I began attending the Mindful Writers Retreat in Ligonier, PA in October 2018 after learning about it through friend, writer, and fellow member of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, Larry “Rock ‘n Roll” Schardt.
Organized by Larry and bestselling author Kathie Shoop, the Mindful Writers Retreat occurs twice a year at the Ligonier Camp and Conference Center nestled in the Laurel Highlands region of the Allegheny Mountains. They host a winter retreat in February and an autumn retreat in October. I attend only in October, primarily for the stunning fall foliage, but also due to the unpredictable winter weather (it’s a four hour drive across Pennsylvania for me) and the fact that I’m an author guest at a science fiction convention every February.
The camaraderie among my fellow attendees, the hours of uninterrupted writing time, the afternoon guided meditations, and the soothing walks through the woods make the Mindful Writers Retreat a rejuvenating and productive experience, one that has become an annual tradition for me.
About a year before I appeared on the scene, the Mindful Writers decided to publish a themed anthology of stories, poems, and essays. They’ve since produced one per year with the proceeds from each book benefitting a different charity.
For 2026, we decided on a lighthearted Halloween anthology. Cashmere Ghost and Graveyards at Night was published on 31 August 2026. The titles of two short stories were combined to create the title of the book. Proceeds benefit the Allegheny Land Trust to help preserve public lands.
This year’s retreat kicked off with a book signing at Second Chapter Books in Ligonier on Sunday, 18 October during the famous Witches Bike Brigade. Under clear skies and 60 degrees, I joined Larry Schardt, Jennifer Diamond, Kimberly Hon Kurth-Gray, Cindy Moldovan, and Lisa Valli-Steliotes for an afternoon of frenetic fun at our table. We sold 19 copies there and six more later in the week, raising $400 for the Allegheny Land Trust!
The remainder of the week was just as beautiful as that first day and as always, I made time to walk the numerous trails through the woods. It has become tradition for me to catch the sunrise over the mountains on Tuesday morning, to take an afternoon walk along Mill Creek on Wednesday afternoon, and a sunset walk on Thursday, our last evening at the retreat.
While there, I wrote 3,700 words to start a new short story and woke up Friday morning to the news that my short story collection Dreams from the Edge of Reality won First Place in The BookFest Fall 2026 Awards, Short Story category.
All told, it was another magical week at the Mindful Writers Retreat! I look forward to next October.
