France 2022
May 16-23
Come to France…
As Covid slinks back to its cave of misery, it’s time to start thinking about how you want to celebrate your well-earned freedom.
The world is opening up fast and the Twilight Histories has prepared a unique experience for a small group of select listeners next Spring.
If you love the Twilight Histories and you’re an aspiring writer, we’re inviting you to join us for a week-long writing retreat in France in May 2022!
Applications are now open! There are limited spots available so fill out the form and get your name on the list!
Workshops
As this is a retreat for writers, there will be daily workshops on different topics led by of our podcasters Kevin and Jordan. They’ll show you how to build your worlds, plot out your adventures and deepen your storytelling skills so you can write powerful prose. Maybe you can even write a Twilight Histories show and get it published on the podcast!
Workshop topics will be picked once we have a better idea of who is coming and what topics you’re interested in.
Kevin Valbonesi
Kevin Valbonesi is a master storyteller who has created some of the most popular Twilight Histories shows, including Lord of Heligoland, Red Joseon, and The Drowned City.
Kevin was born and raised in Italy and spent his early childhood exploring Roman ruins and medieval castles.
After earning a degree in Film and New Media, Kevin started podcasting as a way to tell stories set in the historical landscapes he had been imaging since his childhood.
Before joining the Twilight Histories, Kevin created a fantastic podcast called Voices from the Ages where he told dramatic stories set in historic settings using music and sound effects.
Jordan Harbour
Jordan trained as a Classical Archaeologist and did field work in the Middle East, Europe and Canada. His main area of study was the Greeks and Romans.
After tiring of the endless travel, Jordan left archaeology and went into copywriting. Although advertisements could be fun, his real passion was history and its stories. In 2011, he created the Twilight Histories as an outlet for that passion. His more popular stories include The Winged Victory, Mask of the Plague Doctor and The Black Scourge.
The Twilight Histories has grown over the past ten years. Jordan is leading it into new realms such as role playing games where fans can tell their own stories.
Jordan has also been instructing new podcasters and hopes to mentor rising stars.
Daniel Waldman
Daniel is the Event Manager for this retreat. Raised in America, he now lives in France with his family which gives him the unique opportunity to drive to our locations ahead of time.
Daniel is a former marketing and PR executive turned expat and freelance writer/editor. He has more than 15 years of experience in marketing and public relations, including spending 7 years running his own boutique agency.
He got his start as an editor at a vanity press, and later went on to lead marketing and communications at a variety of agencies before starting his own business.
He has a BA in English from Loyola College in Maryland and a MA in Communications from Georgetown University.
He’s also a published short fiction writer, with a short story published in Bewildering Stories. Daniel is a Twilight Histories fan.
The Castle
You’ll stay in a medieval castle called the Château de la Barillère. The earliest traces of the castle date back to 1313, though the larger fortifications such as a moat and tower were constructed after the English conquest by Henry V.
After the bloody Hundred Years War, the castle was expanded and renovated to reflect a move towards comfort and prestige.
You’ll find 15th century masonry, wood paneling from the time of Louise XV, and renovations to meet the sensibilities of the 19th century. The vast grounds are filled with meadows and ponds, a chapel and fountain.
It’s a great place to wander, relax and get inspired to write!
Day Trips
There are three day trips planned during your stay (two full days and one half day). You’ll visit the famous Mont Saint-Michel, explore the medieval castle town of Vitré, and go on a boat tour around Saint-Malo.
Mont Saint-Michel
With a rich history dating back to the Gallo-Roman era, this unbelievable medieval fortified town is a UNESCO site and a living postcard. Its winding streets are capped by an impressive cathedral and the whole thing looks unreal, as though it were taken from a fantasy world. In fact, Mont Saint-Michel was the inspiration for Minas Tirith in Lord of the Rings! You’ll get a day to explore it.
Vitré
Vitré is a full-scale medieval town with an imposing castle built for war. Ramparts, winding streets, churches, old medieval buildings, a moat… a drawbridge. You don’t have to squint your eyes to feel the tug of centuries. As Vitré is just down the street from where we’ll be staying, it will be a half day trip.
Saint-Malo
Ahoy! On with ‘yer life jacket and up the gangplank with ye. Join your new friends on a tall mast sailing ship around Saint-Malo. If you’re lucky, you might see some dolphins! Back on shore, you’ll tour the world famous fish markets and try a spread of incredible fresh seafood. There are plenty of ramparts to climb, the town is quaint and the beaches are superb.
An average day
A typical day at the castle will open with breakfast, followed by writing time. Two workshops will follow, one by Kevin and one by Jordan on different topics. Following this will be some socializing. There are some activities planned such as a wine and cheese tasting and games. Dinner will be spent as a group in the dining hall. Drinks may follow, though we ask you to be considerate of others who may wish to sleep.
8 - 9am Breakfast
10am - Noon Workshops
Noon - 2pm Lunch
2:30 - 5:30pm Writing
5:30pm Social time, games, activities
7 - 9pm Dinner
11pm Light out
During your day trips there will be no workshops.
Rooms will be shared with two guests per room. There may be an option to upgrade yourself to a single room for an additional cost only if space is available.
Questions? Contact Jordan Harbour
Applications Are Open!
This is a writing retreat.
We’re looking for writers who share that common interest and want to use this time to write a great story. And what better place to flex your imagination than a medieval castle with Jordan and Kevin from the Twilight Histories as your guides?
We are only accepting writers for this retreat so please leave your significant other at home. If they really, really want to come to France, tell them they can spend a week in Paris and you will pay for this deluxe spa or this food and wine tasting tour. You’ll join them after the retreat is over.
Costs
The cost of the Writing Retreat is $3800 per person
Securing your spot requires a deposit of half the cost of the retreat, or $1900
Deposits are non-refundable
All outstanding fees will be due by Dec 31, 2021
There will be an early bird discount of 10% off for the first five people who are paid in full
Anyone not making the final payment by Dec 31 may lose their space at the retreat as it will be offered to others
Proof of your vaccination is required
Protect your investment with a ‘Cancel For Any Reason’ insurance policy, which can be purchased separately and independently.
Be sure you can attend before booking as we do not offer refunds.
If for whatever reason the retreat cannot happen during the dates set, it will be rescheduled. We’ll try our best to find dates that work for everyone.
Questions? Contact Jordan Harbour
What’s included:
Your stay at the Château de la Barillère
Transportation between our meeting point at Rennes and the castle
Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners at the castle
Workshops led by Jordan and Kevin
Workshop materials, such as notepads, etc.
Transportation during our day trips
A boat ride at Saint-Malo
Your entrance fee to Mont Saint-Michel
A few shared cases of wine to have with meals
A spread of French cheeses for a cheese tasting night
A Twilight Histories Writing Retreat 2022 graphic t-shirt
What’s not included:
Your airfare and travel to Rennes (where we’ll be meeting)
Food during day trips
Questions? Contact Jordan Harbour
Covid
France has a developing approach towards travel and we don’t know what it will look like next May. Best case scenario, we’ll be completely covid free and all these regulations will simply melt away. Worst case scenario, Covid will flare up with some new deadly variant and France will require proof of vaccination to fly in.
We’ve made the decision to remove the risk that you might be blocked from flying in to France because you’re not vaccinated. If that were to happen, it could really disrupt the retreat and it would put you out a lot of money. So we’re asking everyone coming to please be vaccinated.
Join us!
We’re currently taking applications for a limited number of spaces.
The Twilight Histories will review all applications and attendees will be accepted on a rolling basis until all spaces are filled.
Notification of acceptance will be sent within 3-4 weeks of the application date.
There will be an early bird discount of 10% off for the first seven participants who get their deposit in.
Make sure to reserve your place today!