Connecticut Writers’ Retreat Honoring “A Wrinkle in Time” Author Madeleine L’Engle – Hartford Courant

A writers retreat inspired by ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ author Madeleine L’Engle will be held September 30-October 1 in Litchfield, not far from L’Engle’s Goshen House, Crosswicks.

“A Circle of Quiet: The Madeleine L’Engle Writing Retreat” is organized by Newtown author Sophfronia Scott and L’Engle biographer Sarah Arthur and sponsored by madeleinelengle.com.

Scott and Arthur met at a conference in 2019 and planned to do a retreat the following year, but the pandemic intervened.

“We couldn’t do anything for a long time, but last fall we started hosting a series of online retreats called ‘Madeleine Mornings,'” Scott said. “Now we are finally able to do this retreat in person.”

L’Engle’s granddaughter, Léna Roy, will be one of the presenters and hosts. Two other presenters are Jennifer Adams and another of L’Engle’s granddaughters, Charlotte Jones Voiklis, who will preview their picture book, “A Book, Too, Can Be a Star: The Story of Madeleine L’ Engle and the Making of A Wrinkle in Time This book will be published on October 4th.

The retreat location, Wisdom House, at 229 East Litchfield Road, was the site of retreats led by L’Engle herself. The beloved author passed away in 2007.

“Madeleine had a huge impact not only on readers, but also as a writing teacher,” Arthur said. “She gave the students permission to set aside time and space for their writing, to prioritize it as something that feeds the soul. It’s also our hope for retirement.

Participants can bring their writing projects or generate new writing from curated prompts inspired by L’Engle.

Program registration for the retreat is $355 in-person, $189 virtual. On-site accommodation is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Accommodation on Thursday and Friday evenings with meals costs $320. Accommodation for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with meals is $475. Those who wish to commute daily pay an additional $160 for Friday and Saturday meals and access to buildings and grounds for solo writing and free time.

Programs run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Register on langlewritingretreats.com.

Susan Dunne can be contacted at sdunne@courant.com.