July’s Witchy Book Club Read: The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz!
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Indigo’s Witchy Book Club is our unique way of sharing stories that not only dismiss but directly conflict the cultural forces underlying many of the stories we see: cissexism, heteronormativity, patriarchy, and colonialism. This month’s read is an unusual take on the “genre”: The Writing Retreat, a delightful book that I can’t wait to share with the rest of the club.
Synopsis:
Alex has all but given up on her dreams of becoming a published author when she receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: attend an exclusive, month-long writing retreat at the estate of feminist horror writer Roza Vallo. Even the knowledge that Wren, her former best friend and current rival, is attending doesn’t dampen her excitement.
But when the attendees arrive, Roza drops a bombshell—they must all complete an entire novel from scratch during the next month, and the author of the best one will receive a life-changing seven-figure publishing deal. Determined to win this seemingly impossible contest, Alex buckles down and tries to ignore the strange happenings at the estate, including Roza’s erratic behavior, Wren’s cruel mind games, and the alleged haunting of the mansion itself. But when one of the writers vanishes during a snowstorm, Alex realizes that something very sinister is afoot. With the clock running out, she must discover the truth—or suffer the same fate.
Reading Schedule
For July 8: pages 3–76 (Chapters 1–10)
For July 15: pages 77–160 (chapters 11–20)
For July 22: pages 161–233 (Chapters 21–30)
For July 29: pages 234–309 (Chapters 31–43)
The WBC meets every Saturday at 1 p.m. Even if you can’t meet with us in person, feel free to join us on Zoom!
If you’d rather read The Writing Retreat alone, each month’s WBC book is 15 percent off if bought in-store.
Any questions? Email us at books@indigobridge.org.
