As a writer I have been blessed. I live in paradise and, at anytime, can sit on my deck and gaze out over the lake, listen to wind whistling through the trees, or admire the millions of stars overhead. I can walk through the woods, sit and watch birds and animals, admire the trout attempting to climb up the creek to spawn, and glean inspiration and rejuvenation from my environment on a daily basis. However not everyone has the options I do. Judy Reeves has found a way to assist any writer, living anywhere. This kit helps you to connect with your muse while teaching how to create a retreat right where you are.

"The Writer's Retreat Kit" by Judy Reeves is a gem. The attractive kit includes a book and a deck of cards. The prose in the book takes you on a gentle and innovative cruise. Your passage through a variety of expeditions teaches you alternatives to "traditional" retreats. Each theme offers four options and suggestions for additional nourishment. The work also provides exercises along with ideas for starting and ending ceremonies. The cards can be pulled for inspiration or direction, too. The combinations are endless.

Judy Reeves is a talented author who is a muse to writers all over the globe. In addition to contributing great and innovative programs for the writing community in San Diego, Judy was one of the first guest speakers and authors hosted by my Alliance of Writers. She blessed me by writing about the group in her, "Writing Along, Writing Together."

If you need a gift for a writer--or are a writer looking for something innovative and fresh--this is a winner!

This kit is very interesting. I've seen other "writer's retreat" books attempted before (one involved setting aside 3 days!) but this one is more flexible. It offers 20 themed 'retreats' and within each one, suggests 4 variations depending on how much time you have to spare, from a weekend to just a few minutes.

The cards are actually larger than "pocket" size. A few list suggestions for getting into the mood for your retreat, making a gradual entrance into it and a graceful exit out of it. The remainder of the cards are each tied to one of the 20 themes and list plenty of writing prompts. (I'm more of a fiction writer and while there were some suitable prompts, most were more approachable by poets and those who journal.) I don't know why the cards, since they'd do just fine as part of the book, and cards can be lost, damaged, or - given their size - a little unwieldly.

For me personally, I like this kit and would recommend it highly for those days when you're just itching to write *something* and you just don't know *what*.