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The Gathering
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Let the
people
be heard!

I enjoyed the retreat very much. What an inspired and inspiring group of folks
you assembled! Thank you so much for all you did to make it special,
from the great welcome packs to the pill-bottle shakers. :)
I am in love with Kentucky and its people and am most grateful for the experience.
I look forward to when our paths cross again.

See you at the
Gathering.

a

literary event

I would recommend this type of retreat
to any writer who is looking to be inspired.

What a nice combination
to put songwriters with writers.

It was a fine group of great people. The instruction was
accessible, informative and inspiring.

I gained connections with writers I didn’t know.

This was my first retreat.
It totally exceeded my expectations.

The presenters, participants, and environment were all
wonderful, and the inspiration has continued to flow in
full force in the weeks following the actual gathering.

I enjoyed the perspectives of all participants, the
opportunity to share and to learn, and I feel extremely
lucky to have been involved.

I have never been to an event where I felt the effects
so long after.

Loved it all.

Great fellowship. Great people. I loved the original
structure of working with all staff instead of by genre.

Individual reflection/writing time was a treasure.
You don’t always get this at some workshops.

I can’t tell you what the Gathering has done
for my writing.

I learned something valuable about writing from each
of your staff's presentations.

I felt inclined not to take the "down time" I would need
to write in order to join in the scheduled activities.

I would have liked more of this time [for reflection]
but did not want to miss anything.

I will write because of this retreat even if I didn't write
much there at the time.

I liked the willingness of the staff to become one with
the participants -- felt like a room full of friends.

[A fellow Gathering participant] kept remarking how
collaborative all the folks were at the Retreat.

Great experience!

Don't take our word for
how good The Gathering is ...
get the skinny directly from
the source!

Posted here are comments
from past participants of
The Gathering

All comments on this page
were written or spoken by the
writers and songwriters
who have attended a
MotesBooks retreat.

One’s own retreat, how can that be?
I can not lay individual claim to any part of the venture.
It was more of a partnership, separate streams joining to
become a creek and then branching back out to meander
along their own paths, leaving some of our carriage and
carrying away more than was brought.

Let the
people
be heard!

Loved, loved loved it! I enjoyed everything, I really
did, especially the community feeling, the park, and
all the good advice.

Loved the swarp!

I had a great time, and I thank you for developing
such a "freedom filled" retreat with opportunities to
learn, to share, and to make new (and to see old)
friends.

It was truly wonderful. I'm ready to sign up for next
year! Please keep me and the others updated if
anything else comes together.

This is such a great thing!

I really enjoyed hearing all
the sharing of work.

This was a time I’ll treasure
for a long time.
I thank you for all your hard
work and heart.

The presenters were top notch

I felt affirmed as a writer and
one who wants to use
accessible languages/forms – a
goal of writing for everyone.

Had no idea what to expect –
it was AWESOME!

I have an overall impression
of generosity and friendliness
from participants and staff
that made sharing and
learning a pleasure.

The welcome/hospitality
throughout was amazing! Lots
of talented, open people.

All sessions were REALLY
good – thanks to the
presenters.

My new-New Year's
resolution is to try to have
half the joy and freedom that
you seem to possess...thank
you for a great retreat...look
forward to seeing pictures and
hearing from everyone...

Great time! Especially the
chance to chat informally with
participants and presenters.

The Swarp rocked!

I'm glad I met so many great folks at the
retreat. Your friendships with each other were
infectious!

A very inclusive feeling – a grand feeling of
belonging. I had difficulty maintaining my usual
sense of alienation.

Everyone was very friendly and open.

I liked hearing [readings by] the presenters at
meal time.

Brilliant. I learned so much!

Part of the magic is being one of the lucky few
who get to hear the stories, poems, songs.

You (and the rest of the staff/presenters)
did a great job and I had a blast.

It was a great retreat.
I hope I can make round two.

Take care and may your upcoming retreats be
just as successful. Until next time…

The retreat was absolutely inspiring.
It was nothing at all like what I expected or envisioned,
but in the end I got more out of the experience
than I could have hoped for.

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So far,
they have journeyed from:
Alabama
North Carolina
West Virginia
Virginia
Ohio
Tennessee
Indiana
Illinois
Kentucky

They have taken home
great energy & good memories.
They are forever a part of
the family of
The Gathering.

click on Bob to
read his blog
entry about
The Gathering