Monday, July 28, 2008

Lovely news: a retreat fellowship!


A few months ago I applied for the wildcard fellowship for a month's paid retreat at the gorgeous-looking La Muse Writers and Artists Retreat in southern France. La Muse offers one unaffiliated fellowship a year, during November. I had my fingers crossed and crossed again, the place looks amazing and is set up for writers to be able to focus on their projects without too many other distractions (apart from French food, French wine and every other French delight!). I put together what I thought was an interesting application: how many other ex-British former science journalists living in Israel and working on a series of linked stories about a young Irish girl in the 1950s and a flash fiction collection would there be??


Well, I got this lovely email this morning from La Muse:
We've selected you as the Runner-Up to the Wildcard Fellowship. It was a very tough selection process. Your application was really great, so congratulations.

As a runner-up, we'd be very happy to welcome you to come to La Muse at a 50% discount for the month of October. Just so you know, there is only one runner-up, and it's something we decided to offer specifically because of the quality of your work. If you're able to come in October let me know! Otherwise, we can take a look at other months in the near future.

So excited. So so so excited. Sadly, October doesn't work for me, it is chock full of Jewish holidays which require that I be around here. I am hoping that it will work out for me to go soon, I feel this urgent need, especially with the book coming out, that I get on with the next projects, and I just haven't quite got the space and headspace here to focus. I know I can get so much done on retreat - my two one-week stints at Anam Cara have shown me that. I only hope I'll be able to still play Scrabulous online! (see previous post).

11 comments:

Sarah Hilary said...

Oh what a great thing, Tania, many many congrats on getting this! Can they not move it around, given your circumstances? I hope so.

Anne Brooke said...

Well done - that's fabulous news! (Ooh, and I couldn't make the link work from the WW site, Tania, but no worries - you're on my favs list anyway!)

:))

A
xxx

Nik Perring said...

That's brilliant, Tania. Congrats. Oh, and if you struggle to find the time to go there's a writer here who'd take your place in a jiffy ;)

Kat W said...

A MASSIVE Congratulations - WOW, imagine them making an extra prize because you were so good. This is brilliant news. The retreat sounds fabulous. I'm very excited for you.

Oh and thanks to your links on previous comments I have found scrabulous - oh dear, oh, oh dear!!!!!!! My husband just noted that I didn't appear to be doing much work. Damn, I failed to minimise it in time!!! I'm not on facebook to play against you but I suspect that may be a good thing as it sounds like you've had lots of practice and would beat me horribly! LOL

Once again - well done you - fab news!

Kat :-)

Unknown said...

Wowee Tania. That sounds ace.
They made a prize just for you!
X

Group 8 said...

Congrats, Tania. Two poets I know are off there tomorrow for a month. Sooo jealous. You'll get your time there and well deserved.

Tania Hershman said...

Sarah - I hope they'll be able to move it, November would have been perfect, but any time is wonderful!

Anne - thanks, in my excitement on WW I'd put the link as the title and the post title in the link box! All proper now.

Nik - you are officially appointed my deputy, should I suddenly decide not to take up this delightful offer. Keep a suitcase packed.

Kat - thanks! I think it was probably because I am so wierd rather than good! I thought my application might stand out a little for its oddness. And - I would say I was sorry about your newfound Scrab addiction, but I'm not, hahahahaha. Just get better at swift minimizing of windows!

Sara - it's a pretty nice feeling, really sweet of them. I can't wait for the croissants....

WRW - wow, really? Gosh, I hadn't quite realised how well established and known La Muse is, that makes me feel even more excited. Coming with me??

slippingthroughtheworld said...

fantastic tania, and bloody well done. how wonderful, a retreat for a month, at 50% off! x

Frances said...

Congratulations, Tania! La Muse sounds a really lovely place for writing.

Group 8 said...

I wish, I wish. Sadly, with 2 kids, all I ever manage at a retreat is 1 week, planned months in advance. It's always enough, somehow. I guess we make the time fit our needs.

Kerry said...

Lovely news! It looks incredible too....I'm sure you'll get an brilliant amount done in a month especially inspired by other writers and the lovely lazy french lifestyle :) Wonderful you lucky lady!!