Come WRITE WITH US in Italy

7-Day Novel-Writing Intensive with Rufi Thorpe, Mary Adkins, and Kevin Wilson

WHEN: September 30-October 7, 2026

WHERE: A resort nestled in botanical gardens on the island of Ischia, which is across the bay from Naples in Italy

WHO: You! (plus ~20 other writers working on novels or are interested in writing a novel)

SPECIAL GUESTS: Kevin Wilson, bestselling author of Run For the Hills, Now Is Not the Time to Panic and Nothing to See Here, and Michelle Brower, Agent at Trellis Literary Management

YEP, YOU READ THAT RIGHT. In addition to incredible food, a stunning vista, new literary friendships, time to write, craft classes, and one-on-one sessions, we’ve invited new, expert guests to make the Writing Intensive even better.

Write with us

Your Instructors:

Mary Adkins is the author of the novels When You Read This (Indie Next Pick, “Best Book of 2019” by Good Housekeeping and Real Simple), Privilege (Today.com “Best Summer Read”), and Palm Beach (New York Post “Best Book of 2021,” and “like a sandy beach, equal parts beautiful and uncomfortable” according to the Associated Press) and the memoir You Might Feel a Little Pressure. Her books have been published in 13 countries, and her essays and reporting have appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. A graduate of Yale Law School, she founded and runs The Book Incubator™, an 12-month MFA-alternative for novelists and memoirists.

Rufi Thorpe is the author of four novels, most recently Margo’s Got Money Troubles (William Morrow, 2024) which was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, the Clark Prize and the Mark Twain Prize, a Book of the Month pick as well as winner of the Libby Award for Best Bookclub Pick, and is soon to be a series on Apple TV. The Knockout Queen (Knopf, 2020) was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner award and a Book of the Month pick. Dear Fang, With Love (Knopf, 2016) was critically well received, and her first novel The Girls from Corona del Mar (Knopf, 2014) was long-listed for the Dylan Thomas Prize and the First Novel Prize. All of her novels were IndieNext picks, and her work has been translated into 16 languages. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, MORE Magazine, The Huffington Post and more. She received her MFA from the University of Virginia and now teaches at The Book Incubator™ with Mary. She lives in California with her husband and two sons.

Kevin Wilson is the author of two collections, Tunneling to the Center of the Earth(Ecco/Harper Perennial, 2009), which won the Shirley Jackson Award, and Baby You’re Gonna Be Mine (Ecco, 2018), and five novels, The Family Fang (Ecco, 2011), Perfect Little World (Ecco, 2017), Nothing to See Here (Ecco, 2019), a New York Times bestseller and a Read with Jenna book club selection, Now is Not the Time to Panic (Ecco, 2022) and Run for the Hills (Ecco, 2025). His fiction has appeared in Ploughshares, Southern Review, One Story, A Public Space, and elsewhere, and has appeared in Best American Short Stories 2020 and 2021. He lives in Sewanee, Tennessee, with his wife, the poet Leigh Anne Couch, and his sons, Griff and Patch, where he teaches at the University of the South.

Michelle Brower has spent nearly twenty years as an agent, working at companies both large and small. She co-founded Trellis Literary Management in 2021 in order to better serve and support her authors and create an agency with a lasting positive impact in the world of publishing. Her list spans the spectrum of literary and commercial fiction, from thought-provoking story collections to page-turning thrillers. She is primarily interested in work that focuses on storytelling and emotional connection, rather than formal experimentation, and believes that the best reading experience engages both the heart and the head. Michelle is honored to work with books that have received a variety of accolades, including NY Times Bestsellers, National Book Award finalists, and Read with Jenna, Reese's Book Club, Target, and Barnes and Noble book club selections. Her authors have received recognition from the Whiting Awards, the Rona Jaffe Foundation, MacDowell, the Steinbeck Fellow Program, the Sewanee Writers Conference as well as from many other organizations. Michelle received her Masters degree in British and American Literature from New York University. Originally from New Jersey, she now lives in Seattle with her family.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

7 nights lodging (in a private, air-conditioned room) at a resort in Ischia with a pool, extensive garden, and thermal baths. The location is close to shops, restaurants, and the beach (a short ride on public transit, a scooter-ride, or a 10-20 minute walk).
Breakfast every morning
5 group dinners
3 craft classes (one each taught by Kevin, Rufi, and Mary)
A 1:1 meeting with Kevin Wilson
A 1:1 meeting with Mary in which she will read up to 15 pages of your work-in-progress to discuss, AND
A 1:1 meeting with Rufi in which she will read up to 15 pages of your work-in-progress to discuss (yes, meetings with all 3 of us—you don’t need to choose one!)
A 1:1 meeting with Michelle during which she’ll review your query letter or brainstorm with you about querying
A Q&A with Michelle about her career in publishing and being an agent
Optional evening social activities
Ample writing time
Escorted transportation to and from the island from a meeting point in Naples (you can fly into Naples or take the train to Naples from Rome—it’s approx. 1 hour)

Come to Italy

Here’s what some of last year’s participants had to say:

“Food: 10/10
Room: 10/10
Bathroom to oneself: 10/10

There was time to write, walk, and enjoy France. I loved the optional readings at night, and loved how accessible Rufi and Mary were, open with advice and so not pretentious. It was dreamy.”
“Rufi and Mary went beyond my expectations. I truly feel like they both wanted to get to know me and support my writing, which means the world for my confidence. This was so much more than I could have even imagined.”
“It was 12 out of 10!”
“The week exceeded my expectations. I came to write because I tend to write more on writing retreats than in my normal life and because I wanted to step into my new identity as a novelist. Both happened. I wrote. I did not expect to share my work, but it was an important moment for me. The group of women writers was kind, and the two of you offered incredible classes, advice, and conversation. I also appreciate that most activities were optional, because for me, I want to write more and like to be in my room by 8:30 p.m. to rest.”
“The week was heavenly.”
“The setting was wonderful—not simply away, but a unique environment conducive to thought. I also liked that it was big enough and had plenty of nooks and crannies in which to find time and space to work away from the group.”
“I referred to this as my ‘big, brave adventure,’ and I will depart feeling accomplished and also right at home here. It was exactly the mix described in the promo, but living it in execution felt like a dream—the setting, the meals, the writing, the learning, the fun and the friends. You’ve planned it so well that it feels seamless, but I know it was work.”

The fine print The fine print The fine print The fine print The fine print The fine print The fine print The fine print The fine print The fine print

COST:

$10,550

Due in 1, 2, or 6 parts

or custom payment plans available*

*the full balance must be paid by 12 weeks prior to the retreat

Note that the retreat is non-refundable, (our obligations to our vendors are non-refundable, so there is no wiggle room on our end) which is why we highly recommend you purchase travel insurance.

Last year, our venue required travel insurance and so purchasing was a strict requirement, and we did have people who needed to cancel at the last minute who were so glad they had it, so we highly recommend it– it’s not scary or hard or too expensive, we promise, and we will recommend you companies when you enroll!

Join us in Italy

Why We Chose ISCHIA:

Ischia, a lush volcanic island in the Bay of Naples, is famed for its healing geothermal pools, charming seaside villages, and excellent seafood. An iconic landmark is the Castello Aragonese, a medieval fortress perched on a rocky islet.

You can explore the castle's ancient chapels, panoramic terraces, and underground passageways while enjoying sweeping views of the sea and coastline. The island has frequent, easy-to-use buses that make getting from one end to the other easy and fast!

We will be staying at the Villa & Giardino Ravino, an eco-lodge (100% sustainable and fully solar powered) built into a 6,000 square meter botanical garden featuring the largest collection of succulents in Europe, recognized by the APGI "Associazione dei Parchi e Giardini d’Italia" (“Italian Association of Parks and Gardens”).

Each room features its own stunning, unique architectural details, a private bathroom, and, most importantly, a COFFEE MAKER!!!

The resort features an outdoor swimming pool as well as an indoor geothermal pool with jets heated to 96 degrees, both of which are filled daily with fresh water from the mineral springs (this water is then recycled daily to flush the toilets of the resort!).

An on-site restaurant and bar are open daily if you don’t feel like leaving for lunch, or we will be a 5-minute walk away from a pizzeria and corner store, and a 15-minute walk from the beach and attendant restaurants and bars. And a special fun fact that struck us as meant-to-be about this resort is that it actually has a literary bent! We will be meeting in the Moby Dick room for classes, and the resort is run by an Italian novelist!

What’s the same and what’s different from last year’s retreat in Sancerre, France?

The Sancerre retreat last year was a dream come true and exceeded our wildest expectations—from playing charades in the Neoclassical drawing room, to hearing writers share work in the evening, to the chants of “Jan! Jan! Jan!” that followed Rufi’s mother-in-law when she entered a room holding bottles of wine, we want to recapture that magic.

But also, we HEARD you when you said you wanted:

More unscheduled time and space for actual writing
More 1:1 time with each of us
Someone to read your pages
To be in a location accessible to shops & restaurants for exploration

SO WE’VE MADE THESE CHANGES, WHICH YOU’LL SEE IN THE SAMPLE SCHEDULE BELOW!

See the schedule

Come write with us in italy Come write with us in italy Come write with us in italy Come write with us in italy Come write with us in italy

What’s the same?

The Great Food

Last year, the food and wine in Sancerre were incredible and there were cream puffs we still sometimes dream about, so even though we’ve scaled back the group dining to give you guys more free time, we’re committed to sourcing excellent catering. There will be a pizza night, local seafood, braised rabbit, exciting desserts, and of course: wine and cheese plates served during class each night before dinner.

THE REAL PEOPLE VIBE

Though Rufi and I won’t be bringing our families along this year, we think it’s important to show up as real people, not as business people, to actually connect instead of just “network” in some kind of stilted, manufactured way. So while Rufi’s husband won’t be there to break a wine glass on the stairs in the middle of the night and scream like a woman, no doubt one of us will!

Photos from France