Writers seeking inspiration, quiet writing time, and expert coaching, critique and instruction, spend a week in this idyllic setting with Silver Falchion winner and bestselling mystery writer Pamela Fagan Hutchins.

“A breakthrough weekend for me.” David Welling

“I learned an enormous amount of useful information in a short period. With the experience of allowing a fear of critique from other writers to twist me up inside only to discover it’s a rather painless, easy experience was a real eye opener for me.” Heidi Dorey

“I went to this conference seeking ideas about outlining a novel in ways that wouldn’t stifle creativity and spontaneity. I got that and so much more. Best-selling, award-winning novelist, Pamela Fagan Hutchins shared wisdom and lessons learned about first drafts, revision, maintaining momentum through the dreaded middle of the plot, writing with efficiency and consistency, and so much more, all delivered with her trademark enthusiasm and energy, much of it in valuable one-on-one sessions. All that combined with group discussions and critiques with great writers and writing time with feedback made this a priceless learning experience. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate this conference a 12. ” Ken Oder

“I had a wonderful experience. I followed-up with a full manuscript critique with Pamela and landed an agent and publishing contract, too.” Mack Little

Blogged at Cows, Camaraderie & Concentration |: “Thanks to Pamela and the talented writers who made the writing retreat helpful, productive and inspiring!  My revision process is changing!” Patricia Flaherty Pagan

NOVELISTS RETREATS

Join Silver Falchion-award-winning, best-selling author Pamela Fagan Hutchins on the eastern face of the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming for a one-week facilitated novelists retreat that will cleanse your soul and explode your writing and your publishing career.

Includes:

• A critique of the first 50 pages of your novel by Pamela (or a critique of your business plan)
• Daily mini-workshops on giving and receiving feedback, deep novel revision, unforgettable characters, leap-off-the-page description, seat-of-your-pants tension, finishing your novel, and much, much more
• Dedicated writing/revision/inspiration time
• Critique feedback from participants
• Close-out feedback from Pamela on the revised first 10 pages of your novel (or revised business plan)
• Invaluable discussion and community building with Pamela and other participants, often focusing on publishing and writing advice
• Relax on the deck with coffee and watch the wildlife (or join Pamela there for yoga at dawn), hike the property with Eric of SkipJack Publishing and the dogs, or feed apples and carrots to the giant draft horses
• Enjoy home cooked meals with the scent of pine trees wafting through fresh air
• Feeling overwhelmed? Take a break from the retreat and enjoy a wide variety of local activities

Click the links to reserve the Hideaway Mountain Lodge or the Nowheresville, TX Farm Stay House for unfacilitated retreats for your writing group.

If you’d like to arrange for a readers, book club, or artists retreat, email pamela at pamelafaganhutchins dot com.

About Pamela:

Highly sought-after speaker and winner of the Silver Falchion (Adult Mystery) and USA Best Book Awards (Cross Genre Fiction), bestselling author Pamela has led critique circles, taught writing workshops, and provided manuscript critiques for countless authors. She is the author of What Kind of Loser Indie Publishes and loved by writers worldwide for her online courses on writing, publishing, and promotion at The SkipJack School.

“Pamela Fagan Hutchins is truly at the top of her game when it comes to deciphering today’s book publishing industry. She managed to put the last piece of the publishing puzzle in place of a journey I started 10 years ago to have my own publishing house. The beauty of Pamela and Eric’s work is that it is going to save me untold time and money eliminating the “trial and error” method of marketing. ” Rita Mills,  Publisher

About the Hideaway Mountain Lodge:

Mountains higher than Yellowstone, wildlife that’s really wild, exciting history sites . . . . . and no crowds! The Bighorn Region is a vacation destination for the discriminating visitor.

The Bighorn region is usually passed over hurriedly by first-time tourists—an unexpected looming mountain barrier on the way to Yellowstone—but for those special folks who don’t like crowds, condos, and curio shops this has always been a special place. Mountains to explore, Indian wars sites to discover, western lifestyle you thought was gone forever. . . . . and where else can you see one hundred miles from the window!

The Hideaway Mountain Lodge is a traditional mountain lodge where guests are personally entertained in the relaxed style of an earlier time. Guests are made to feel like part of the family and come away with a personal attachment to Sheridan and the Bighorn Mountains. It’s the perfect spot for artists, writers, or anyone seeking peace and tranquility.

While retreat guests follow a program designed to educate, inspire, build skills, and increase word count, guests will also socialize and compare their experience and their lives with each other and the hosts at mealtimes and at the end of the day on the deck or in the great room of the lodge. Guests are folks who prefer to explore and discover on their own, and hosts Eric and Pamela listen to plans and interests and make suggestions to facilitate those desires.

While our main purpose as hosts is to facilitate exploration on your own, there are some places that are just too remote or hard to find, and besides, some folks prefer to have a “native guide”. So while we’ll be telling all we can about where to explore, there are some days when we load up the vehicles and put together a party to reduce costs and have some fun.

For those seeking active adventures, there is hiking, fishing, jeeping, ATVing, kayaking, horseback riding, golf, bicycling, and auto touring. Spectator sports include rodeo, Indian powwows, polo, wildlife viewing, and birding. A day in town can include shopping, dining, museums and perhaps a little taste of the bright lights that evening. Guided activities include history tours, wildlife safaris, fishing guiding, and geology trips. Daytrips to area attractions visit Little Bighorn Battlefield, Bradford Brinton Memorial, Devils Tower, Bighorn National Forest, Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, the Medicine Wheel, the Hole in the Wall, Trail End Museum and Fort Phil Kearney.

Or, guests seeking peace and tranquility can relax on the deck with Moncrief Ridge looming to the south and the spectacular panorama unfolding below: rock formations, buttes, rugged foothills, and the owners’ draft horses grazing in waist-high buffalo grass and wildflowers. What better place to stimulate your creativity and quiet the noise of modern life?

Lodge Activities:

Bring a guest who just wants to explore or schedule a break in your writing week for fun, fun, fun.

Full Day Guiding 
4wd transportation, guide, field lunch, for a wide variety of activities and endless destinations . . . . $95 each, $325 minimum

Some of the possible excursions: Lake DeSmet or Tie Hack Reservoir (fishing or kayaking), Fort Phil Kearney/Wagon Box Fight/Fetterman Massacre museum and sites, Little Bighorn battle site, driving tour of Bighorns, Bighorn Recreation Area, Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Reserve, Devil’s Tower National Monument, Medicine Wheel, The Hole in the Wall, fly fishing on the Tongue River or Big Goose Creek, Bradford Brinton Memorial hiking or Razor tours in the Bighorns, The Trail End Museum, and much more.

Evening Wildlife Safari (Moose, elk, deer, bear, mountain lion, wolves? Who knows what an evening will bring!)
4wd transportation, guide . . . . $39
Kids under 12 . . . . $20

Available for Rental

Polaris Razor ($100 for three-hours, $150 for full-day).

Kayak/trailer ($30 per day).

Horse Riding Lessons or Guided Rides

Horsemanship Lessons: $50 an hour.

Guided rides for up to three guests:

$95 each for two-hours.

$185 each for four-hours.

AUTHOR RL NOLEN on Feathers with Pamela on Katniss.

“By lunchtime on the second day, I knew this retreat was the best investment I could ever make for growing my career as an Indie author.  I arrived without a clue of how to market my books, and I left with a detailed, six-month action plan.  Pamela & Eric are so knowledgeable and generous and willing to share everything they can to empower other writers and publishers.  Plus they are fun and wonderful people!” F.E. Greene, author of The Never List (Loves Across Londons Book 1)

Schedule

Location and Travel

Address to be provided upon registration. Options:

Fly into Gillette WY (1.5-hr by car),

Fly into Billings, MT (1.5-hr by car),

Fly into Casper WY (2.5 hr by car),

Fly into Denver CO (6-hr by car),

** Fly into Sheridan WY (20-min by car: fly through Denver, book direct from there to Sheridan via http://www.flysheridan.com).

 Driving? Map to Big Horn WY to get an estimate. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to make this a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Note: WE HAVE INSIDE DOGS. ALLERGY SUFFERERS COME PREPARED OR OPT OUT.

Meals

Meals and non-alcoholic drinks included. Breakfast and lunch will be buffet, dinner will be family style. In a small group, dietary accommodations can increase costs; we will be happy to accommodate you for an additional $70 for the week. Please specify your restrictions when you register. Writer-guests may bring alcohol if they wish. No smoking is permitted inside the house and outside only in designated areas due to fire hazard.

Rules and Restrictions

Professional behavior is required at all times. Writer-guests will be responsible for damages.

Registration

A variety of accommodation options are available, but we book fast. Each option (see below) includes the retreat and meals. Email pamela at pamelafaganhutchins dot com with your registration preference. All prices will be subject to Wyoming state taxes.

SPRUCE ROOM. Lofty dormer room high in the treetops overlooking the Sheridan valley. Antique oak furniture with queen bed, futon couch/bed, and adjacent bath with stall shower and decorative old-fashioned claw foot tub, shares bathroom with Treetop Loft . . . . One writer: $1000; Two writers: $600 each; Three writers: $550 each

TREETOP LOFT. Open to the great room two stories below and sharing the Spruce Room bathroom, accommodates up to three adults who are great friends!, teens, or older children . . . . One writer: $800; Two writers: $500 each; Three writers: $450 each

ASPEN ROOM. Romantic vaulted ceiling bedroom with sunny dormer window seat Queen size Victorian Angel bed with old-fashioned country quilts and ruffled curtains, and a day bed. Attached private shower bath. View through treetops overlooking Little Goose Canyon . . . . One writer: $900; Two writers: $550 each; Three writers: $500 each

PONDEROSA ROOM. Our premium room with cozy western furniture set off by the warmth of hand-peeled logs and country curtains. Queen bed, twin bed, outside balcony, 100-mile view. Attached private shower bath. Our only room with no stair navigation required. . . . One writer: $1100; Two writers: $650 each; Three writers: $600 each.

MONTANA ROOM. Very private room with Queen size adjustable bed and old-fashioned country quilts plus a futon bed. Shared shower bath. View across Sheridan into Montana and the Wolf Mountains . . . . One writer: $900; Two writers: $550 each; Three writers: $500 each

LITTLE GOOSE CORNER. Cozy, private space with Queen size bed that shares the Montana Room bathroom, accommodates up to two adults . . . . One writer: $800; Two writers: $500 each

• Booking for a single writer but bringing a non-writer to stay with you? Add $50 a day.

Questions? Ready to reserve your spot?

pamela at pamelafaganhutchins dot com

Past Events in Nowheresville, TX:

“Crime and Punishment” Writers Retreat (Focus: Mysteries, Thrillers, and Suspense)

Are you ready to take your mystery/thriller/suspense writing to a new level? If so, join award-winning, best-selling mystery/suspense author Pamela Fagan Hutchins (and her goats, cows, dogs, and deer) in the Texas Hill Country—only 1.5 hours from Houston and Austin—for a weekend writer’s retreat focusing on the craft of crime writing.

• Comprehensive workshops on creating tension, character development, atmosphere and setting, red herrings, story structure and elements, creating a “villain,” series writing, and more
• 1-1 critique session with Pamela on your 1^st 50-pages
• Dedicated time to write
• Feedback and discussion about your work with other retreat participants
• Wildfire season in Texas. Enjoy the bluebonnets and some peaceful time in the country with Pamela’s beautiful cow Dixie and white tail deer.

Winter “Publishing Success”

Are you ready to rocket launch your publishing career? If so, join award-winning, best-selling hybrid traditional/independent author Pamela Fagan Hutchins (and her goats, cows, dogs, and deer) in the Texas Hill Country—only 1.5 hours from Houston and Austin—for a weekend writer’s retreat focusing on publishing and promotion strategy.

Includes:

• Comprehensive workshops on publishing and promotion strategy
• 1-1 sessions with Pamela to brainstorm your strategies
• Dedicated time to work on your own publishing/promotion plan/budget, or to write/revise if you prefer
• Feedback and discussion about your strategies with other retreat participants
• Post-retreat feedback on your publishing/promotion plan/budget from Pamela

 

Summer “Beat the Heat Writing Retreat”

It’s too dang hot to do anything else but lock yourself inside and write in Texas in August, so join award-winning, best-selling author Pamela Fagan Hutchins (in air conditioned comfort!) in the Texas Hill Country—only 1.5 hours from Houston and Austin—for a two-day weekend writer’s retreat.

Includes:

• A critique of the first 50 pages of your novel by Pamela
• Mini-workshops on giving and receiving feedback, finishing your novel, deep novel revision, and more
• Dedicated writing/revision time
• Critique feedback from participants
• Close-out feedback from Pamela on the revised first 10 pages of your novel

• Relax in the giant “cool” spa or brave the heat to see the pond, goats, and cows on the walking trail (enjoy the wildflowers at the 2016 Spring Writers Retreat)