4/3/25 – I’m back from Guatemala… it was a life changing experience!

Hey there happy reader,

I am so grateful that I took a leap of faith and attended Joyce Maynard’s Writer’s Intensive Workshop. I could never have imagined how impactful that experience would turn out to be… I met a group of fellow writers who I now consider dear friends and learned so much at the feet of the master teacher, Joyce herself!

It’s not easy to get to Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. 

I took two planes, a pretty scary van ride on the Pan American Highway, and a small boat to finally arrive at Casa Paloma – the real “Bird Hotel.” But once there, I was swept away from the beauty of the place and the magnetic pull of the volcanoes that sit right across the way.

Joyce has created a truly special place (more on that in a later newsletter).

It was remarkable that she was able to bring ten writers together who would form such a tight, cohesive bond. We were a supportive group from our first meeting!

These were women from all over the United States and Canada; a journalist, a naval commander, two watercolor artists, a minister, a former porn star, a college administrator, a political refugee, a filmmaker, a new widow, and me! All had stories to tell and we shared those stories long into the night!

These are all brave women, and I admire each of them. 

Some have overcome sexual trauma, some are learning how to navigate life alone after the death of a loved one, others have experienced a “grey” divorce after long marriages, and all are talented writers.

I feel such gratitude that each one told her truth in our group sessions, and such joy at their successful efforts to put their thoughts down on paper.

And then there’s Joyce. She’s a force of nature! 

Joyce is a master teacher and can see right to the core of your work, tweak it a bit and make it stronger, all with the stroke of her sharpie! It was amazing to watch her work at the white board and I learned a tremendous amount from her.

Plus, we got to hear about her new novel. She’s in the revision stage now, but when it becomes available, I will absolutely read it. It’s full of intrigue and deception, two topics which will make it unputdownable…

I will have more to share with you on this experience in the coming weeks, but for now, I’m going back to my work-in-progress. I promise updates on my new novel soon.