On Thursday I’m packing myself off for an untutored retreat at Arvon’s ‘Clockhouse’ in Shropshire. To be honest I’ve steered clear of Arvon in the past having been entirely happy with my regular haunt of The Garsdale Retreat, which I’d recommend to everyone. But I felt it time for a change — and where else to go than the UK’s premier literary course provider?
If I’m honest, my previous reservations about Arvon have centred around pricing and food — especially after the glories of Rebecca’s cooking at Garsdale! On Arvon courses everyone has a turn cooking, and on the retreats meals are provided ready-made. Or at least that’s my understanding. Having said that, the feedback I’ve had informally from people who have been to Arvon often say the courses are great and they have a good time. Feedback on the ‘Clockhouse’ have been positive too. Well, I’ll find out soon enough. And anyway, who doesn’t like an occasional dip into the ‘ready meals’ chiller in Tescos?
The larger and obviously far more important question is “what am I going to do with my time there?” I have a cunning plan…
1 - a full fourth edit of The Extra Shot, a novel multiple years in the making and which should finally debut in the summer. This will probably prove to be the penultimate edit, and I’m okay with that.
2 - possibly one or two more short stories as a new collection, Writing to Gisella and Other Stories, edges toward a first draft. I know I’ve only just published Dead-heading Roses in the Museum Garden and Other Stories but I simply had too much material — and too many ideas — to fit them all into a single volume.
3 - and because I’ve started to dip my toe into poetry’s murky waters once again — and because I have an idea for a new project — I may start to work on that. At the moment I’m planning to draft long-hand, which is something I’ve not done for a while; it will hopefully be a way of instilling my approach to the work with a little freshness.
4 - and finally, one rehearsal of Crash every day in readiness for my next performance on the 21st (rehearsals which will continue when I’m back, obviously).
That seems like a pretty decent programme. Am I worried about any of it? Not really. Oddly, the only thing I’d like to know in advance is how warm the ‘Clockhouse’ is in April: heavy jumpers or t-shirts? Do you happen to know?
Enjoy your retreat and I hope you have a creative and enjoyable time. Its good to try a change of scenery, though I agree that Rebecca's cooking at Garsdale is to die for!
Ian, That's a heavy program. Give yourself a bit of down-time too.
I 'm intrigued by your new poetry project. I look forward to hearing more about it.