WE will soon be celebrating two years since we created the Virtual Writers’ Retreat, one of the good things that was birthed during the pandemic. After a few discussions, my good friend Claudia and I decided to make this retreat a reality, and we invited Richard Young to join us. Our three-day virtual retreat covers the “Create Compelling Stories” curriculum, broken into multiple sessions: –      Exploring the writer’s mindset, ideal reader analysis, visualisation exercise,
story generator workshop, crafting the story arc, storytelling workshop, developing the story structure and introduction to self-publishing.

We are encouraged by feedback from people who have been through the retreat. Some of the participants have written and published their books (fiction and non-fiction), and many are in the process of doing so. Anandy Gittens is one of those people, and she shared an excerpt from her upcoming book “Well fitted crown clothed in purple” below.

“He was the epitome of fine. His broad smile and huge white teeth neatly aligned radiated through the crowd. Just one glimpse and my eyes met his face, lighting up like a candle spark at a thanksgiving table. In the room, all else became invisible as our eyes locked in with each other. The mere energy transcended the room, a shy yet bright smile matched his on my face, teeth evenly beautiful. That was the night I fell in love. That was the night he took my breath away. I thought he was my knight and shining armour, a saviour from past hurts and disasters; thought he was the shimmering light in the dark, the spark of hope in a future place. That night I danced my shoes off as we reconnected and spoke of old memories great and beautiful. I felt like Cinderella at the ball now meeting her prince charming.”

Dr. Wendy Hermonstine was the first to write her book (Compilation of Daily Reminders) after the first retreat, and she is working on her second book. A short excerpt is below –

“Let us get up each morning with determination to complete our agenda for the day. Be unstoppable and prepare to fight the good fight with all your might, knowing with God in the vessel, you shall smile at the storm. Romans 8:31 & 32 ask the question – What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Thanking God for another grand rising. We may all be familiar with the lyrics of this beautiful song, eyes the sparrow: Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come? Why should my heart feel lonely and long for heaven and home when Jesus is my portion? A constant friend is He; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches over me. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Let’s sing because we are happy and free because of our faith and trust in Jehovah. When we are down, let us read encouraging scriptures even as we remember the promise of God to never leave us or forsake us. James 1: 12 reads, ‘Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
She shares very inspiring content throughout the book.

Umbra Theophilus Iko-Ojo , an attorney from Nigeria was already writing his book when he joined the retreat but used the info he learned to make his story more compelling. An excerpt from his book —

What Champions don’t do: “Life is pretty unpredictable for everyone. People allow ugly circumstances to shape their lives and become worst for it. Life by her very ugly and unpredictable circumstances has a way of leading the way our lives have often gone. But Champions deviate from this path and write their own story. They write the script knowing that life is like script and everyone acts their way based on the circumstances they find themselves. Champions act their own script. They choose “the beauty” instead of “the Ugly” life would often throw. The Script! Champions don’t act the script of fate. They re-write their own story.”

Beverley Been decided many years ago that she was going to write her book one day and the retreat made that a reality.
Excerpt from her book Rising Above Challenges, Chapters 21 pg. 126    “Hurricane Irma Strikes”
“I was awakened at 4 o’clock in the morning on the 6th of September, 2017, by the whistling sound of the wind as it bashed against my window on the eastern side of my one-bedroom apartment. I laid on my back and listened for a few minutes as the howling got louder and louder. I grabbed my phone, sat up in bed and dialled my husband’s number. “The storm is passing now!” I said, “Listen to the sounds.”  I got off the bed, turned on the light and jumped back into bed. The windows rocked as the howling wind bashed against them. The lone door at the south-eastern side of the apartment shook viciously as fierce winds blasted the outer walls.”

Sara was so intentional to have her book out a few months after the retreat and she did.

“Just because he is a good man doesn’t mean he is a good father. Anyone that would insult me and put me down in front of my husband is not worth having in my life. That is NOT what a relationship is about, especially a parent to a child. On many occasions, my parents would insult me in front of both of my husbands. If they are acting in a way that is hurtful to you and will not rectify it, then why continue to be emotionally abused by your parents? They will always be your parents, but it doesn’t mean they have to be in your life. Agree with me or not? If parents cannot love, support, care and protect their children, then why do they have to be in your life? I wanted parents who set the example. Children live what they learn.”

Alesia Amanda also published her book and Andrea Edwards participated in two anthologies. Latoya Barton is the latest person to have published her book ‘Zombies of Lodge’ and her excerpt is below –
“He was dressed in a red checkered plaid shirt with a pair of blue jeans and some heavy-duty boots. His shirt seemed to be covered in something dark. The sleeves seemed to be hanging from his limbs. I gasped. His hands were not there! Then I looked up at his head. He was brown-skinned with black hair closely cut to his head. His face confirmed everything else I needed to know. His eyes seemed to be clouded over and grey. There was no life in them. His mouth and the bottom half of his face were smeared with a red substance. I knew it had to be blood.”

I invite you to join us (WhatsApp 592 6848129) for the next retreat on the 19th, 20th,21st of August or the CCS monthly subscription club as we celebrate this beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.