When I can combine my two favorite past times–writing and travel– it is a win-win for me.

And that’s what happened two weeks ago when I went to a writing workshop at Madeline Island School of the Arts (MISA), on a tiny island in Lake Superior at the tippy top of Wisconsin.

MISA hosts artists, photographers, and writers of various ilks for week-long workshops conducted by experienced pros amidst the forests of this picturesque island.

The camp is all the word implies: rustic, yet comfortable. We stayed in little cabins simply equipped with a bed, desk, and wardrobe. No TV to suck our creative juices dry. I had a private room and shared a bath with my cute suitemate, Cathy, and enjoyed the perfect balance of camaraderie and alone time.

Three big meals a day were gourmet by my standards, delicious and healthy. And there were chocolate chip cookies and beverages available 24/7. And in a move I thought was genius, they packaged leftovers in little containers and put them in a fridge we could raid whenever the mood hit.

On the last evening, when most campers had left, those of us flying out the next day went into town for a lovely dinner lakeside in the village of LaPointe.

And now to the workshop, my raison d’etre for going planes, shuttles, and ferries to Wisconsin.

The instructor was Allison Williams, an author, editor, ex-circus performer, and force of nature. The workshop was “Second Drafts: Path to Publishing,” based loosely on her book, Seven Drafts. I took Windshadow with me, my work in progress (WIP) hoping to make some headway on it. You may know it as the Ireland book many of you thought I should work on after Sensible Shoes.

I do as I am told.

After a hearty breakfast, a morning class, a delicious lunch and more class, I (and a handful of others) would stay in our meeting room and write until dinner. That was, after all, why I was there. And it paid off. I came home with Windshadow nearly finished (at least the first draft.)

Allison is an excellent, no-nonsense editor. She “Live Edited” WIPs on a Zoom screen for the members of the class and had the ability to edit as she read aloud. Stunning really. Her insights were spot on, making suggestions, allowing us to discuss possible changes. The class became collaborative, and we took an interest in each other’s work.

We got to know each other, too. It’s hard not to when most of the class is writing Memoir, gut wrenching stories of lives broken and mended. I admired these writers for their bravery in commiting their stories to paper, let alone sharing them with us and Allison.

We would talk about each other’s struggles at meals, over delicious food and chilled wine. There was a certain catharsis to it all, and the realization that everyone has trauma, heartache, and resilience.

During my one-on-one with Allison, she shared important suggestions for marketing Sensible Shoes. I am anxious to get busy incorporating her ideas into a workable plan.

And then, on Friday, she ate fire.