Nineteenth Annual

MOLASSES POND RETREAT/WORKSHOP

TIME: Sunday June 18, 2006 to Saturday noon June 24, 2006

PLACE: Twin Farms in Wakefield in New Hampshire's lake district. Two gracious, old side-by-side homes (both on the national historic registry) face the village church; in back are rolling fields and distant mountains. Each participant will occupy one of the nine private bedrooms w/writing space. Group work sessions are held in the comfortable living room or screened porch, the evening meal in a rustic converted barn.

SCHEDULE: Mornings of undisturbed writing time, early afternoon classes on specific writing techniques, a late afternoon session of MSS critique, then wine/juice & cheese and a community dinner.

LEADERS: Two University of New Hampshire creative writing teachers lead the afternoon sessions. Martha Barron Barrett is a novelist (Maggie's Way and God's Country), a columnist, and has written feature articles for Yankee, Glamour etc.; her most recent book is Invisible Lives (Wm Morrow/Harper Collins), a non-fiction work. Susan Wheeler's short stories have appeared in North American Review, Willow Springs, etc; her texts Creating The Story and True Stories: Guides For Writing From Your Life (2000) were co-authored with Becky Rule and published by Heinemann Press.

FEES: The resident fee includes housing, afternoon workshops, manuscript critique, copier and paper and all meals. Breakfast and lunch are pick-up affairs from a well-stocked kitchen; the excellent evening meals are catered by the local Poor People’s Pub. In 2006 the cost to each participant will be $485. Commuter fee—1 PM through dinner—is $360. This bargain price is due to the generosity of the Bozuwas; Titia is an author, our Clive Knowles/Jimmy Yates Award winner for 2001. Some money is available for partial scholarships.

SUBMISSIONS: Those interested in attending submit a cover letter of experience and intent and a double-spaced typed manuscript(s) totaling 15-20 pages. The work may be fiction (short story/part of a novel) or non-fiction (feature article/essays) or a combination of both. Sorry, no poetry or children's stories. Acceptance of submissions begins February 1st.

Rolling enrollment acceptance continues until all places are taken.. Prompt notification by email will be given. Because growth is our primary goal, level of experience and/or publication are not as important as a genuine desire to improve writing quality.

PARTICIPANTS: Usually 8 to 10. During the past 19 years Ponders have worked on novels, short stories, essays, travel articles, etc. Rewards have come in the form of grants, magazine and book publication, and most important to our Molasses Pond philosophy--growth.

We invite no editors or agents or inspirational speakers. Instead, as in the old one room schoolhouse, the participants themselves discuss problems, critique each other’s MSS, read aloud, form long-term friendships; some spend the lengthy twilight hours at their computers determined to “Finish a short story this week.”

Of the '05 group all resided in New England. Ages ranged from 30 ’s to 50 ’s. Six previous attendees; two new. There is a three-year limit on attendance.

We appreciate your interest. Feel free to call or write with questions.

Martha Barron Barrett
36 Manning Street Portsmouth, NH 03801
mbbarrett@surfglobal.net
603-431-6306