Announcing a Summer Retreat
Writing in the Wild on Whidbey Island
I'm writing to you today because I've received an invitation to book a Writing in the Wild summer retreat at one of my favorite places on earth, at Whidbey Island, Washington, a short ferry ride from Seattle, on the beautiful grounds of Aldermarsh Retreat Center.
My vision for this retreat is to create an environment of peace, love, and artistry, and to offer you a respite from the world's chaos among the owls and alders, so you might sense your way into your writing, and your self. I've taught several retreats at Aldermarsh, and it is the privacy of the space and the graciousness of the land that offer deep support for you to claim the kind of experience you'd like to have.
The retreat welcomes writing of any form, from beginner to established writers. If this is your first time attending a writing program, we are making a space for you to develop your work with the freedom of your own inclinations.
If you have questions or would like to inquire about pricing, please send me a note by reply here or to sonyalea@gmail.com. I would like to know your interest as soon as possible, so I can confirm your place. These spots may go fast, as this is a small group. There will be an application process to help support you in the best possible ways for your work at this time.
July 11-13, 2025
Friday afternoon arrival and Sunday midday departure.
Beautiful private or shared accommodation
Small group size
Daily meditation
Writing prompts and support
Communal reading of your work (if you wish)
Gorgeous food by a wonderful chef
Hot tub
Ceremonial wood-fired sauna
Space for walking, hiking, and private quiet time
Retreat groups are given exclusive use of the Aldermarsh grounds, and your package price includes use of the Marsh House meeting space, the Japanese soaking tub and the fire pit, bed and bath linens, self-serve breakfasts with lots of options, two dinners, and a luncheon, as well as program mentoring throughout the weekend. If you live on Whidbey Island, please inquire about nonresidential prices.
Aldermarsh is near the Whidbey Institute and its fine grounds for walking and exploring. In the summer, you may also want to take a trip to explore some of Whidbey’s fine beaches, and take a swim.
Sonya Lea's memoir, Wondering Who You Are, was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award, and garnered praise in a number of publications including Oprah Magazine, People, and the BBC, who named it a “top ten book.” Her forthcoming book is American Bloodlines: Reckoning With Lynch Culture (University Press of Kentucky, Fall 2025,) about the last public execution in America, a legal lynching in Owensboro, Kentucky, where she was born. Author Gina Frangello wrote, "If those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it, if we are on a terrifyingly fast-track to becoming a people doomed, then voices like Lea's...are an essential part of our collective resistance."
Her books have received Canada Council Awards and other grants. Her essays have appeared in Salon, The Southern Review, Brevity, Guernica, Ms., The Los Angeles Review of Books, and more. Lea has worked in screenwriting and was a Nicholl Fellowship finalist. She is an American-Canadian and lives in Portland, Oregon.