Nourish your creative spirit in the birthplace of the Muses!
Calling all storytellers! 🖋️✨ Unplug from the ordinary and plug into inspiration at our upcoming writing retreat. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of nature, surround yourself with fellow writers, and let the creative energy flow. Whether you're a seasoned author or just starting your literary journey, join us for a week of words, wisdom, and wonderful connections. Let's turn the blank page into a canvas of endless possibilities! 🌿📖 #WritingRetreat #InkAndImagination #CreateWithPassion
Join an intimate circle of creative women for the adventure of a lifetime!
Stretch your creative muscles and dive deep into your writing with authors Kelly Dwyer and Tanya Shaffer.
We’ll spend our mornings creating and our afternoons exploring the island and basking in the warm Mediterranean sun.
We’ll stay at the stunning blue and white Hotel Lakki Village, just steps from the crystal waters of the Aegean Sea and a short stroll to the picturesque town of Aegiali.
About Your Writing Sessions
After a good night’s sleep and a delicious breakfast, we’ll begin our day with Off-Leash Writing with Tanya or Prompt Play with Kelly. These joyful, liberating practices are designed to awaken our senses and encourage a spirit of play and exploration. Inspired by the natural beauty of our surroundings and the rich mythology and history of the Greek archipelago, we’ll write fast and free, connecting with our authentic voices and coming home to ourselves on the page.
After a coffee and stretch break, we’ll delve into a different type of writing each day, including Travel Writing and Lyric Essay with Tanya, Flash Fiction and Novel Writing with Kelly, and Writing Tension with guest teacher and bestselling author Jonas Saul.
Each session will include both in-class writing and the chance to share your work in a supportive, stimulating environment.
About Amorgos
Amorgos is one of the most beautiful Greek islands in the heart of the Cyclades. Known for its dazzling blue water, white sand beaches, ancient picturesque villages and attractions, and delicious local food, it's an ideal spot for travelers seeking a tranquil, inspiring, and authentic Greek experience.
About Your Accommodations
Wake to the gentle sound of waves on one of Greece's most peaceful and stunning beaches. Our retreat center is situated directly on Aegiali Bay, steps from the soft sandy beach. Relax in the hotel’s lush gardens with shaded pergolas, or stroll into town for cafes, restaurants, taverns, and stores.
The Lakki Village Hotel (run by the founding couple’s five daughters and their children and grandchildren!) features an outdoor pool, wifi, and air-conditioned rooms. We’ll eat traditional Greek meals at the seaside in the hotel’s Agia Kali Restaurant, which uses locally sourced ingredients, including vegetables from the hotel’s own gardens. The hotel has beach towels, umbrellas, and snorkeling equipment available for your use. You can choose to book massages through the hotel at an additional cost or rent a car or motorbike for farther-ranging solo exploration.
THE RETREAT WEEK SUMMARY:
08:00 – 09:30--Buffet Breakfast.
Morning Writing Sessions With Tanya and Kelly
Afternoon & Evening Activities
· Swimming and relaxation by the beach and pool
· Yoga
· Excursion: A gentle hike along the mountainside between the ancient villages of Tholaria and Lagada, featuring spectacular panoramic views
· Excursion: A guided tour of the 11th-century Hozoviotissa Monastery and the medieval mountain village of Chora
· Event: A Greek cooking class with staff from the hotel’s Agia Kali Restaurant
· Event: Oceanside ecstatic dance
· Time for writing and reflection
· Conversation, camaraderie, and connection with a warm circle of kindred spirits!
Tanya Shaffer Biography:
Tanya Shaffer is an award-winning playwright and author of the travel memoir Somebody’s Heart is Burning: A Woman Wanderer in Africa. Her plays have been produced off-Broadway and by major regional theatres, and she has toured over forty cities in the U.S. and Canada. Her stories and essays have appeared in Salon and numerous anthologies. She publishes the Substack Tanya Shaffer’s Off-Leash Chronicles, in which she writes on topics ranging from creativity to parenting to travel to spirituality.
Tanya has worked with hundreds of writers for the past seven years through her Off-Leash Writing Workshops, Memoir & Fiction Workshops, and private coaching and editing. She can’t wait to join forces with Kelly and Imagine Greece Retreats to create an unforgettable week on the island of Amorgos! tanyashaffer.com
Kelly Dwyer Biography:
Kelly Dwyer is the author of three novels, most recently Ghost Mother, published by Union Square & Co. in 2024, and numerous plays produced nationally and internationally. A native Californian, Kelly was educated at Oberlin College (where she met Tanya!) and the Iowa Writers' Workshop and now divides her time between Wisconsin and Los Angeles.
She has taught at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival and the University of Wisconsin system for many years. She also works as a developmental editor who loves to help her students and clients achieve success.
As a young adult, Kelly enjoyed visiting Greece, where she spent time in Athens and on the islands and traced the Peloponnesian War in a rental car. She is excited to return for the Rejuvenate & Create Transformational Women's Writing Retreat after many years!
Cancellation Policy:
The deposit is nonrefundable as it's sent to the hotel immediately to hold your room. All funds received from the guest after the deposit are 100% refundable for any reason up to July 1st, 2025. After that date, the retreat fees are nonrefundable.
1. Comprehensive Liability Waiver
o Participants assume all risks associated with the retreat (e.g., accidents, illnesses, injuries).
o By agreeing to attend this retreat and e-signing when leaving their deposit, participants waive and release all claims against Tanya and Kelly for any loss, damage, or personal injury that may occur.
o Indemnification clause: participants are responsible for legal costs or damages arising from their own actions.
2. Force Majeure Clause
o Participants excuse Tanya and Kelly from liability if unforeseen events beyond their control (e.g., natural disasters, strikes, pandemics) necessitate changing or canceling the retreat.
o In this case, participants will receive a refund of retreat fees paid if the event is canceled, but Tanya, Kelly, and IGR are not liable for other costs (e.g., flights, travel arrangements).
3. Third-Party Vendor Disclaimer
o Tanya and Kelly are not liable for actions or omissions of the hotel, transportation providers, tour operators, or other service suppliers.
o If a participant has any issue (e.g., room problems, excursion mishaps), they must pursue a resolution with the relevant vendor rather than with Tanya and Kelly.
4. Limitation of Financial Liability
o Participants will not hold Tanya and Kelly personally responsible for any shortfall, unexpected cost, or vendor failure.
o If the retreat does not go forward or a participant cancels outside the allowed timeframe, Tanya and Kelly are not required to provide compensation beyond what the written policy states.
A bus or hotel van will be waiting to transport you to and from the hotel upon arrival and departure.
All six nights at Lakki Village Hotel are covered in the Writing Retreat fee.
The retreat fee gives you unfettered access to all the sessions with Tanya and Kelly, plus one-on-ones, and more!
Buffet breakfast is served every day from 8:00 - 9:30 with a wide variety of dishes and beverages: Coffee, tea, juices, jam, cheeses, olives, eggs, warm dishes, seasonal fruits, and more ...
Greek and American dishes.
The ancient village of Chora is a magnificent sight to see, with its historic windmills still adorning the hillside.
The 11th-century monastery Hozoviotissa is a wonder that must be seen.
We take you from the village of Tholaria across a mountain path to the neighboring village called Lagada for a picturesque walk.
Attendees will be given a gift bag of fun and exciting things related to the retreat.
Attendees must find their own way to and from Greece.
Blue Star Ferries offers tickets online. Please plan ahead and get your tickets to Amorgos before the retreat begins, and for when the retreat is over.
The one thing your fee does not cover are beverages. All beverages can be charged to your room and settled up upon check-out.
As noted above, all alcoholic beverages can be charged to your room and settled up later.
The hotel supplies us with buffet breakfast and dinner. Lunch can be ordered at the restaurant, or in town.
Please investigate what travel insurance works best for you, if needed. Participants are to obtain medical and travel insurance. Tanya and Kelly will not cover medical costs or reimburse travel Ins.
There may be a small fee of a few euros when checking out to cover the hotel tax fee the Greek government imposes upon hotels.
These are optional tours. Fly in early enough to join us!
Pre-Retreat Athens Adventure
Oct. 3rd
Morning
Mid-Morning
Afternoon
Evening
The duration is approximately 4–5 hours, perfect for immersing yourself in the heart of Athens before our retreat begins.
Athens Adventure: The Day Before We Sail
Oct. 4th
Morning
10:00 a.m.
Afternoon
Evening
Upon your arrival to Amorgos, a hotel van (or bus) will be waiting to transfer you to the Lakki Village Hotel, where you can check in, rest, swim, or read.
Day One:
Day Two:
Day Three:
Day Four:
Day Five:
Once the retreat ends, we provide social media plugs to advertise your books as they are released for the following year on our combined social media.
The hotel will transport you to the port, where the ferry will take everyone to Athens (or other islands if you want to keep touring Greece!). Once in Athens, you can continue traveling there.
If you’re leaving for home immediately, please consider that the ferry ride back to Athens takes approximately eight hours. To ensure you arrive on time, give yourself an extra day before your flight.
