Writing on the porch at Kingsbrae

Kingsbrae

We’re so pleased that the kind folks at award-winning Kingsbrae International Residence for Artists (KIRA), in St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, New Brunswick, regularly invite us to hold writing retreats at their facility when they have a break in their residency program.

Just when we had planned to lay low for a year, since we and our fellow travellers postponed our writing retreat to Scotland until 2021 due to the pandemic, we were approached by the kind folks at the award-winning, international quality Kingsbrae International Residence for Artists (KIRA) and asked to hold a writing retreat at their facility. We announced our inaugural Kingsbrae retreat for September 2020, and it filled so quickly, we offered a second retreat in October, which also filled to capacity. We had a great time with both groups and are so pleased that Kingsbrae has continued to invite us back regularly.

One of the private writing studios at Kingsbrae

Participants had the physical and mental space they needed to get writing, the time for their mind, soul, and heart to wander. And while we were a safe distance from our fellow writers, it wasn’t like the lockdown months that saw us light years apart.

Dr. Gerard Collins at Kingsbrae Go and Write — Gerard on the front porch at KIRA

The apple orchard themed garden – ideal for bookworms

Since the fall of 2020, we have returned several times to hold retreats at this fabulous historic estate. Each participant is assigned a private bedroom with ensuite bathroom as well as an individual, freestanding writers’ studio for their own exclusive use during their stay. Retreat goers also have free access to the award-winning Kingsbrae Garden, a 27-acre horticultural masterpiece. A short walk into the town, named a USA Today Top Destination, are several pubs and restaurants with seaside patios, and great shopping.