Learning, Working, Planning, Playing

The Wickeds are all coming down from another great retreat in Old Orchard Beach. We wrote, talked, had a fabulous photo shoot, and planned the rest of the year’s blog. We came up with new ideas and cemented our friendships that are both professional and personal. Here are each of our highlights.

Sherry: I am happy to report that I met and exceeded all my goals. I did laugh until my cheeks hurt, I wrote 2000 words, I drank some wine, I edited and enjoyed spending time with each of my wicked cozy sisters. Jessie goes out of her way to make sure we all have a fabulous time. Thanks for transporting me back and forth to the airport, Jessie!

Jessie:I look forward to this weekend all year. Everyone laughs and learns from each other and stays up too late. We talk about the business of writing and art of living and how those things intersect. Truly, I feel blessed to spend time with all these amazing women! Sherry, seeing your smiling face at the airport was the best start to the weekend! I’ll pick you up anytime!

We decorated scarves.

We went to the beach.

Liz is smiling but she was in book jail because of her deadline.

 Edith fixed us a fabulous fish stew. Jessie made her famous fondue and vegetarian chili. The rest of us were slackers and bought food.

Edith: What they said! It was a real treat to get away. Liz and I shared the bunkhouse, and thank goodness she consented to take the upper bunk. When we weren’t consulting, consorting, cavorting, or consuming, I used the solitary little desk to crank out some word count.

And then Meg Manion Silliker drove up from Newburyport to take our natural-light group photo, as well as individual head shots. She is responsible for the best photographs of me ever known to the universe, at least in the last decade. She set us all at ease and I know when we see the results, we’re going to love them.

Barb: Pretty much mission accomplished. Jessie is the hostess with the mostest and Edith and Jessie are great cooks. (The rest of us, regardless of our cooking skill level, proved ourselves adept at buying food. And wine.) Last year it was all writing, writing, writing. This year it was mostly marketing, marketing, marketing. The journey continues.

Liz: I cannot say enough how grateful I am to be part of this group (even when they put me in book jail). We are a true community of support and friendship and yes, even tough love. Jessie, as everyone else said, thank you for opening your house for us. Our pictures are fabulous, our scarves are fabulous, and thanks to Sherry, I am steaming forward to my deadline with a little more wind in my sails. Learned a lot and had a lot of fun, as usual. Love these girls!

Julie: My writing goals were not met, but I feel restored in so many ways. Such a great group of women. LOVE sharing our dreams and goals, and then group thinking about how to make them happen. Lots of planning for the year ahead, including our Malice trip coming up in a couple of weeks. My advice to any writer–find your group. It makes the journey a lot more fun.