Article about Abroad Writers' Conferences from the WALL STREET JOURNAL, by Barbara Chai January 13, 2006

Michael Ondaatje in France 2006.

2008

Provence/Cote d'Azur, FRANCE, June 14 - 28, 2008

Abroad Writers' Conference will be holding our French conference in Seillans, a beautiful medieval hilltop village. Seillans is located in the Pay de Fayence, where numerous hilltop villages exist. It's situated in the hills near the Mediterranean Sea on the French Riviera, 30 km from Cannes, 45 minutes away from Nice and 30 km away from Grasse the perfume capital of the world. Seillan--considered to be one of the most beautiful village in France it's a "perched village" overlooking the plain between the southern Alps and the Esterel massif. Authors: National Book Award Finalist--DAN CHAON, GARY FERGUSON, Author/Booker Judge--RUSSELL CELYN JONES, ANNE LECLAIRE, Booker Nominee—MICHELLE ROBERTS, Pulitzer Prize Winner EDWARD HUMES, SHEILA SCHWARTZ, SUSAN VREELAND, REBECCA WALKER. Additional authors to be announced shortly. Agents: KRISTEN MANGES Workshop Instructors in Fiction, Non-fiction, Memoir, Science Fiction: DAN CHAON, GARY FERGUSON, RUSSELL CELYN JONES, EDWARD HUMES, ANNE LECLAIRE, SHEILA SCHWARTZ, REBECCA WALKER. Editors: KRISTA MADSEN & STEPHANIE STAAL. Our group instructors--MFA graduates with well-received published books and strong teaching backgrounds: Sheila Bender, Marcy Dermansky, Edan Lepucki, Krista Madsen and Stephanie Stall.(authors and instructors may change due to unforeseen events).

August 8 - 17, 2008. CHIANG MAI, THAILAND

In the Northern Provence of Thailand, Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai was the capital of the kingdom of Lanna (the kingdom of a million fields), which enjoyed a golden age throughout the 15th century. During this age the powerful inland kingdom came to control most of what now constitutes northern Thailand, north-western Laos, the eastern Shan states of Burma and Xishuangbanna in southern Yunnan. The religion of the kingdom -Theravada Buddhism - gave rise to a cultural wealth whose influence was to be felt beyond the kingdom's boundaries down the centuries. Authors currently scheduled to attend: National Book Award Finalist and PEN/HEMINGWAY Award winner JOAN SILBER, REBECCA WALKER and JIM GOODMAN and other leading authors from the Mekong Delta-Laos, Cambodia, Vietnan. We will also have agents attending this conference. WE WILL ONLY ACCEPT 24 PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL CONFERENCE. Instructors: JOAN SILBER & REBECCA WALKER. DAILY SCHEDULE

GUALALA, CALIFORNIA, October 2008

Celebrity Authors and Chefs: CALIFORNIA, GUALALA--MENDOCINO COAST. Join us for a wonderful weeklong adventure in Gualala a lovely northern California coastal town. Gualala was home to the Pomo Indians prior to the early Russian settlement in this region. Later in the 1800's it became a vital logging town. Today it is know for it's tranquility and beauty and for many native Californians, Gualala is a special sleeper gem found on the Mendocino Coast. In Gualala we'll be staying in select houses at Sea Ranch, these houses are grouped near the ocean. Authors attending: COLUM McCANN, GAIL TSUKIYAMA and several other leading Irish and Californian authors will be announced soon along with literary agents attending. In Gualala, you'll also enjoy the pleasure of eating California cuisine prepared by several different Master chefs we'll be brining along with us to prepare our special nightly dinners.

Price: FAYENCE, FRANCE--You'll receive two workshops--2 1/2 hours a day for 6 days. Daily lectures, readings and group panel discussions and 10 dinners at Domaine de Fayence or in restaurants. You will be housed in a 4 star resort/spa for two weeks in three, four and five bedroom houses. If you’re interested in housing with other friends please let us know in advance and we’ll do our best to accommodate you. Prices: Shared room, with two twin beds: $2,750. Single room: $3,450 If you're interested in bringing your husband/wife/companion to share your room but they will not be enrolling in workshops, the fee is : $1,000. GUALALA, CA -- conference/workshop fee $1,500 includes four dinners with wine. For those who are interested, we offer housing in private homes in the area for 7 nights, $900 for a shared room and $1,500 for a single room in a house. All houses are rated 4*, with hot tubs and ocean views. If you're interested in housing, please contact us ASAP so we'll be able to reserve a room for you. Dinner will be held at the beautiful Gualala Arts Center which is located in the redwoods and Sea Ranch Lodge.