THE GLIMMERSTONE LITERARY SOCIETY
First Annual Writers Workshop
at the Cavendish Inn/Glimmerstone Mansion
Cavendish, Vermont
By Marjory Diane Lyons, Ph. D.
An impressive number of artists, sculptors, writers and musicians live in the southeastern quadrant of the Green Mountain State of Vermont. Many of them turned out for the FIRST ANNUAL WRITERS WORKSHOP at the Cavendish Inn in Cavendish, Vermont, a few years ago. Known locally as the Glimmerstone Mansion, due to the unique stone construction, the Inn is truly a romantic site for a writers’ conference.
The idea of a gathering of literary-minded folks for the conference prompted in my mind the creation of the Glimmerstone Literary Society. Accordingly, before everyone had left the workshop, each had received a certificate inaugurating them into the Glimmerstone Literary Society, an august group, indeed. Tim Jefferson, host and owner of the Inn, signed as vice president of the Society, while I penned my name as president.
The over-night-guests began arriving on Friday, July 22, and with each one's arrival the excitement built. About mid-afternoon, Joan McIver came in, camera in hand exclaiming about the Vermont covered bridges, and husband Stuart McIver followed her onto the porch and remarked, "What a lovely drive we have had down from Burlington!" That started a chattering about the trip up from Fort Lauderdale on Jet Blue and the drive down I-87 through the Green Mountains to I-91 and the exit west to Vermont Scenic Route 131.
“Two minutes after you turn off the highway onto 131,” he said, “you feel you are in another time zone.” “And,” said Joan , the way she often did finishing his thoughts, “and with it, an aura of relaxation sets in.” The McIvers sat on the open porch and we plied them with cool iced teas and views of the terrace and gazebo and gardens beyond. It was time to begin to let go.
But not entirely. This was the night before the First Annual Writers Workshop and there was work to be done. We looked over the twin dining rooms, arranged the four-top tables (covered in chocolate brown cloths), set out the speakers table, and laid out the agendas and the hand-outs. The result was a professional and dramatic setting in the old historic Inn, with the speaker to stand in front of the fireplace facing the bay window and the participants to be gathered around.
By the time Betsy Lampe and Betty Wright got there from Tampa on Northwest Air, just after dark, after an hour and a half's drive from Manchester, New Hampshire, we were seated at the dining table, just ready for dinner. The noise level rose as each friend was welcomed by my sons and hosts, Tim and Peter Jefferson, and my daughter Gail Harpold and husband, Marty Harpold, who had driven in from the Midwest. Soon the table was full of jostling and joking folks.
After dinner, Betsy had some folding to do of her handouts. Betty was well-prepared with hers, so the group then toured the grand old mansion (built in 1844) and the adjoining barn and listened to Peter, co-owner and host, entertain us with his guitar playing until time for bed.
The morning sun steamed in from the porch, through the great dining room windows to our meeting place in the grand living room. I arranged my notes on our table in front of the fireplace, its dark insides festooned with hyacinths from the garden. The pleasant order of fresh coffee steamed through the rooms, and the gleaming white cups and saucers laid out on the pristine side table set the hospitable tone.
Soon the front door bell rang, and folks arrived. The Manchester, Vermont contingent was first, Arden Kahlo and Stan Oken and Barbara Walker. Then John Mills came in the back door in his usual way, the former owner of the Inn, making his way down from up on the hill, and Betsy Lewis drove over from Chester, and others arrived, checked in, helped them selves to coffee, and found seats at the tables.
After a welcome, I asked everyone to introduce themselves, and each one spoke of having started writing a memoir, or wishing to get started, or having written in other genres now wanting to write a memoir.
The kick-off speaker was Betsy Lampe, executive director of the Florida Publishers Association and president of Rainbow Books, Inc. a twenty-five year old publishing company. Betsy wowed the group with her fiery talk filled with funny stories and pithy comments about publishing and marketing, base on her experience marketing over 300 books.
I gave an introductory talk about Betty Wright, of Lakeland, Florida, owner of Rainbow Books and an award-winning novelist. I told of how Betty had helped me get started in my memoir business, Telling Your Story, Inc., in 2001, and of my appreciation for her help.
Betty’s talk was peppered with witty stories in Texas-drawl of her work and how she had indeed written a romance novel that was made into a movie, and soon after started her publishing company in Florida, Rainbow Books, Inc. She gave pointers to attentive listeners on how to work with small and independent presses.
After lunch –a luscious buffet served on the terrace—Stuart McIver spoke on the theme “Dreamers, Schemers and Scalawags,” regaling the group with stories of writing his historical non-fiction books, based on true stories of Florida men and women of questionable renown. Considered the dean of Florida historical writers, Stuart spoke in his laid-back style, about his book, Death in the Everglades in which he tells of the government agent who was sent to the Everglades in the early1890s to prevent poachers from slaughtering egrets for their feathers, and was murdered by the locals for his efforts.
Joan McIver, travel writer and columnist for the South Florida Sunday Sun Sentinel Newspapers and longtime journalist for the Miami Herald, took over with practical information for writers who wanted to produce publishable travel pieces. Her tips, based on her on-going column on travel for seniors, stressed finding the “hook” to start with, that is, the opening sentence. She continued stressing the importance of supplying specific descriptions and details about the locale. As an admiring reader, I chimed in and quoted some of her first lines I remembered from her published articles in the Sun Sentinel.
Following a break for refreshments and sparkling glasses of Glimmerstone natural spring water, the session concluded with a writing session and my presentation, “Tips on Writing Your Life Story.” I guided the writers through the essential steps in identifying “milestones” in their lives, and the process of gathering together the relevant information before beginning to write. At the conclusion of the workshop, each participant had an outline of personal milestones, an opening scene, and a first sentence for their memoir.
As the sun began to set, the out-of –towners left for home, while the house guests gathered outside on the stone terrace, slid into arm chairs around umbrella tables, and talked over the exciting day. Tim served light drinks and Peter brought out his guitar to serenade.
July 2005
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For information, rates, packages and forthcoming literary events, check out the website www.cavendishinnvt.com
Call Tim at 802-226-7080 or Marjory at 954-249-1333