Writers’ and Artists’ Hideouts

Great Getaways for Seducing the Muse

by Andrea Brown

$14.95 (23.50 Canada) • 224 pages • Trade Paper

ISBN 1-884956-34-3

Excerpt

        Many of my most memorable life experiences are times when I left the comforts of home, took off by myself, and escaped to a scenic, peaceful place to do some serious thinking or some serious writing.
        Solitude can be bliss, but, for myself and many other creative people, it is a necessity.  Since I began working in the book publishing business in 1976, I have listened to numerous authors and illustrators complain about working at home--as most writers and artist do.  Distractions at home often involve spousal demands, children with needs, pets to feed, ringing phones, chores to finish, refrigerators to raid, and so on and on.  Even the most disciplined and organized find it a constant challenge.  If a writer or artist is under deadline, the pressure can be enormous.
        I am lucky enough to have built a career that allows me to indulge in my travel passion.  Over the years, I have kept notes and brochures on my favorite places for those times when I need to decamp to recharge my enthusiasm or to simply get the creative juices flowing.
        I often make friends swear they won't divulge the names of some of these prized locations, as I don't want them getting too crowded.  But, after hearing more and more writers and artists complain about needing a special place to which they might escape, I decided to share my findings.
        That's what this book is, a roster of special places: a guide to the wonderful, the beautiful, the relaxing.  In these pages you will find sites that are as good for the eye as they are for the soul, from small cabins and hostels to luxurious hotels--and, I've even included a hotel or motel chain if it meets my criteria.
        So, let loose!  From the rustic Red Fish Lake Lodge in Idaho to a luxurious oceanfront room at the Marriot Wailea-Outrigger Hotel in Maui; from a cabin on an ocean cliff at Lucia Lodge in Big Sur to the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City, explore your creative self, meet those deadlines, grab some peace of mind, and arrive home refreshed and rejuvenated.