ONE SPOT LEFT! High Altitude Inspiration in the Colorado Rocky Mountains – August 15-20, 2023–UPDATE: SOLD OUT

Join award-winning authors and teachers Nancy Stohlman and Kathy Fish for a breakthrough gathering of inspiration, creation, and transformation in beautiful Colorado. Gather with the hummingbirds at our secluded vantage point in the clouds and experience High Altitude Inspiration for yourself. The spirit of the West has always attracted the bold and pioneering, the dream seekers among us, and Colorado in the summer is a special sort of magic. Whether it’s your first or hundreth time, being in the Rocky Mountains is nature at her finest, and Grand Lake is the quintessential Colorado experience, complete with stunning mountain views and a deep natural lake. Walk one direction and end up on the rugged trails of Rocky Mountain National Park. Walk less than a mile down the hill and drink some local Colorado whiskey in the historic town of Grand Lake. 

OPEN YOUR ART
High Altitude Inspiration in the Colorado Rocky Mountains 
AUGUST 15-20, 2023

See what you missed at last year’s retreat!

Write Your Flash Novel in the Wilds of Costa Rica: Jan 28-Feb 3, 2024–NOW OPEN!

Writing in Costa Rica in 2022

Imagine yourself at a peaceful, sun-drenched, open-air retreat, far from tourists. Imagine being fed three fresh, delicious nourishing meals a day, walks to the beach, and you…finally writing your book!

Just this once do you want to say yes to yourself and your art?

Join us January 28-February 3, 2024  as we leave the cold winter behind and journey to our own private jungle sanctuary for a breakthrough week of inspiration, creation, and transformation.

OPEN YOUR ART : Write your Flash Novel in the Wilds of Costa Rica

with Nancy Stohlman

January 28-February 3, 2024

For more information: CLICK HERE

P.S. There are also two spots left for the Colorado Flash Fiction Retreat this August with Nancy Stohlman and Kathy Fish. Join us! COLORADO RETREAT: August 15-20

P.S.S. Follow along as we explore France and prepare for the French retreat on my Facebook or Open Your Art Retreats FB or Instagram

May 20: Arts of Brevity: Reading and live workshop at Clio’s Bookstore in Oakland, CA. Featuring Grant Faulkner, Nancy Stohlman, and Larry Smith.

Grant Faulkner / Larry Smith / Nancy Stohlman

Arts of Brevity

Saturday 05.20.2023  //  4-8pm


Clio’s 
353 Grand Avenue, Oakland


(Seating is limited —> reserve below!)

CLICK HERE to reserve your spot!

A novel can be written on a postcard. A story needs only six words for the telling. (“For Sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.”) Please join three contemporary masters in the arts of brevity at Clio’s to experience the joys and challenges of writing short. In a tradition that has roots in ancient aphorisms and parables, Grant, Larry, and Nancy create flash fiction, super-short stories, and 100-word novels. Over the course of their evening at Clio’s, they will discuss the why, how, and where of the short short and guide us through some brief exercises with pen and paper to produce our own six word stories—which Clio’s will proudly archive and display! Bring the kids! This will be fun.

Our guests numerous books will be available for purchase.

About our guests:Grant Faulkner is the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the co-founder of 100 Word Story. His most recent book is The Art of Brevity;he has also published Fissures, a collection of 100-word stories; All the Comfort Sin Can Provide; and Pep Talks for Writers: 52 Insights and Actions to Boost Your Creative Mojo. His stories have appeared in Tin House, The Southwest Review, and The Gettysburg Review, and he has been anthologized in collections such as Norton’s New Micro: Exceptionally Short Fiction, Flash Fiction America, and Best Small Fictions. His essays on creativity have been published in The New York Times, Poets & Writers, LitHub, Writer’s Digest, and The Writer

Nancy Stohlman is the author of six books, including After the Rapture (2023), Madam Velvet’s Cabaret of Oddities (2018), The Vixen Scream and Other Bible Stories (2014), The Monster Opera (2013), Searching for Suzi: a flash novel (2009), and Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction (2020), winner of the 2021 Reader Views Gold Award and re-released in 2022 as an audiobook. Her work has been anthologized widely, appearing in the Norton anthology New Micro: Exceptionally Short Fiction and The Best Small Fictions 2019, as well as adapted for both stage and screen. She teaches at the University of Colorado Boulder and holds workshops and retreats around the world.

Described by Oprah Magazine as “on a quest to spark self-expression in everyone,” Larry Smith is the founder of the Six-Word Memoir project, a bestselling series of ten books, a board game, and a live-event program found in classrooms, conferences, festivals, company retreats, and almost anywhere people gather. He is the editor of The Moment: Wild, Poignant, Life-Changing Stories from 125 Writers and Artists Famous and Obscure, co-author of The Joy of Cannabis, and director of the play A Map of Myself: A 70-Minute, One-Woman Revolution on War, Immigration, and Home

Order of events.4pm: Doors open
5pm: Reading and discussing
6pm: Writing and sharing 
7pm: Signing and sealing
8pm: Doors close

Reserve your spot here

Upcoming Live and Virtual Events: San Fran, NYC, Paris, and Zoom!

I’m excited to be reading in person in San Francisco, NYC, Paris and returning to the Flash Fiction Festival in England.

AND I have a handful of virtual readings as well as an online Flash Novel workshop during the Writer’s Digest Virtual Short Story Conference weekend.

I look forward to seeing you in person or online soon! Thanks as always for your support!

xoxo


FRIDAY, May 12: VIRTUAL Fiction Friday featuring readings by David Galef, Miriam N. Kotzin, Dennis Pahl, Nancy Stohlman and Denis Bell. 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm (EST) via Zoom

Email for Zoom link: dbell@unf.edu


THURSDAY, May 18: VIRTUAL Virtual Reading Series: Hundred Pitchers of Honey with Courtney LeBlanc, Yael Aldana, Nancy Stohlman. 7:30 PM EST time.

Registration link: CLICK HERE


SATURDAY, May 20: IN PERSON: “An Evening of Brevity” at Clio’s Bookstore in Oakland, CA. Featuring Grant Faulkner, Nancy Stohlman, and Larry Smith.

More Information: Click Here


SUNDAY, May 21: VIRTUAL WORKSHOP Writers Digest Annual Short Story Virtual Conference.

For information: CLICK HERE


THURSDAY, June 1: Rally Reading Series: Adam Dalva, Nancy Stohlman, and Colin Dickey at Pete’s Candy Store, NYC

Website: Click here / Facebook Event: Click here


June 19: Featured Reader, Spoken Word Paris, Details TBA

June 22: Featured Reader in person, Paris Lit Up, Details TBA

July 14-16: Flash Fiction Festival: Celebrating the short-short story world-wide. For information and registration CLICK HERE

August 15-20, 2023: Open Your Art Colorado Writing Retreat! (2 spots open) For information click: COLORADO: 

September 13: Featured Reader at Punketry in Denver, Details TBA