PLATE COVE WEST, N.L. — When accomplished editor Cassandra Filice first came to the King’s Cove area five years ago on her honeymoon, she fell absolutely in love with the place.
Now, she’s bringing a retreat to the area that hopes to provide direction for writers while also sharing her love of the Bonavista Peninsula.
Originally from Hamilton, Ont., Filice told The Packet once she stayed with Chris and Karen Ricketts at the Round Da Bay Inn in Plate Cove West, they were hooked.
“I’ve been a lot of places … but there was just something about Newfoundland,” says Filice.
“There’s something about being on the ocean and surrounded by the salt air, the sea breeze and the trees. I even think it’s beautiful on grey, foggy days – I do.
“When I think of home, this is where I feel my home is.”
They went on to buy a house in King’s Cove two years ago. They hope to move to the area full time within a couple years.
The idea to offer a writers’ retreat has long been on Filice’s mind, and after a difficult year of tragedy, and other personal struggles, she decided now was the time to do what she’s always wanted.
“What is holding me back? Why am I letting this fear hold me back? And I realize it wasn’t fear of failure, my fear is fear of success. ‘Do I deserve it?’, ‘Have I earned it?’, ‘Can I keep it up?’, ‘Am I going to let somebody down?’
“With everybody getting sick and dying you can’t let that fear hold you back in anything you want to do.”
A member of Editors Canada, Filice is a former teacher and professional editor. She’s had her own editing company for years (Write to the End) and has recently taken on editing and ghost writing full time. Her clients span North America and she freelances for the publishing house Indie Publishing Group in London, Ont.
She describes the retreat she imagined as a great way to showcase the area to people, as well as give something to writers, whether that be new amateurs or seasoned authors.
“We really want it to be accessible to a wide range of writers,” she explains. “Even if you haven’t written a book yet but you’ve always had that idea and want to get started, straight up to people who are ready to go query agents.”
Filice says it would also benefit any area of writing, including short fiction, poetry or even professional writing.
Staying four nights at the Round Da Bay Inn, it will involve extensive editing workshops from Filice, writing classes with novelist Genevieve Graham and even day trips in the region with Chris Ricketts.
Graham’s writing classes in the morning will complement Filice’s editing classes in the afternoon. Half the group will be in the workshop, while half will sightsee. Then they switch.
The experience boils down to her love of literature and her adopted home – as well as sharing that with others.
“The Bonavista Peninsula is really a gem with so much to see and explore.”
If you are interested in the Turn the Page Writers’ Retreat, go to www.writetotheend.ca for more information including rates and booking options. It takes place on Sept. 27 to 30.
You can contact the Round Da Bay Inn for booking information, or contact Filice at c.filice@editors.ca for more.
If you register and pay before Sept. 1, Filice will edit a chapter of your piece of work for free. The chapter must also be submitted before Sept. 1.
Who is Genevieve Graham?
Genevieve Graham is a novelist who lives in Nova Scotia. With six books to her name including ‘At the Mountain’s Edge’ and ‘Come From Away’, she is published by Simon & Schuster.
Cassandra Filice says she greatly admires Graham’s historical fiction.
“She’s lovely,” says Filice.
Graham’s expertise will cover many different aspects of writing, from plot, characters and dialogue, to research and other areas of the profession.
She says Graham is excited to visit Newfoundland and Labrador, to a place she’s never been before.
Jonathan.parsons@thepacket.ca
Twitter: @jejparsons
