Ever wish you could be dropped off on an island? No chores, no cooking, just a restful space to write your heart out? Well, we do not have an island. And there is not complete isolation, because in the evening a group of like-minded writers gather on the screened porch to critique and hear from editors and authors . . . but that’s optional. If you prefer, you can stay on your “island” and let your pen fly. Go for it.

"Room to Create” provides the solitude, the space, and the ambience. Immerse yourself in your writing with a retreat format that allows you to devote all day long to developing and grooming your work. And in the evening, enjoy the support and guidance of experienced professionals—an editor, an author, and a publisher. Enjoy camaraderie and inspiration as you receive feedback on your writing, participate in group manuscript critiques, and informally discuss the field of children's publishing.

FORMER ATTENDEES’ COMMENTS
“For a writing retreat with writers at different stages in their careers, the format was ideal. I greatly appreciated the freedom this gave me to work at my own pace.”
—BARBARA BAKER, NEW YORK, NY

“I attended ‘Room to Create’ and found that the atmosphere—quiet, no frills, everything-taken-care-of, camaraderie—provided the perfect place to create. I finished first drafts of three short stories, but better yet, I completed a rewrite of my first novel. . . . I was correct in my belief that the next step in my development as a writer must be an intensive writing and critiquing workshop in which my days were spent immersed in the creative process.”
—MARY LOIS SANDERS, SOMERSET, NJ

Kathleen Hayes
Kathleen was recently named editor of Highlights High Five™—the new early childhood magazine from Highlights for Children. Formerly with Bank Street College, Hayes taught four- and five-year-olds in The Bank Street School for Children; worked as a staff developer in public school classrooms in Newark, New Jersey, and Albuquerque, New Mexico; and taught courses in the graduate school and in the college’s Division of Continuing Education. At Bank Street College, she also was a member of the Publications and Media Group, helping Macmillan/McGraw-Hill develop curriculum materials for Pre-K through second grade. In addition, Hayes is the author of a best-selling professional book published by Scholastic, Classroom Routines That Really Work for Pre-K and K.

Vera B. Williams
Vera is the author and illustrator of many distinguished books, including Stringbean's Trip to the Shining Sea which won a Parents' Choice Gold Award; A Chair For My Mother; “More, More, More,” Said the Baby; Cherries and Cherry Pits; and Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart. She was the U.S. Illustrator Nominee for the 2004 Hans Christian Andersen Award.