Oh, I do love a good list! And I do love the number seven, specifically, for a list. Although, eight is actually my favourite number and always has been… don’t know what that’s about, but I’m sure there are some numerologists out there who could tell me Alright, enough of that. The big news is that I have two glorious weekends coming up on Bribie Island in Queensland. Huzzah!

#1 is on 21/22 October (it was sold out but has had a late cancellation). If you want to join that one, email me at josephinemoon@live.com.au and I’ll sort you out, quick sticks!#2 is on 11/12 November and is already half full! You can book into that one via the booking page.

There is something so magical about getting together with fellow writers, and especially, I think, for a weekend (at least!), where you can let the rest of the everyday go and just breathe deep and sink down in your story. That’s what we’ll be doing with fellow writers, following with the theme of ‘Diving Deeper’, and there aren’t many seats left. Maybe, one of those seats is for you?

May I suggest, then, the ultimate Seven Reasons to Join the Bribie Island Weekend With Me.

Honestly, what better way to spend a weekend than nurturing yourself and your story!? How often do our plans to write get scuppered by other people’s plans, or demands or interruptions or distractions? Get away from it all and “date your book”. (That’s my term for it… giving your book your undivided attention, as much as you would in the early days of dating a new beau.) Show it a good time! Show your book how much you love it!You’ll make writing connections. It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a writer in possession of a good manuscript, must be in want of a contract. And do you know what you need in this business? Connections. First and foremost, we need other writers for fellowship, company, tea and sympathy when it all goes wrong, and champagne and selfies when it all goes right. It also helps to share cabins and fireplaces when we need to belt out 10,000 words to meet a deadline and to have readers to swap stories with and give and receive feedback. Connections help us with tips on competitions and opportunities and, eventually (not always, but often), as colleagues in the business who look out for each other. This is why it’s great to get out from behind the computer every now and then and meet up with real writers, in person. Friends for life? Possibly. Friendly faces to see at festivals and conferences? Probably. The right person at the right time… almost guaranteed, in my experience.Bribie, itself. You know, as a kid, I had an uneasy relationship with Bribie. My memories are full of injuries (bare feet being sliced open on shells as sharp as scalpels); seaweed (so. much. seaweed.) in all the wrong places; dingy, damp huts; and wild surf you couldn’t swim in and winds that tore through clothing. But having only recently been there for a week with my fantabulous writing buddy, Kate, I have an entirely new appreciation for this kind-of-daggy-kind-of-lovely place. Specifically, I mean the Bongaree area, the calm side, the gentle, slow-paced, undemanding vistas and gentle water. The waterfront space along Pumicestone Passage there is truly delightful. Blue water. White sand. Upgraded parkland. Ice cream. Coffee. Unhurried. (I swear, everyone actually drives more slowly there.) The fantastic foreshore celebration of the history of the area. There are so many brilliant stories of people and their triumphs, disasters, bad tempers and generosity that your writer brain can’t fail to be intrigued. And I would wager that if you do spend some time perusing the foreshore information stations, something in there will either find its way to influence the story you’re working on, or sit inside your brain and percolate gently until it finds the next story of yours to influence.The museum! Yes, there is a museum nearby and it is really quite intriguing. Again, as above… stories! Everywhere! Those stories are begging for someone (you?!) to bring them fully to life inside your fictional world.Food! May I recommend Annie Lane for breakfast? The vegetarian breakfast is just mouth-wateringly perfect! Also, it would be hard to go past Scoopy’s for cake, coffee, and fish and chips.Me! Your over zealous, highly excitable, highly experienced, multiply published, frequently rambling but always helpful guide! I am hooked on retreats and it is a sincere joy to be able to share them with you.

If there’s a reason in that list that makes you think… hm… maybe I should do this!… Just head on over to the booking page to claim your spot!

Let’s dive deeper!