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Monday, February 11, 2013

W.R.I.T.E. on this December at the Writers' Weekend (Update)

Aloha!

***UPDATE*** 11.24.13
There was a *lot* of interest in this, but due to lack of participants, I'm going to cancel W.R.I.T.E and try again in 2014 :)

It’s been a week since I announced here that I’m organizing a *FREE* writers’ weekend in Hawaii and the idea appears to be a hit!
Who would have thunk it… a trip to Hawaii… in December… genius J

Thanks to everyone who's commented so far, As you can see/read here, there is a fair bit of excitement, so I am moving forward with the planning phase.

Within the next two weeks, I will post a tentative schedule, which may resemble a piece of Swiss-Hawaiian cheese – there will be several (many:) “TBD” open slots, but at least you’ll have an idea where I’m thinking and what I want to make this event a success J

I’m also going to reserve every Monday for the latest news and updates.

The schedule will be updated monthly through September and then I will update it weekly.

One official news item this week.
Yes, I am certifiably nuts, (does that mean there are two official news items?)... however, if you read my original guest post over at Cassie Mae’s, I’m working not on a New Year’s Resolution, but a New Life Resolve, so my goal is to pay it forward and make this weekend a fun, relaxing time to escape.

Some non-hyperlinked chap called Alex suggested my idea sounded more like a retreat than a conference, and I love that :)

Therefore, the Writers’ Weekend will forever be known as:

The Writers’ Retweet
…er I mean the

Writers’ Retreat Island-Time Escape
(I swear I wrote “Retweet” first… is someone perhaps partaking of too much social media?)


I’d love for W.R.I.T.E to become an annual event, but that’s going to depend on you J

(Personally, I could do with arranging a poetry session…)
If there’s a need, I’ll be there indeed.
If there’s not, I’ll feel like a snot.

As mentioned before, W.R.I.T.E is from Friday, Dec. 6 to Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, which coincides with the 41st Honolulu Marathon.
If a weekend amongst friendly faces and caring critiques wasn’t enough, here’s a chance to visit the USS Arizona on December 7, the 72nd anniversary of the “date which shall live in infamy.”

Plus, if running a marathon is on your bucket list, you can join me as I run my tenth and last (official) 26.2 mile raceJ

If you are seriously interested in attending and want to lead a read-and-critique group or host a workshop, please let me know via the comments – or feel free to send me an email via mark.koopmans@yahoo.com

And, please let me know if there is something, some session that you’d love to see on the schedule – I’ll see if I can make it happen.


Cheers and aloha :)

PS…. Would you rather be here in Winter?

No. 1 Son in Rhode Island, January 2011
 
Or here?
No. 1 Son in Hawaiian Islands, January 2013


25 comments:

Miranda Hardy said...

That looks like an awesome retreat. I'm not sure how productive is be with scenery like that. Lol

Mark Means said...

W.R.I.T.E sounds like it's going to be an awesome time and I wish I could make it. Best of luck with everything, though! :)

Anonymous said...

Sounds great and kudos to you for tackling this big project. It will be fun, fun for those able to make it!

mshatch said...

I would always choose a warm sunny place on the beach over a cold snowy place anywhere. Except for maybe Hogwarts - I'd take that place any time of the year :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

W.R.I.T.E. - knew you'd come up with a good title for it!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Mark .. if my boat comes in - I'll be there ... and so will follow happily along enjoying your progress ..

and the happy chappy seems ok in cold or hot .. as long as Mum and Dad are around ...

Cheers Hilary

Morgan said...

Heh, I like to dream big! So I'm going to see if we can make this happen!

As always, laughing my head off. This sounds SO FUN. And your boys seriously need to be models. They're so beautiful!

Johanna Garth said...

I LOVE the name and am excited you're going to make it happen. Now I just have to sell the idea to my husband...

Nancy Thompson said...

I'm gonna have to approach the husband unit on this one. It would be a perfect 50th birthday getaway for me, don't you think? I can work that angle!

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I want to be on the beach!!! This is torture.

If I win the lottery between now and then, I will so be there...without running shoes on!

~Sia McKye~ said...

Had to retire the running shoes, Mark. Running is strictly verboten, according to my doctor. Maybe I can walk part of it. :-)

I'd love to be a part of this. Will take some planning and since hubs also writes, perhaps we can call this an anniversary trip since our anniversary falls later in the month--the 19th.

I'll put the thinking cap on as far as presentations go. I'm thinking, I'm thinking....

Sia McKye OVER COFFEE

Brinda said...

That last question is Oh So Silly.

Of course, I want to be in Hawaii. Year-round. Got an extra room? Kidding...

It sounds wonderful. I'll have to see what you are cooking up for the group. The questions I have are all financial. I have no questions about WANTING to do it. :)

Carrie Butler said...

W.R.I.T.E. is an excellent name! :D

Unknown said...

W.R.I.T.E. sounds amazing. All I need to do now is convince my family I need a trip to Hawaii. Alone :D

Mark Koopmans said...

@Miranda: Yeah, the scenery will be a distraction - but I plan to schedule writing prompts/exercises based on where we are, so that might help :)

@Mark: Thanks, man... perhaps next year for W.R.I.T.E. 2.0 :)

@Julie: Don't know about big - yet - but will do my best to make it fun, fun, fun until HPD takes my T-bird away :)

@mshatch - Lol! Sorry, British Rail doesn't come out this way, but Hogwarts would make for a sweet weekend, too :)

@Alex: Cheers - and thanks for your idea formation :)

@Hilary: Will keep an eye out for you on the boat :) And, yes, the Happy Chappy loves both warm and cold... and I love that I have a new nickmame for him :)

Mark Koopmans said...

@Morg: No harm in dreaming big - in fact, I think it's a requisite to being a writer, right:)

@Johanna: Dear Hubby, you will have a wonderful time in Hawaii, promise :)

@Nancy: *LOVE* that angle... can't beat a special 50th present - and Happy Birthday in advance :)

@Liz: Family members are more than welcome, Twinny :) But, please put your shoes back on... the smell is scaring the Hawaiian Monk seals :)

Mark Koopmans said...

@Sia: Oh, another anniversary idea - awesome... we could even have a special event to recognize all the birthday and anniversary peeps :)

@Brinda: Yeah, I know the $$ situation is going to be a bother to many, which is why I'm trying to do my part to help by keeping costs free :)

@Carrie: Why thank you... it took me absolutely ages to figure out the "E." :)

@Jenn: LOL! Just tell them you'll be with some creative peeps and some bald, Oirish dude :)

M Pax said...

If I sell a lot of books this year, maybe. Although, I think my parents will be mad if I don't go to Florida first.

I wish though. I'd love to visit the Kek. Is that on your island?

Nicole said...

I'll be lookin' forward to the Monday updates. Don't know if I can get there in person...we'll see.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Oh I so hope I'll be able to attend the retreat. Will let you know if I can make it happen. Oh I'd definitely rather be chilling beside your son in Hawaii of course.

Mark Koopmans said...

@M Pax: you got me!!! I have no idea and so you must tell me what a "Kek" is ... I did a search and I found a type of cake, an physics organization and kek even means "LOL" in one of the video games!!!

@Nicole: Thanks, and who knows... maybe we'll see you one of these days :)

@Sheena-kay: Please do keep me in the loop and I will make No. 1 will be our honorary writer-to-be :)

Samantha May said...

I really really REALLY hope I can go to this. Not sure if my back will allow me to do a full marathon...you wouldn't happen to know if they're doing something like a 5 or 10k at the same time?

Shannon Lawrence said...

W.R.I.T.E. I love it! I hope this can become an annual thing, but I'm always getting ahead of myself. Instead, I'll hope your first goes well. I still don't think I can make it, but that doesn't make it less exciting.

Believe it or not, I do actually enjoy Colorado in winter. It's rather temperate for the most part, and I get a break from the heat. We don't get overly cold or overly warm here, for the most part. Doesn't mean I wouldn't like a visit to Hawaii in the middle of winter, though, to get a break and really appreciate the cool weather when I return.

Shannon at The Warrior Muse

Unknown said...

I'm going to put a pin in this ... I'm moving to the West Coast this summer and MIGHT just be ready for some island hopping, running madness by then. :-)

Melissa said...

Hawaii in December. I can dream, right?

Go, Mark, go!!! :D

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