Feb./March. Comment Contest and Ojai Retreat Scholarship Winners

By Marilyn Friedman

The rest of March is hopping at Writing Pad. Join us for some fantastic classes, retreats, and events. Get your writing practice going and finish those writing projects you've been dreaming about!

Writing Retreats:
Writing Pad Ojai Retreat
March 25 - 27, 2011 at the gorgeous Casa Barranca ecosanctuary
Instructors: Thaisa Frank, Alex Cohen, Marilyn Friedman
Only 2 spots left!
Cost: $715, $300 deposit holds your spot

Writing Events:
--From Page to Stage: Writing for the Theatre with Aaron Henne (Fri., March 18)

One Day Classes:
--You, In 1200 Words: Writing The Personal Essay (Thurs., Mar. 17)
--It's Playtime: Writing For Kids (Sun., Mar. 20)
--Writing Pad Show and Tell (Sun., Mar. 27)
--You, In 1200 Words: Revising and Publishing The Personal Essay (Thurs., Mar. 31)

Multi Week Classes:
--So You Want To Be A Writer (Wed. a.m., Wed. p.m., Sat. a.m.'s)
--Finishing School (Wed. a.m., Wed. p.m., Sat. a.m.'s)
--Writing Between The Diapers: Writing For Moms (Wed. a.m., Wed. p.m.'s)
--Acting Out: One Writer, One Act (Thurs. p.m.'s)

And now, for the announcements that you've been waiting for! First, the winner of the January/February comment contest is Ashley Laub! Ashley, congrats--you win a free class at Writing Pad.

You can read her fantastic story here:
http://wellfedmuse.blogspot.com/2011/01/writing-prompt-pucker-up.html

Ashley says that her favorite place to write "used to be at my college library, but since I've graduated, my favorite place is my kitchen table, some nice candles burning and a glass (or two) of wine." Sounds good to me!

And, the winner of the Ojai Retreat Scholarship is. . .Jim Gillett!
Congratulations, Jim! You can read his fantastic story here:
http://wellfedmuse.blogspot.com/2011/03/ojai-retreat-scholarship-prompt-and.html

When I asked Jim what inspires him to write, he said, "For some kids it was sports, others math and science, but for me it was telling a story. Even before I could write, I couldn't wait for my Mother or Grandmother to read me a story before going to bed. As I grew up, I remember having a story contest with my Grandmother on who could tell the best ghost or horror story. I want to write because it reunites me with that child who couldn't wait to tell you a story."

I can't wait to hear Jim's exciting tales at the retreat!

Thank you so much to our Ojai contest esteemed judges, Joe Donnelly, Michelle Wildgen, James Brown, Adrienne Sharp, and Dan Dunn, and thank you to everyone who participated!

Please keep commenting on this blog. I love your writing! There is a new comment contest every 2 months, and we will be having another retreat scholarship contest in October for our Joshua Tree retreat.