Writing at home is wonderful, but a writers’ retreat is a different kind of marvelous…
Outdoor Craft Chat
Join us!
A note from Felice:
StoryHouse Writers’ Retreats are women’s retreats held at picturesque estates and boutique hotels around the country, bringing a luxurious experience to your writing journey. Each retreat features delicious food, gorgeous scenery, a quiet respite so that you can fully engage with your writing without the hustle-bustle of everyday life, and time for fun in a community of other like-minded writers. Equally important, each retreat features experienced industry professionals—from the authors of your favorite books, to literary agents, and in-house publishing editors—here to guide you along your writing journey with invaluable one-on-one feedback and intimate one-on-one engagement. Authors of all genres are welcome to apply to our juried selection process.
As I always say, Writing at home is wonderful, but a writers’ retreat is a different kind of marvelous…
Join us at our next retreat. We can’t wait to meet you.
Felice Laverne
Writing your book baby doesn’t have to be a solitary process. Join a community of similarly motivated authors, as you spend a long weekend focusing on your craft.
See Our Upcoming Retreat!
Join us for our upcoming retreat, a 4-night, 5-day intimate experience, where we’ll gather 10 writers in a Napa Valley sanctuary to write, edit, workshop, relax and connect. Bringing together the experience of multiple publishing professionals—including myself (founder of ArtHouse Literary Agency, fiction author repped by Transatlantic Literary Agency and celebrity ghostwriter and book doctor) and an ever-changing cast of renowned publishing industry professionals and authors—you’ll gain both feedback on your work and a guiding hand on your publishing journey. At each retreat, you’ll see a new industry face, so there’s always something new to learn.
After 5 days and 4 nights in a quiet, creatively inspiring locale, you’ll be amazed at the exponential forward progress your writing will make.
What to Expect
Craft Talks
Our Author- or Editor-In-Residence will also offer a “Craft Talk”, describing their personal journey into publishing, how they manage their craft, and offering guidance on how our authors can too. And, in the heart of Napa Valley wine country, what’s a chat without a little wine?
A Gorgeous Locale
Spend time at a luxurious gated estate in Napa Valley, California—the pinnacle of wine country—set on 7 acres of pristine Napa Valley vineyards, with 75 olive trees, vegetable gardens, redwood groves, fruit orchards, and a pickleball court.
A Network of Like-Minded Writers
Each retreat brings writers together for two hours of daily workshopping, guided by myself and one of our guest authors, in-house editors or literary agents. You will leave the retreat having had the time to unwind, luxuriate and reconnect with your writing in a meaningful way, while forging bonds within a vibrant community of like-minded writers with serious publishing aspirations.
About Felice Laverne
StoryHouse Founder and Literary Agent
If ever there was a person who lives and breathes the publishing industry, it’s me. I am an established and industry-recognized literary agent, book editor, ghostwriter, proposal writer, repped fiction author and author coach. I am the Founder of ArtHouse Literary Agency, and I hold a Bachelor of Arts in English, concentration Creative Writing, from Georgia State University as well as a Master of Arts in Publishing from Kingston University in London, England.
As a ghostwriter, book doctor and developmental editor, I have helped high-profile celebrities, leaders, healers, influencers, political figures and doers turn their messages into engagingly moving narratives, including having having co-authored the new release I’m That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams by Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles. I’ve also worked with phenomenal books MJ Harris’ Get the F*ck Out Your Own Way: A Guide to Letting Go of the Sh*t That’s Holding You Back (Legacy Lit), and Bonnie Wan’s The Life Brief: The Simple Tool to Unlock What You Really Want from Life (Simon Element), among so many others. My ghostwritten work has been featured and/or reviewed in Forbes, People magazine, and Fast Company, and I am represented by Transatlantic Literary Agency for my fiction writing. In July, I will be at Understory Writers’ Conference in Park City, Utah, teaching two sensational new seminars: How to Get an Agent Faux Pas: What to Avoid Doing if You’re Trying to Get a Literary Agent and How to Kill Your Darlings: How to Cut & Kill Characters, Subplots and Book Ideas.
I’m thrilled to be bringing my years of experience in the publishing industry here to these retreats!
About Melissa Valentine
Editor-in-Residence
In my 20-year publishing career, I’ve held roles including Executive Editor and Editor at Amazon Publishing, Sounds True, New Harbinger Publications, and Callisto Media where I worked with numerous award-winning, chart-topping, USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors. I’ve published and collaborated on hundreds of books as an acquisitions editor, ghostwriter, developmental book editor, and editorial coach.
I enjoy helping thought leaders, spiritual and wellness teachers, psychologists, influencers, and novelists access the heart of their story and achieve their publishing goals. I’m interested in many topics, and have worked on a wide range of fiction and self-improvement/wellness titles in many capacities including acquiring, editing, establishing brands, and leading teams. I hold an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College and BA from Sarah Lawrence College. As an award-winning author myself, I understand what it means to nurture an author’s vision and listen to their needs.
Upcoming Retreats
September 24-28: Napa Valley California
Accepting Applicants Now!
Spend time at a luxurious gated estate in Napa Valley, California—the pinnacle of wine country—set on 7 acres of pristine Napa Valley vineyards, with 75 olive trees, vegetable gardens, redwood groves, fruit orchards, and a pickleball court. In between workshopping your work, our communal meals where we’ll discuss an insider view of the publishing trade, and evening group activities, relax yourself in the tranquil lake on property, to swim or paddleboard, as you conceptualize your next scene or mull over your upcoming edits. Relax in your own ensuite for an even more quiet retreat experience, or connect with fellow writers in a room for two or four people, as you forge bonds with like-minded writers on the same path as you. An hour of yoga will also be offered, included in your tuition, from a local instructor to help you open your shoulders and your mind! This space provides our writers with ample peace, space and tranquility to let your words flow onto the page.
Our selection process for retreats is juried. For our upcoming Napa Valley Retreat, 10 writers will be selected.