Thank you to Kate Moses and everyone at Craigardan!

I just had the privilege of spending a magical week in the Adirondack Mountains at the Craigardan Spring Writers Retreat, learning from distinguished author Kate Moses and three brilliant women who will certainly also soon be distinguished authors. I highly recommend this program for any new creative writers looking to learn from the best.

After writing my book last year without any training in creative writing—but now incurably infected with the writer’s flu—I was drawn to this retreat both because of Kate and the opportunity to hone my skills in a majestic setting in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains.  Kate, my fellow authors, and Craigardan founder Michele Drozd taught me so much, about writing and so much more.

Craigardan is a not-for-profit interdisciplinary arts organization and educational working farm in Elizabethtown, New York, lying in 320 acres of forest in the shadow of Hurricane Mountain. Craigardan offers residencies to a full spectrum of artists, from authors to ceramic artists to chefs, and also hosts a variety of programming throughout the year uniting resident artists with the local community.  Along with the community use farm store at the base of the property, its main campus lies on the mountain side, with artists and writers having the opportunity to live in beautiful mountain-side cabins. Craigardan will also soon be expanding its campus with a new studio and main buildings, to complement the Kiln House and Applebarn that have already been completed.

With my newfound obsession for the outdoors, I fell in love with the campus the moment I arrived. I spent my evenings stargazing while sipping wine on the Adirondack chair in front of my cabin, then dreamy mornings and afternoons between sessions writing at the desk facing the sliding doors while trying to not be too distracted by the mountains across the valley.  Although I did not find time to sleep in my tent (I did bring it), I was more than happy to wake up every morning watching the sunrise from the comfortable bed in my cabin.

I was also treated to delicious food cooked by Michele, eating meals outdoors with Kate and my sisters in prose in the kiln house. Also a distinguished editor and writing professor, Kate shared her professional insights and helped us hone our craft during morning and afternoon sessions in the Applebarn. I especially cherished the evenings we spent reading our work to each other there. I even found time to hike on my first and last days at Baxter Mountain and Owl Ridge; my legs were not as ready for the ascents as I had hoped.

I am so grateful to have met you,  Kate, Michele, Joanna, Hilary, and Sue, and I can’t wait to read more of your work!