful.

* Talking in the hot tub for hours on a couple different occasions with Cheryl, and the hike we took behind the cabin up in the woods. Oh did I mention the rumor she tried to kill me in the hot tub? Tee hee. No really, what I did learn is that flying to 9600 feet elevation, having two glasses of red wine, and staying in the hot tub for 2 hours is not a great idea. I got out, walked through 20 degree cold weather into the cabin, and then got very dizzy... had to lie down on the couch and have people feed me ice chips.

* Although I honestly did not get a lot of writing done, and almost felt a bit overwhelmed by everything... I felt a bit frustrated by the situation I am in with my book, while simultaneously getting highly positive feedback from major publishing houses, kind of makes me want to tear my hair out. Or someone else's... but I will trust that things will happen when it's time.

* I enjoyed sitting in front of the fire downstairs, chilling, and pretending to write... looking at my chapters and pondering life.

* Editors Tim and Kevin gave me some very helpful advice, including a list of publishing houses/imprints that my book proposal was not yet sent to.

* I enjoyed a few good conversations with Cicily Janus in the kitchen as she cooked amazing food!

* Playing pool on the last night with Matt, Jeff, Lee Ann, and Dewin

* Walking to town with Jimmy Beasley, and looking for a mama fox and her 5 kits. We didn't see her but other people from the retreat did. I'm so bummed!

* I so loved talking with the new people I met, and especially enjoyed fun conversations with Terry Banker, Jeff, Lauren Johnson, Kathleen, Dewin Anguas Barnette (she has an awesome blog and amazing photos!) and of course Cheryl!!

Oh but there is so much more to write but I'm out of time. Next blog post, I hope to tell the amazing story of how I got a new (well new to me) and awesome Honda Accord from the world's most generous couple! But I will have to leave that to next time. I have been busy researching vegetarianism and meat production for an article due in a couple weeks, planning to possibly join an NSF Cruise to the Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea (which may not happen but I'm keeping my fingers crossed - and have a proposal due Monday), starting up one of my Online Magazine Writing Courses, and Advanced Writing Workshops both tomorrow, and spending a little time with my kiddos and my boyfriend Doug who just got back from 2 and a half months offshore! And, as always, trying to drum up some new work. I'm feeling very positive and hoping to keep the good vibes going!

A corner view of the huge cabin we stayed in. It's actually a B&B but for the retreat it is rented out just for us. Lots of nooks and crannies to write in. It had three stories, a huge kitchen, a game room, several individual rooms with private bathrooms, a huge dining room, a big den with a couch upstairs and one downstairs, several patios outside, and an outdoor hot tub!
Another side view of the cabin and surrounding forest.
A bench just outside the cabin. Notice the snow still on the ground. In fact we had a big snowstorm the night we arrived! I didn't even think to go outside and catch flakes on my tongue like I normally do. I guess I've seen so much snow in the past two years, it's not as new and exciting anymore.
Several writers gathered at the kitchen table chatting up a storm. Clockwise from left, this is Jeannie Leighton, Matt Sautter, Lee Ann Ward, Cheryl Reifsnyder and I think that is Dewin with her back turned.
I think this photo is funny because it looks like we locked Terry outside!
A photo Terry took of me the first evening I think.
Cicily Janus, the conference organizer (and author of the soon-to-be-released book, The New Face of Jazz) in the kitchen, cooking something yummy!
A better view of the kitchen itself. You can see Kathleen on the far left, Lauren, and Cicily.
The Bubba Gump shrimp company in Breckenridge. Who knew? Eating shrimp is not the best thing for the environment though, due to the enormous amount of bycatch from wild-caught shrimp, and due to poor practices used for farmed shrimp. Check out shrimpsuck.org
Another shot of the aspens.
I love this shot, how the watermelon and coconut cake are in focus, with Sorche Fairbank (literary agent) and Kevin Doughten (editor at Penguin Viking) in the background.
From left - Dewin, Lee Ann, Jeannie, Terry and Sorche at supper on Monday, Mother's Day.

Writing Away!

The view from where I'm at.
Another view of the mountains.
A fellow science writer friend I met on the trip - Cheryl Reifsnyder, on a hike behind our cabin.

Having a good time so far, about halfway through the retreat now. I'm in Breckenridge, Colorado at the Writing Away Retreat with about 15 other book authors or prospective authors plus four who give us feedback on our manuscripts: editor Kevin Doughten from Penguin Viking (who edited the paperback edition of Michael Dowd's Thank God for Evolution), Tim O'Connell from Knopf, author Linda Rorbrough, and agent Sorche Fairbank. But now it's time to get in the hot tub, so I'll update more later!

exciting news- lots!

Cocha Blanco in Peru.
Copyright (c) 2007 Wendee Holtcamp

Where oh where to begin? I just finished a draft of my article from my recent visit to San Antonio (about how the cities are taxing themselves to pay to purchase lands in neighboring counties in the aquifer recharge zone to help make sure it stays healthy). I now have another 9,000 things to do, but that's life, aye? So much has happened, pretty much all good, I almost don't know where to begin!

I'm finishing up Experiencing God bible study, and it has been one of the most amazing experiences - I won't say just studies because it's been an "experience." Before my divorce, I used to do bible studies pretty regularly, including ones at my church and even attending the Beth Moore Tuesday night bible studies downtown (she is a huge inspiration). And though since then I've read my Bible, and had an active prayer life, I sort of started to feel like God stopped talking to me. Well not as much. No, I'm not crazy and I don't hear a "voice" but God answers prayer in real ways, and sometimes delivers messages by when you'd sort of see the same bible verse in several places, that spoke to your circumstance, or that kind of thing. But to be honest, when I went into the study, I'd just come out of a period in life when I wasn't getting this kind of serendipity or any sort of word from God. And boy has that changed in just a short time!!

I entered into the study sort of placing my book and my life "on the altar" so to speak. When I wrote that blog post ch-ch-ch-changes, I was searching for a full-time job. Money is tight, the publishing industry is going to hell in a handbasket. And then after I wrote that post, the tragedy of all tragedies for a writer happened to me. My book publisher cancelled my contract. No real explanation. No extensive feedback. I don't mean to belittle the tragedy of miscarriage, but it was kind of like having a miscarriage. To any writer or artist, you understand a book is your baby. I've been working on it for 5 years, and on the experiences behind it for 10 or more. Deep breath. So I was devastated the first few days. And maybe I should add that to me, it was more than just a book. I've long felt that it was my Christian ministry to reconcile science and faith. So this sort of led to a faith crisis. Was I wrong? Did He not want me to follow this path? Don't get me wrong I'm not ever going to turn my back on the science of evolution, or on my Christian faith, but I just thought maybe something wasn't right in my message, or my approach, or maybe that was not my path to do.

But I set it aside, and started the bible study, placing the book on the altar as I said. That meant that I asked God what He wanted me to do with it. I was totally ok with completely walking away and throwing it in the waste bin. Or I would work on it more and try to find a new publisher. And through the class I've come to realize that God does want me to continue this path. It just wasn't the right publisher. And maybe I will self-publish or maybe I will find another publisher but I'm not in a rush.

I also heard the Lord speak "teach." I don't know exactly what that means yet. It may mean apply for a teaching job. And I have been investigating options for teaching jobs. I'll be teaching basic & advanced magazine writing workshops through Leisure Learning in Houston during June and July(hey the online catalog just became avalable! Here they are - Intro to Freelance Writing Jun 14 - $57 and Make Money Selling Nonfiction to Magazines July 19 & 26 - $150). And I may start teaching biology at an online university. But I also want to teach bible studies at some point, or even write them. So this is in the back of my mind. And one thing led to another and I'm going to be doing a "discipleship huddle" at the church. I'm super excited about that! I truly love learning about God's word, and studying it, and applying it to my life and to growing in spiritual maturity.

And so I came across this Writing Away retreat a couple months back and for some reason it just resonated with me. It's not like I can afford it, but I contacted the lady who runs it - Cicily Janus - and got some info. And then just 2 weeks ago I just knew in my heart that I needed to go. I don't know why, but I do. The retreat is an all-inclusive stay in a cabin in Breckenridge, Colorado in May for 5 days with agents and editors from publishing houses. I will get feedback from each of them on 10,000 words of my book, and the time to work on my book while there. She says she has an 85% placement rate in helping writers find agents and publishers. That's pretty phenomenal! I know this book needs to find its audience. So many people tell me all the time that they want to read it. I have to get it out there, with God's help of course. Maybe I was not writing it with Him close by every step of the way before but this time I hope to. So I signed up and bought my plane ticket today!

Other cool news that has lifted my spirit even more: I have made a couple of new friends, which is always so wonderful! I had been working out with Doug almost every day, and since he went offshore, I had that lack. But one of the new friends (both as a matter of fact, though one is more recent) work out there! And this may seem like "bad news" but it seems like the relationship of Doug and Wendee is winding down. It's been for some time. It breaks my heart, in one way, but I just feel like it's what I need to do right now. He's ok with it, in fact that makes it harder I think! To be real honest we've broken up about 900 times I think. Ha! But I never said much, and now it's concrete. I'm at peace and in fact happy. I think the hardest part of that whole thing was not knowing God's will for the relationship. I went back and forth a million times between my head and my heart. Ultimately my head won out... Sometimes I wish God would just speak out loud to make things obvious, but in that situation it was apparently my path to choose and not so clear.

In all these things that could overwhelm my soul, the loss of the book contract, the slow demise and breakdown of my relationship, I don't feel devastated, really at all. It is like God is carrying me, and I'm floating as if on a magic carpet above the "stuff" that otherwise could get me down. It just isn't. I just feel joy most days and it's unexplainable!

And here's another stupendously amazing God-thing: yesterday, a perfect stranger emailed, offering to give his used Honda Accord to me, after finding me online through a Google search. He and his wife had the desire to give back and see it help someone rather than just sell it to some random person. I'll post some details after it all happens in a few weeks, but I'm speechless! My Subaru has nearly 180,000 miles on it. All I can say is God is amazing!

In other news, our family recently sponsored a little Kenyan girl named Happiness through Compassion International (Savannah is going to be the primary person to write her and keep it up). We also donated to The Invisible Children, an organizatoin that helps rescue child soldiers in ganda. They came to talk to my daughter's school this week but even before that she was moved by reading about it online. She has developed quite a deep passion for helping orphans in Africa, and it will be wonderful to watch her life unfold.