Writing in Italy

“I need to cook and clean less,” I said sweeping the kitchen floor.
“Okay,” Mr. Wonderful said putting the breakfast room chairs on top of the table.
“I need to work less.” I said sweeping under the table.
“Okay.”
“And I need to write more.”
“… Okay.”

Between doing home improvement work, caring for a baby, and putting food on the table, it had become abundantly clear to me that there were not enough hours in the year for my writing. So I did what any self-respecting writer does: I got out of Dodge.

Specifically I went to Italy to write with The Lemon Tree House Residency Program for writers and artists. There I stayed in a villa atop a hill in beautiful Tuscany.

Every day delicious breakfasts and dinners were prepared by talented chefs (no shopping, cooking or cleaning for me!). 

There was a daily cocktail hour (to help relax me after a day of writing). The estate had molto kilometers of walking paths (to get my brain in the writing mode). 

There was a daily cocktail hour (yum). The staff was kind and the other writers were diverse and creative, which made for dynamic dinner conversations. 

My writing room was bright and quiet. And did I mention the daily cocktail hour?

The residency’s location, program, and that daily cocktail hour were so amenable that I was able to achieve my goal: to write like a fiend, which was fantastico! The Lemon Tree House helped recharge my batteries and jump start my writing. For me it was the perfect residency with the best people in a glorious corner of the world.  It was a wonderful experience. Thank you, Lemon Tree House!

 

In fact, I'd love to go back... If only for that cocktail hour. Salute!