A Look Back at the 2011 Scribblers' Retreat Writers' Conferences


 

Scribblers' Retreat Writers' Conference was a non-profit organization founded in January 2009. The organization supported the advancement of writers, published and non-published. By offering four sessions of specifically chosen genres throughout the year they provided conference attendees a symposium of experienced teachers, writers, editors, and others from the publishing world.

Content is from the site's 2011 archived pages.
If you have attended any of the Scribblers Retreat Writers conferences over the years, this will be a nostalgic trip back.

 

Scribblers' Retreat encourages, educates and promotes budding authors and published authors of all ages while helping them to write and publish their works. We provide a favorable environment to facilitate professional connections and friendly sharing of valuable information.

We are committed to the support and advancement of all writers, published and non-published. We offer four conferences with a broad variety of genres throughout the year. Attendees will experience lively, intelligent sessions presented by a carefully chosen symposium of experienced teachers, writers, editors and others from the publishing world.

We are dedicated to presenting innovative and motivating conferences to host world-class authors and speakers. There will be opportunities for attendees to meet like-minded fellows and also to compete in fun, impromptu writing contests for first-class prizes. All of this we offer in a spectacular setting at Forbes' Five-Star Sea Island Resort "The Lodge" on tranquil St. Simon's Island, Georgia.

 

Voted one of the "Top Ten Organized Conferences in the U.S." - Writer's Digest September 2010

 

Schedule for May 2011

Fasten your seat-belts and get ready for adventure, suspense, mystery and history. Our May Conference is sure to tantalize and inspire you on your own writing journey. If you have been wondering about how to make your writing a true success story, you will really get a lot out of this conference. We are proud to present a very interesting mix of inspiring experts from a variety of backgrounds and geographies. From "thriller" novelists to writers of enchanting poetry and award-winning juvenile fiction writers, this conference has it all!

Day 1: THURSDAY, MAY 12th

Sign-in 5:00 pm Solarium Lobby

Time Activity
6:00 - 7:00 pm Opening Ceremonies Banquet (included in price of conference)
6:00 - 7:45 pm Bookstore Open

Day 2: FRIDAY, MAY 13th

Time Activity
7:00 - 9:00 am  Complimentary Coffee Service in meeting room
9:00 - 10:00 am Author Denise Tompkins - "Effective Query Letter WritingDenise will explain how an effective query letter earned her an unagented request for the full manuscript from one of the "big six" New York publishing houses.  CHALLENGE PRIZE!  Airplane Ride over the islands
10:00 - 11:00 am Author Ricki Schultz - "Online Presence Building-Made Easy" Ricki is a freelance writer/editor and a recovering high school English Teacher who contributes to Writer's Digest Books and interviews literary agents for the Guide to Literary Agents blog.
11:00 - 2:00 pm Break for Lunch, Book Signings, Tour the island, etc.
2:00 - 3:00 pm Author Chuck Barrett - "Who's Point of View is it Anyway? How Not to Confuse Your Reader"  The Savannah Project, Barrett's first novel interweaves his aviation expertise, a long-time passion for writing and a keen sense of suspense.
3:00 - 4:00 pm Author Pat Bertram - "Creating Incredible, but Credible, Characters"  Daughter Am I, More Deaths Than One, and A Spark of Heavenly Fire.  Her fourth novel, Light Bringer, is scheduled for release March 2011.
4:00 - 5:00 pm Author June Hall McCash - "Writing Historical Fiction" Jekyll Island's Early Years: From Pre-History, The Cultural Patronage of Medieval Women, The Jekyll Island Cottage ColonyAlmost to Eden

Day 3: SATURDAY, MAY 14th

Time Activity
7:00 - 9:00 am  Complimentary Coffee Service in the meeting room.
9:00 - 10:00 am Author Jane Wood - "Schools, A Niche Market"  Award winning author of four juvenile fiction books, Voices in St. Augustine, Adventures on Amelia Island: A Pirate, A Princess and Buried Treasure and Trouble on the St. John's River.  All four books received Mom's ChoiceAwards®.  Wood's newest book is Ghosts on the Coast: A Visit to Savannah and the Low Country.
10:00 - 11:00 am Author/Poet Dr. Anya Silver "Writing Poetry: The Enchanted Craft"  Anna has published a book of poetry, The Ninety-Third Name of God and has had her poetry published in numerous journals:  Image, New Ohio Review, Witness, Prairie Schooner, Christianity and Literature, The Christian Century among others.  CHALLENGE PRIZE!  Kayak Tour
11:00 - 2:00 pm Break for Lunch, Book Signings, Tour the Island, etc.
2:00 - 3:00 pm Author Victor DiGenti "Revving Up Your Narrative Drive"  Former broadcaster, producer and reporter, Victor will help you put your writing into high gear by revealing authors' methods to "pull their readers along" by using secrets from novels like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Silence of the Lambs, etc.. Vic's tips will add high-octane fuel to your narrative engine. Vic's Windrusher series has won numerous awards and his latest mystery Mantanzas Bay was named Book of the Year '09 Royal Palm Literary Awards Competition.
3:00 - 4:00 pm Author NY Times bestseller: Phillip Margolin "How to Write a Novel in Your Spare Time"  Phil will show how to go from your idea to beginning your book and how to work out the ending. He teaches the value of outlines in a simple and intelligent way that will help you in the writing process.  His methods are certain to get you going with confidence and vigor!
4:00 - 5:00 pm "KEYNOTE ADDRESS" Phillip Margolin - All fifteen of Margolin's novels have appeared on the New York Times Best-seller list:  The Undertaker's Widow, Heartstone, The Burning Man, Lost Lake, Fugitive, Executive Privilege, Supreme Justice, Gone But Not Forgotten, Proof Positive, The Associate, After Dark, The Last Innocent Man, Ties That Bind, Sleeping Beauty and Wild Justice.  Margolin is currently working on the final installment of his Washington trilogy: Capital Murder
5:00 - 6:00 pm

Evening With the Author reception with wine and hors d'oeuvres and entertainment.

"Challenge" Prize Winners announced!

 


Schedule for August 2011

Our August Conference line-up concentrates on the "business and news" styles of writing. Non-fiction genres span everything from travel writing, dining editorials, cookbooks, hard-core journalism, newspaper and magazine journalism and editing, freelancing advice, finding an agent, methods of branding yourself and even documenting in "novel form" home-town musings. Come join us for an incredible symposium of experts in their chosen fields to learn, listen, network and even participate in Challenges for first-rate prizes. We promise you will be fascinated with this wealth of talent.

Day 1: THURSDAY, AUGUST 11TH

Sign-in from 4:30 - 5:30 pm "Trophy Room"

Time Activity
5:00 pm Meet & Greet Reception Trophy Room wine and hors d' oeurves
   

Day 2: FRIDAY, AUGUST 12TH

Time Activity
8:30 - am   Complimentary coffee service in "The Terrace" meeting room.
9:00 - 10:00 am Author - Kristi Sanders - "Traveling the Road Less Taken: Making a Living as a Travel Writer".  When you're a travel writer, the whole world is your canvas; but if you want to earn your keep, you'll be required to produce more than first-person travelogues.  this session explores the etiquette, perks, pitfalls, money-making oportunities and responsibilities, that come with the job. CHALLENGE PRIZE Kayak Tour! 
10:00 - 11:00 am Author - Rick Maier - "Three novel, ten-year journey of a Macon Author"  Rick grew up in Delaware and moved to Macon, Georgia in 1984.  Affections for his adopted hometown are evident in Orange Terrace as well as his earlier novels, Bone Dust and Exit South.  In addition to raising three teenagers and managing finances at Wesleyan College, Rick is active in the local community.
11:00 - 2:00 pm Break for Lunch, Booksignings, Networking, Tour the Island, etc.
2:00 - 3:00 pm Author - Sherry Paprocki "Branding Yourself as a Writer: What Editors and Agents Want in Today's Digital World" Co-Author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Branding Yourself, Paprocki's bylines have been published in Preservation, Hemispheres, InStyle, and Time magazines. Other publications include: The Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, Los Angeles Times among others.
3:00 - 4:00 pm Author -Sandra Gurvis "Surviving as a Freelancer in a Rocky Economy"  Gurvis' books include: Country Club Wives, The Well-Traveled Dog, The Pipe Dreamers, Where Have All the Flower Children Gone?, Managing the Telecommuting Employee, America's Strangest Museums and Day Trips from Columbus.
4:00 - 5:00 pm Journalist/Editor - Susan Percy - Editor of Georgia Trendmagazine "Journalism - You Bet Your Sweet Life It Still Matters"  Susan joined this award-winning regional magazine covering business, politics and economic development, in August 2001.  She was on staff at Atlanta Magazine for eight years and has worked for newspapers in Louisiana and California.  She has written for national publications including: USA Today, Reader's Digest, Arthritis Today, Harvard Health Newsletter, Redbook and Cosmopolitan.

Day 3: SATURDAY, AUGUST 13TH

Time Activity
 8:30 am   Complimentary coffee service in the "The Terrace" meeting room.
9:00 - 10:00 am Author - Barbara Casey - "Everything You Need to Know to Find the Right Agent"  Barbara is president of her own literary agency, representing adult fiction and non-fiction as well as children's books.  She is the author of numerous articles, poems and short stories.  Her seven award-winning novels have received national recognition, including the "Independent Publishers Book Award".  Novels include:  The Coach's Wife, The House of Kane.  The Cadence of Gypsies iscurrently being reviewed by the Smithsonian for Best Books 2011.
10:00 - 11:00 am Author - John DeDakis - "From Journalist to Novelist: or, How I Learned to Start Making it Up"  John is an editor and writer for CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer".During his award-winning, 40-year career in journalism (23 at CNN), John has been a White House Correspondent, interviewed such luminaries as Alfred Hitchcock and has taught journalism.  Author of Fast Track and Bluff, John is currently at work on the third book of his Lark Chadwickseries.   CHALLENGE PRIZE!  Airplane Ride
11:00 - 2:00 pm Break for Lunch, Booksignings, Networking, Tour the Island, etc.
2:00 - 3:00 pm Author - Krista Reese - "Everybody's a Critic: How to Eat and Write Like a Professional"  Krista, an Atlanta-based freelance writer, has covered the city's dining scene for two decades for Atlanta Magazine and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is now the dining editor for Georgia Trend magazine.  She has also written about a wide variety of topics for the Washington Post, Southern Living, U.S. News & World Report, People and Bon Appetit.  Her two cookbooks, Atlanta Classic Desserts and Atlanta Kitchens, collect her favorite recipes from beloved hometown restaurants.
3:00 - 4:00 pm Editor/Journalist - Bert Roughton -  "A Research Driven Life: The Painful Truth about Listening to Readers"  Managing Editor for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 2007.  An award-winning reporter and journalist, Roughton has written about everything from plane crashes to covering the Olympic Games for more than three decades.  As European correspondent for Cox Newspapers, Roughton covered the war in Kosovo and won a national "Headliner" award for covering the plight of African children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic.
4:00 - 5:00 pm Author/Broadcaster - David W. Berner - "The Radio Narrative: Telling Your Stories in Sound".  Berner is an award-winning jounalist, broadcaster, author and teacher.  His first book Accidental Lessons  was awarded the 2011Royal Dragonfly Grand Prize for Literature.  His broadcast reporting and audio documentaries have been aired on the CBS Radio Network and  NPR's Weekend Edition.
5:00 - 6:00 pm

Evening With the Author Cocktail Reception with entertainment

"Challenge" Prize Winners announced!

 



Schedule for November 2011

New York Times best-selling novelists, writing professors and newspaper journalists, along with an entire cadre of experts are magnificently showcased at our Fall conference.  You will learn how to write an imaginative memoir, and listen to Terri Garey, international award winner of the hot, new genre of urban fantasy, talk about writing to "tantalize" in a comedic romance fashion.  In addition the literary arts' critic's point of view will be discussed as well as the economy from the news and business perspective at this conference. Edgar Award winning mystery novelist Walter Sorrells and International Thriller Award winner, Jamie Freveletti, Robert Ludlum's estate chosen author, will have you on the edge of your creative seat . Join us for a rollicking good time while being educated and entertained by experts in their own field.  Prepare to be entertained and shown how knowledgeable you really are, as actual, "practical" methods taught by Laura Day will help you utilize your own intuition.  Old folklore beliefs and practices, deep thinking and award-winning thriller authors are presented in a delightful mix.  Join us for a rollicking good time while being educated and entertained by experts in their own field.

Day 1: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH

Sign-in from 4:30 - 5:30 pm

Time Activity
   
5:00 - 6:00 pm Meet & Greet 

Day 2: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH

Time Activity
8:30 -  am  Complimentary coffee 
9:00 - 10:00 am Author - Christine Cozzens - " Truth and Imagination in the Memoir"  Dr. Cozzens has written travel essays for The New York Times travel section since 1983.  She is the editor of Southern Discourse. Cozzens is Charles A. Dana Professor of English at Agnes Scott College where she teaches nonfiction and directs the Center for Writing and Speaking. CHALLENGE PRIZE!  Kayak Tour
10:00 - 11:00 am Speaker - Cinque Hicks - " The Prognosis for Arts and Book Criticism in the 21st Century".  A graduate of Harvard University's comparative literature program, Hicks is currently a visual art critic, arts writer and arts columnist for Creative Loafing.  Hicks is currently Creative Director of the Atlanta Arts Now book series and co-author of its inaugural volume Noplaceness: Art and the Post-Urban Landscape
11:00 - 2:00 pm Break for Lunch, Book-signings, Networking, Tour the Island, etc.
2:00 - 3:00 pm Author - Marisa de los Santos - New York Times best-selling author of Love Walked In and Belong To Me has a new novel out: Falling Together.  Marisa is also a poet penningFrom the Bones Out.
3:00 - 4:00 pm Author - Roger Pinckney - " Getting it right, Getting it real". Born and raised in the South Carolina Lowcountry, Pinckney was educated at the University of South Carolina and the Iowa Writer's Workshop. He lives on Daufuskie Island, where he works to preserve land and culture. Novels include: Seventh Son on Sacred Ground, The Right Side of the River, Signs and Wonders, Little Glory, Blue Roots and, his latest book, Reefer Moon.
4:00 - 5:00 pm Author Laura Day - "You the Expert: Writing About What You Know"  Bestselling author and lecturer, Day has spent three decades helping individuals, organizations and companies use their innate intuitive abilities to create profound changes in their lives.  Laura Day is the New York Times bestselling author of Practical Intuition and How to Rule the World from Your Couch.   The Independentcalled her "The Psychic of Wall Street".  Day has been featured on Oprah, CNN, Good Morning America, ABC News,Newsweek, Wall Street Journal and other national and international media.  She is currently working on her new book, No Biting.

Day 3: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH

Time Activity
8:30 -  am   Complimentary coffee 
9:00 - 10:00 am Author - Terri Garey - " The Rise of Urban Fantasy".  Garey has penned six novels and two series of award-winning urban fantasy for HarperCollins Publishers.  She is a RIT© Award winner and two-time RITA© finalist, and a PRISM  award winner.  Her books include: Dead Girls Are Easy, A Match Made in Hell, You're the One That I Haunt, Silent Night and, just released, Devil With a Cause.
10:00 - 11:00 am

Author - Dr. James Lough  "Writing Vivid Characters:  Details, Dimension and Drive"  His book Spheres of Awareness explores the idea of transpersonal evolution. His book Sights of Insight won Colorado Endowment for the Humanities Publication prize. Chair of the Writing Dept. at Savannah College of Art and Design and teacher of non-fiction writing, Dr. Lough has published over 70 articles, short stories and book reviews. CHALLENGE PRIZE!  Airplane Ride

11:00 - 2:00 pm Break for Lunch, Book-signings, Networking,  Tour the Island, etc.
2:00 - 3:00 pm Journalist - Daniel Chapman - "Making the Economy Readable"  Staff Writer for Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1999, currently writes about business and the economy.
3:00 - 4:00 pm Author - Walter Sorrells  "The Writer's Life"Edgar Award winning, Sorrells penned four legal thrillers including Proof of Intent co-written with New York Times bestselling author William J.Coughlin.  His Young Adult novel, Fake ID was named one of the ten best mysteries in 2006 by Booklist.  
4:00 - 5:00 pm Author and International Trial Attorney: Jamie Freveletti -  Chosen by Robert Ludlum's estate to write the next in the Covert One series, The Ninth Day is a sequel to her award-winning series including Running Darkand Running With the Devil , Best First Novel Winner by ITW's Thriller Award and The Barry Awards in 2009.   
5:00 - 6:00 pm

Evening With the Author Reception and Entertainment for Book-signings

"Challenge" Prize Winners Announced

 



 

Location and Accommodations

The Scribblers' Retreat Writers' Conference is held at the The Lodge at Sea Island.

The Lodge 2 The Lodge 3 The Lodge 1

Our luxurious rooms and villas are available to you or your group. Please call your conference coordinator at 800-996-2904 to make your reservation. We will then discuss your rooming needs and register you for the conference.

100 Retreat Avenue
St. Simon's Island, Georgia 31522

Directions

Arriving at St. Simons Island Georgia:

  1. Once on the island, just past the Golden Isles Marina, get in right lane to continue on King's Way.
  2. Drive until you arrive at the intersection of Frederica Road and Retreat Avenue, where there is a traffic light.
  3. Turn right onto Retreat Avenue and drive up to the guardhouse and give your name to the guard.

 



 

POSTS

Laura Day Speaks in November!

New York Times Bestselling author Laura Day has spent nearly three decades helping individuals, organizations, and companies use their innate intuitive abilities to create profound change. Newsweek Magazine calls her “The $10,000-a-Month Psychic” because “Whenbusiness people need a crystal ball, they turn to consultant Laura Day, the ‘intuitionist’.” The Independent dubbed her “The Psychic of Wall Street”. “A” List Hollywood Stars and WallStreet executives all praise her abilities to hone in on future predictions with astounding accuracy including the recent recession.

Laura’s work has helped demystify intuition and bring it into the mainstream, she demonstrateits practical, verifiable uses in the fields of business, science, medicine and personal growth. She has trained thousands of people to use their brains, perceptions and “sixth sense” in effectiveways to realize their goals. Day is the author of six bestselling books including; Practical Intuition, Practical Intuition in Love, Practical Intuition in Success, The Circle, Welcome toYour Crisis and her most recent book How to Rule the World from Your Couch which was just released in paperback.

She has been featured in many publications including; Newsweek, New York Magazine, TheIndependent, Bottom Line, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and People magazines.

Day speaks regularly both here and abroad, and has appeared on numerous shows includingCNN, Fox News, Good Morning America, The View, Extra and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

 


 

Chicago Broadcaster Gives Keynote Address

David W. Berner will give the Keynote Address at our summer conference August 13th at The Lodge at Sea Island.  Over the years he has mastered the art of storytelling, both his own stories as well as the stories of others. He has told stories as a reporter for numerous radio stations including NPR and more recently for CBS in Chicago and the CBS Radio Network. He is a familiar face on the Chicago storytelling circuit regularly appearing to read his personal essays at events such as Story Club, Essay Fiesta, and This Much is True.

Berner has produced three recent audio documentaries: Bracelets of Grace: The Vietname War Story of Major Stanley Horne, Finding My Kerouac, and Pebble Beach Stories. His writing has appeared in PERIGEE, Tiny Lights Journal, Rivulets, Clef Notes, Shaking Like a Mountain, Travelgolf.com, Worldgolf.com, Golf Chicago Magazine, The Sun Newspapers, and Write City Magazine and a number of other publications both online and print.

Berner’s 2009 memoir Accidental Lessons has been called remarkable by readers, reviewers, and journalists. In this inspirational account of self-discovery, Berner takes his readers inside his own personal journey of taking a job in a public school in a tough, impoverished neighborhood outside Chicago and the invaluable lessons he learns from his students. Accidental Lessons was the 2011 recipient of the Dragonfly Book Award for Literature.

Berner is currently working in the Chicago area as a broadcaster, writer, and an associate professor at Columbia College Chicago. He is also Writer-in-Residence at the Jack Kerouac Project in Orlando, Florida. His masterful talents will be on display in the August 2011 Scribbler’s Retreat Writers Conference during his keynote address, "The Radio Narrative: Telling Your Stories in Sound". 

 


 

Renaissance Woman, Sandra Gurvis, Rocks!

Sandra Gurvis, author of fourteen books and hundreds of magazine articles, has left no word unturned. Her books have been featured on “Good Morning America,” “CBS Up to the Minute,” and “ABC World News Tonight.” Her first novel, The Pipe Dreamers (2001), relates to a major aspect of her work, the Vietnam protests and the 1960‘s.

As a freshman on another Ohio campus during the shootings at Kent State, Sandra Gurvis spent nearly twenty-five years researching the reasons behind the turmoil during the Vietnam era. This fictional exploration of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s is set in the small college town of Hampton, Ohio. It follows the life of Julia Brandon, an innocent sorority girl who becomes increasingly involved with the protest movement, which erupts in violence, death, destruction, and the journey for truth and acceptance fifteen years later.

Her recent nonfiction title, Where Have All the Flower Children Gone? (2006), brings to life the full spectrum of this colorful decade and it’s after effects as particularly relevant to today’s political situation. She has also written on this topic for the VVA Veteran, Ohio State Alumni Magazine, People, and many other publications. Her second novel, Country Club Wives, is a contemporary parable about women, money, and homeless animals begins with the assertion that, “Not many women can say they've been left for season tickets to seats on the 50-yard-line at Ohio State football games." By the end of the book, the fates of the four women the book surrounds have guided them away from appearance concerns, getting their kids into the right schools, and living in the most prestigious neighborhood possible to grappling with deeper issues.

Country Club Wives has recently been made available in ebook format. Other books of Sandra Gurvis include The Well-Traveled Dog, Managing the Telecommuting Employee, Paris Hilton: A Biography, Ohio Curiosities, Careers for Non-Conformists, America's Strangest Museums, and Day Trips from Columbus. In addition to her books, Sandra Gurvis has published short stories and essays in Country Living, Columbus Monthly, Mature American, Guide to Literary Agents, Times-Outlook, I Love Cats, Ohio Jewish Chronicle, and the anthology Cat’s Meow. Other credits include People, YM, Entertainment Weekly, Fiction Writer, Woman's World, Parenting, The World and I, Coast to Coast, USA Weekend, Chicago Tribune, as well as numerous trade and corporate publications. She has also created travel promotional materials and articles on various destinations.

She has mastered the art of surviving as a freelancer in a rocky economy and will be divulging her secrets at the Scribbler‘s Retreat Writers Conference this August!

 


 

May Conference a Huge Hit with Educators, Students!

The strong applause that introduced and closed the May 2011 Scribblers' Retreat Writers' Conference has become Scribblers' mantra and inspiration in continuing to promote the "writing side" of literacy. The conference, which is the first of three that will be held this year, took place May 12-14 in the oceanfront Solarium room at the King and Prince hotel.

The conference began with such captivating speakers as Denise Tompkins, Ricki Schultz, Chuck Barrett, Pat Bertram and June Hall McCash, and came to a close with Jane Wood, Dr. Anya Silver, Victor DeGenti and keynote speaker, Phillip Margolin. Speakers enlightened attendants with topics that ranged from effective query letter writing, creating life-like characters, and improving narrative drive, to online presence-building, teaching storytelling skills in classrooms and even the enchanted craft of poetry writing.

Phillip Margolin, whose 15 novels have all appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, provided attendants with everything they needed to find "spare time" and use it to complete their novel.

The fascinating topics covered by each of the writers left all attendants eager for the August 2011 conference. The May conference ended Saturday evening with an exciting announcement: beginning August 11-13, 2011, Scribblers' will continue to promote the literary arts and literacy at their new host venue, The Lodge of Sea Island!

Scribblers' thanks all of our contributing sponsors who make it possible for our organization to provide sponsorships to students. We also recognize all the teachers, students, writers, and speakers who attended the conference allowing us to continue to promote the "writing side" of literacy in a most practical way.

 


 

Phillip Margolin Speaks in May 2011

Phillip Margolin - Fugitive

Join us in welcoming the incomparable Phillip Margolin, a consistent New York Times bestselling author (all 15 of his novels have been on the NY Times bestseller list) who has gone from teaching Jr. High in the South Bronx to practicing criminal defense law for 25 years to being praised as one of the greatest mystery writers of our time.  Regarding his best-selling book Fugitive:

"Entertaining… a plot set on full boil… All will enjoy following the resourceful Amanda as she puts the puzzle pieces together."— Publishers Weekly

Phil is currently finishing up his wildly popular Washington trilogy, which began with Executive Privilege in which Dana Cutler and Brad Miller exposed the President's role in a series of murders then followed Brad and Dana as they saved the life of a Justice while foiling a plot by a rogue CIA group to fix a case in the Supreme Court in Supreme Justice.  Soon to be released Capitol Murder, which takes place in the Senate. Margolin captivates and excites readers with his suave expertise in drafting a criminal mystery that has one's attention riveted from the very first scene.

 


 

"Almost to Eden" by June Hall McCash

We are delighted to announce the quintessential June Hall McCash, who will be speaking at our May 2011 conference. She is the author of three very popular and informative coastal histories: The Jekyll Island Club, The Jekyll Island Cottage Colony and Jekyll Island’s Early Years, and now she presents a historical novel, beautifully written,  Almost to Eden. This work combines the historical drama of real events and people as it expertly intertwines them with a memorable character, Maggie O’Brien. Maggie’s life takes her to Jekyll Island after arriving in New York City in 1911. Readers are mesmerized as they experience with Maggie, the sights and sounds of the times at the historic Jekyll Island Club.

 


 

Presenting Diana Gabaldon November Conference!

Diana Gabaldon

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Diana Gabaldon, has captured the hearts millions with her critically acclaimed novels. The adventure began in 1991 with The Outlander and has continued through five more New York Times-bestselling novels--Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, and A Breath of Snow and Ashes- -and presently has some seventeen million copies sold worldwide.

The Exile   An Echo in the Bone

An Echo in the Bone, released September 2009, is the seventh--but NOT the last!--novel in the series. The series, published in 24 countries and 21 languages. She has also written a graphic novel titled The Exile (set within the Outlander universe and featuring the main characters from Outlander), to be published by Ballantine in fall of 2010.

 


 

Adam Davies Speaking in November

Adam Davies, former Random House editor and author of three novels: The Frog King, soon to be a major motion picture with Bret Easton Ellis writing the screenplay, Goodbye Lemon, a family drama; and Mine All Mine, which was purchased for film with the author to write the screenplay, will be giving the Keynote address at our November conference. Please check out the entire line-up for this fabulous conference by going to the Schedule tab above. Register now as seating is limited!

 


 

Welcome Haywood Smith "The Red Hat Society"!

New York Times best-selling author Haywood Smith shares how a Southern Baptist Sunday School teacher ended up writing six award-winning, critically acclaimed historical romance novels about strong women, men who are men, accurate history, and happy endings. "I did everything wrong, and still got published." Then, when she found out her husband of thirty years was engaged to a stripper and spent all their money, she switched to writing Hell Hath No Fury humorous women's fiction novels that consistently make the top 50 for New York Times and USA Today's best seller lists. "I couldn't make up the things that have happened to me, so the true story of my life and career is stand-up comedy."  Join the fun by registering for our August conference and learn how Haywood took lemons and made lemonade - all the way to the New York Times Bestseller List!

 


Testimonials

"Beautiful scenery, great food, and invaluable lectures. A wonderful weekend filled with opportunity." — James D. Baird - Brewton-Parker College, Mount Vernon, GA
"This conference was great and inspiring. I really think that the speakers were great and had such great advice. This really has motivated me to keep writing." — Malik Tatum - Frederica Academy

"Scribblers' Retreat was the breath of fresh inspiration I needed to get back on track."
After struggling for years with excessive drinking that mess with not only my writing, but also my personal life, I finally found a website last year that delivered on their invitation to learn how to stop drinking on your own. Well it wasn't exactly on your own since the LifeBAC program includes both combines pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. First of all LifeBAC didn't demonize excessive drinking and make it seem like a hopeless condition like the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) which defines Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD: a “chronic relapsing brain disease”. LifeBac says that alcoholism is not a disease, but a symptom of a larger psychological issue. The program uses a medication called baclofen which removes alcoholic cravings. Behavior changes occur via psychotherapy by rewiring one’s habits. This two prong approach supposedly would lead to a more successful result compared to the older standard methods which require total abstinence (think of AA and their 12 step program.) Doctors in Europe have been prescribing baclofen as the primary treatment for people who drink excessively, although it has not yet received approval by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as a safe and effective treatment for alcohol or drug use disorders. Nevertheless, it was time for me to make a change. Suffice to say that the LifeBAC program was a success for me. I had to work hard on the psychotherapy side, and even though taking Baclofen requires titration dosage procedures with some side effects, I shouldered my way through 12 months to emerge with my drinking under control. I now have my life back. Attending the Scribblers' Retreat was my present to myself and boy have I enjoyed my time here. I feel invigorated with a positive state of mind ready to get back to what I have loved all my life....writing
— Sydney Williams - Quincy, MA


"It was such a wonderful experience! I learned so much from the technical advice and from the published authors. The laughter and fun was a bonus! Thank you." — Karen Price - College of Coastal Georgia
"I enjoyed my time at Scribblers' Retreat. The weather has been beautiful, as well as the ocean view and delicious food. I have learned so much... Thank you for this amazing opportunity." — Ashley Marsteller - Brewton-Parker College
"Very informative... a unique experience... for anyone who aspires to further their writing this...is a great place to be." — Bob Irwin - Valdosta, GA
"Instead of going out for lunch, I stayed inside and for the first time in three months, I began to write." — Jackie Strickland
"Scribblers' Retreat has helped me tremendously with developing my characters in a way that I will be reluctant to kill off "Rico" in the third and last installment of my series." — Monica Kratz - College of Coastal Georgia
"Inspiration and motivation, along with heartfelt hospitality reigned at this worthwhile conference. I look forward to returning again." — Lindalee Duffy - Maine
"Scribblers' Retreat Writers' Conference is the opportunity a writer like myself needs. It's captivating and, most of all, motivating!" — Jennifer Walker - College of Coastal Georgia
"I feel absolutely privileged to be invited to a conference with so many successful and intellectual writers. They are such an inspiration to me to follow my dreams and to work hard to achieve what I want most out of life." — Shandy Stubbs - College of Coastal Georgia
"What I learned from the conference will help me inspire my students to reach a whole new level of writing. I am excited to take this knowledge back to my high school classroom." — Pamela J. Haskins - Atlanta Public Schools
"Thunderous applause for Scribblers'. The conference with the spirit of writing excitement!" — Meredith M. Deal - Paisley Magazine
"Successful, respected writers presented a variety of information from beginning, developing and ending a story, to how to get your book out there. Presentations were informative, entertaining and fast-paced! Educational AND interesting!" — D. Faulk
"I have attended three Scribblers' Retreat conferences and paid attention to every speaker. They have brought the most enrichment to the study of writing that I have ever experienced." — Charlotte Harrell - St. Simon's artist/writer
"Without a doubt, the most electrifying writer's conference I have ever attended. Certainly worth the trip." — Amira Al-Masri - Brunswick High
"Knowledgeable speakers... The conference provided me with tools about fiction writing that I did not learn in school; it also underscored other tools that school has provided." — Linda Shaw - Georgia Perimeter College, Dunwoody, GA
"What a fantastic conference! It was just the rejuvenation I needed to dive headfirst back into my manuscript . Isn't that "after-conference buzz" the best?" — Ricki Schultz - McGaheysville, VA

 




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