Details:

Limited Registration Space for 50 participants:

Nestled at the serene Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Ink & Agave Writing Retreat is an intimate writing and critique-workshop weekend designed exclusively for aspiring and/or published children’s book writers (includes those writing Picture Books, Chapter Books, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade Novels, and Young Adult Novels) who are ready to stretch and polish their prose with professional agents, editors, and authors.

What you’ll receive: Over three soul-nourishing days

• You’ll participate in four small-group workshops, each led by a seasoned editor, agent, or author
• You are guaranteed to be paired with at least one agent or one editor
• You’ll receive focused, personalized feedback on your manuscript(s)
• You’ll have dedicated time to revise, reflect, and elevate your work in a truly creative setting
• You’ll get to choose which faculty member’s table you’d like to sit at for dinner.
• You’ll get to state which faculty member’s group you’d like to be in– last year I was able to accommodate all request. I can’t guarantee that your first choice will be assigned to you, but I can say with certainty that you’ll be placed with one of your top three choices for one group (your second group will be randomly assigned based on the type of manuscript you write)
• You will build community
• You will burn self-doubt
• You will also receive exclusive submission opportunities from every faculty member after the retreat ends!

2027 Faculty: You’ll be guided by this powerhouse team of children’s publishing professionals – authors, agents, and editors!

Editors & what they’ll critique at this workshop (KEY – PB = picture book, CB = chapter book, GN = Graphic Novel, MG = Middle Grade, YA = Young Adult)

• Sylvie Frank, Senior Executive Editor, Flamingo Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House’s Penguin Young Readers division.
  • WHAT: Sylvie will be open to Picture Books (fiction only)
• Catherine Laudone, Senior Editor, Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
  • WHAT: Catherine can critique picture books (fiction and nonfiction); middle grade (fiction and nonfiction); young adult novels (fiction only)
• Alvina Ling, VP and Publisher of Alvina Ling Books, an imprint of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
  • WHAT: Alvina will critique picture books, MG, and YA. (*But no chapter books, no early readers, and no graphic novels)
• Melissa Manlove, Senior Executive Editor, Sourcebooks
  • WHAT: Melissa will critique all types of manuscripts – she is least likely to acquire YA fiction, but nothing’s completely off the table
• Daniela Villegas Valle, Assistant Editor Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing
  • WHAT: Daniela will critique picture books, MG, and YA

Agents       

• Jackie Kruzie, acquiring literary agent (exclusively for retreat attendees) with Focused Artists
  • WHAT: Jackie will critique Picture Books, Chapter Books, Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, YA
• Kaitlyn Sanchez, acquiring literary agent (exclusively for retreat attendees) with Bradford Literary Agency
  • WHAT: Picture Books and Middle Grade (no chapter books; no graphic novels; no YA)
• Jennifer March Soloway, acquiring senior literary agent, Starling Literary + Media
  • WHAT: Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, and YA (no picture books)

Authors

• Kim Tomsic (that’s me!) PB

Bonus Learning: Classroom-Style Presentations & Pre-Zoom Workshops: In addition to your small-group workshops, you are also invited to attend specially curated 50-minute lectures either live at the retreat or pre-workshops via Zoom to help you prepare:


Melissa Manlove : CRITIQUE GROUP RENAISSANCE – The retreat will kick off with this workshop! We will cover everything from strategies to use in giving feedback, to specific questions editors ask as they evaluate manuscripts. You will level up your critique-giving and critique-taking and transform your critique groups into inspired spaces that supercharge revision.

Sylvie Frank: Sylvie will be on the “FIRST PAGES” panel, so you can hear the unfiltered thoughts from an editor’s perspective, and what they think when they read the very first page of your manuscript.

Catherine Laudone: TENSION! In this session you’ll gain tools for building and releasing tension in your stories.

Alvina Ling: CRAFTING YOUR BOOK’S NARRATIVE: In this intensive, we’ll explore the essential building blocks of a compelling narrative—character, voice, structure, and plot—and how they work together to create books that resonate with readers.

Daniela Villegas Valle: CHARACTER DRIVEN OR PLOT DRIVEN: In this session, you’ll zero in on the differences between character driven stories and plot driven stories, and how one or the other might work better for your manuscript, depending on the genre and where your story fits in the market. Discover which direction might be right for you!

FIRST PAGES:

Sylvie Frank, Jackie Kruzie, Kaitlyn Sanchez, Jennifer March Soloway

Be a fly on the wall and hear how three agents and one editor process their thoughts as they read the first page of your manuscript.

Location:

The Franciscan Renewal Center, 5802 E. Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85253

Surrounded by breathtaking desert landscape and mountain views, the Center offers 22 acres of walking gardens, fire pits, and quiet spaces that invite reflection and creativity.

This writing retreat at the Franciscan Renewal Center is open to all—no religious affiliation is required. Between workshops, you are welcome to pray, meditate, reflect, connect, hike, walk, or simply rest.

What you won’t find: For those booking a room on property, there are no TVs, clocks, or radios in rooms—just peace, nature, and time to write.

What you will find at the Center: Writers lounge stocked with tea, coffee, and inspiration; walking trails, and serene writing spots throughout the grounds. If you don’t use free time for writing, you might also a hike at nearby Phoenix Mountain Preserve, or Camelback Mountain, or Piestewa Peak.

Date: April 9-11, 2027: I urge you to arrive the night before! If that is not possible, arrive by noonish (exact schedule to come) on Friday and depart at 6:00pm-ish (details to come) on Sunday.

Meals: Meals for lodgers include dinner on the day of arrival, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner thereafter. If you don’t have a room, retreat registration includes dinner Friday, lunch Saturday, dinner Saturday, lunch Sunday. Meals are served at the onsite dining room. Sit with a faculty member! Sit with new friends! We want you to have a chance to connect with one another! *Gluten-free & dairy-free and vegan options will be available.

Lodging Details: Stay on-site to deepen your experience. Rooms are clean, comfortable, and very-very simple – bring your own blow dryer, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lotion. Since this is a retreat experience, there are no clocks, televisions, or phones provided in the rooms. Of course, you are invited to bring your phone and use as you wish (you might need the flashlight at night!). Choose a quiet single or double occupancy rooms. You’ll book through me in the registration options.

Retreat Registration: Includes 4 small-group workshops (6 writers + one faculty); 2 presentations; 1 panel. Group meals & beverages; access for lodgers to the Writer’s Lounge stocked with beverages; and the full retreat experience. Price variations depending on if you are requesting a room or not.

Partnership: This retreat is offered in partnership with the 501c3, Kids Need to Read. “Founded with a passion for improving the lives of disadvantaged children by providing inspiring book collections and engaging literacy programs to underfunded schools, libraries, and organizations across the nation, Kids Need to Read aspires to empower and embolden every last child through a culture of reading. For many of the children it serves, Kids Need to Read represents a crucial link to a strong literacy education, and its programs help build and nurture support systems for the development of literate minds. By immersing children in an integrated world of literary experiences that teaches them, firsthand, the impact of reading on every aspect of life, imagination is ignited and confidence is built for a prosperous future, regardless of race, economic status, or personal capabilities.” Read more about Kids Need to Read here.

Cost:

As mentioned above, this retreat is offered in partnership with the nonprofit organization, Kids Need to Read. This organization provides books to underserved children. Therefore, the cost of registration is comprised of the fee options below plus one book that you’ll donate to Kids Need to Read.

Options:

$989.00 no room – includes full retreat experience (*without lodging) + Friday dinner, Saturday lunch and dinner, Sunday lunch (*this is for those who live in town or are rooming elsewhere)

$1,209.00 SHARED ROOM – Cost per roommate includes shared-room experience with a Friday arrival (checking out on Sunday) + full retreat experience + two nights single-occupancy at Franciscan Renewal Center + meals (Friday-lunch and dinner; Saturday-breakfast, lunch and dinner; Sunday-breakfast and lunch)

$1,429.00 PRIVATE ROOM – includes arriving on Friday and checking out on Sunday + full retreat experience + two nights single-occupancy at Franciscan Renewal Center + meals (Friday-lunch and dinner; Saturday-breakfast, lunch and dinner; Sunday-breakfast and lunch)

$1649 PRIVATE ROOM with extra day THURSDAY ARRIVAL – *Arrive a day early! Relax and enjoy a Thursday arrival to avoid stress of flight delays. The retreat starts on Friday following lunch. This price includes lodging with Thursday night check in and Sunday check out + Retreat experience + meals (Thursday lunch and dinner; Friday breakfast, lunch and dinner; Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner; Sunday breakfast and lunch)

START and END TIMES (to consider when booking your flights):

The retreat will start after lunch on Friday (around 1:00 pm) and end by 3:00 pm on Sunday.

MAKE IT AN EXTENDED VACATION: Want to arrive earlier or stay an extra day or so? Make it an extended vacation! Just add $220.00 per extra day (meals will be included!) There are a small handful of rooms available for this option.

*There are no price adjustments available for those unable to partake in meals.

Come for the feedback. Stay for the friendships. Leave with a stronger manuscript — and a renewed belief in your path.

Ready to join me?
Write. Connect. Grow.
I’ll save your seat by the beautiful blue agave!

Cancellation Policy:

Because faculty, flights, event space, and meals are pre-booked and paid for; and because proper planning is a beast, the cancellation policy is as follows:

If canceled by or before November 1st, a refund will be given minus a $40 cancellation fee.

If canceled by or before December 1st, a refund will be given minus a $55 cancellation fee.

If canceled between December 2nd-December 15th, a refund will be given minus a $100 cancellation fee.

If canceled between December 16 and January 15th, a $300 cancellation fee

If canceled anytime after January 15, there is no refund. Do I feel badly about having a timed no-refund policy in place after this date – absolutely. Thank you for understanding that I have to value my time and manage all the tangible and intangible costs of juggling the many moving parts to host an event like this.

Trigger Warnings: If you would like to bring a story that requires a trigger warning, please email me to discuss in advance for pre-approval. Trigger warnings warn the readers and leader in your group about any topic that has potentially distressing material such as trauma, violence, abuse, and/or anything that might feel politically charged. Please honor this requirement so that we can care for our faculty and others who might need to mentally prepare or excuse themselves. If you bring something that should’ve had a trigger warning, the group leader might need to stop your discussion which will cause you to miss your opportunity for critique. No refund will be provided if we have not pre-discussed trigger warnings. If you have any questions, please email me to help prior to the event!

Anti-Harassment Policy: Attendees come to this retreat to fill their cups with joy, community, growth, opportunities, and connections. Ink and Agave prohibits harassment of all kinds, including but not limited to: deliberate intimidation, stalking (or following), inappropriateness including belittling jokes, unwanted physical contact, unwelcome attention, sustained disruption of talks, etc. If an individual is asked to leave the retreat, no refund will be awarded. If at any point during attendance you feel uncomfortable about a situation, please inform retreat organizers and we will remedy the situation immediately. Additionally, no religious affiliation is required. Please be respectful/considerate when walking the retreat grounds, since groups other than ours might be meditating or on a religious retreat.

How will I know that my registration materials have been submitted to you?

Once you complete the registration form, you will receive an auto-generated copy of your answers at the e-mail address you provide on this form.

IMPORTANT – if you do not receive in your email an auto-copy of your answers, that means I did not receive your registration either.

How and when to pay: This retreat fills up quickly. If retreat spots remain, I will send you an invoice that will be due upon receipt. If the retreat is full, I will send you a notice that you’ve been placed on a waiting list (no payment or deposit is required).

Your registration is only complete once you’ve paid for your spot and received notice from me confirming. If you do not receive notice, please contact me right away to make sure your spot is held. I’m so excited to see you in April!

“This retreat isn’t just about writing. It’s about reigniting your purpose, nurturing your craft, and walking away with clarity and confidence.”  Kim Tomsic