A: I decided to become a therapist after the writing didn’t seem to be working out, at least career-wise. I started therapy myself around this time, and I found it so helpful that I became excited at the idea of providing this space for other people. Interestingly, I found that becoming a therapist helped to deepen my writing. It allowed me to more clearly define the dynamics between people (for example, Alex and Wren’s codependent relationship), as well as understand the characters’ motivations, which are affected by their past, their family, and various forms of trauma, including societal and generational trauma.

Thousands have applied. Few are chosen. You are chosen. Sure, it's due to a technicality, but you'll take it! Overall, there is little doubt in my mind that Julia Bartz is very talented, and I look forward to reading what she comes up with next. Alex and Wren have a complicated history, all of which comes into play when they are forced together at the writing retreat. Were you surprised by any elements of their relationship? How did their relationship change under these extreme circumstances?A five-star read that’s intelligent, accomplished and exciting. I dare you to put it down.' Janice Hallet, author of The Appeal Aspiring author Alex gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she’s invited to a writing retreat led by her favorite horror writer, Roza, at the author’s luxurious estate. So what if Alex’s ex-bestie is there too? It’s all about the writing, after all. In fact, it turns out that the retreat participants are all competing for a massive publishing deal . . . as long as they can write a novel within a month. That’s stressful enough, but soon the vibe in the house becomes deeply unsettling, even sinister. As tensions rise, Roza’s behavior grows increasingly strange, and it’s abundantly clear there are secrets hidden within the estate. And that’s all before someone disappears.

This book was a struggle for me right out of the chute. Literally. The very first line is “f**k her!” I literally could not put this book down. I loved the twists and turns around every corner and the dark theme of the book. It even reinspired me to write my own twisted novel! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is fantastic debut! It seems like writing gift is genetic and runs in the family! This book introduces us Andrea Bartz’s sister Julia: such a gifted mind! She nailed it with her first work and I’ll look forward to read her future works! Julia Bartz’s shrewd, suspenseful debut takes the typical writer’s anxieties and obsessions and transforms them into a pulse-pounding, impossible to put down thriller. THE WRITING RETREAT is bonkers in the best way, and it left me with a brutal case of author envy."Another inspiration was works that explore mentorships and relationships with those who are at the very least sociopathic, including the movies Silence of the Lambs, Whiplash, and Basic Instinct, and the show Killing Eve. These relationships can be toxic, but they’re always fascinating, and sometimes (in the case of Silence of the Lambs) even helpful. The beer gurgled in my stomach. I turned and raced towards the bathroom, making it to a stall just in time. Yellow liquid frothed in the bowl. I sat on my knees and wiped my mouth. I was still clutching the books. I applaud the author for taking risks, that takes a lot of daring. I enjoyed the writing style very much, as well as the initial set-up, atmosphere and character work, but the plot just wasn't for me Roza’s methods of motivating the writers to reach their 3,000 word count per day, include hurtful barbs, and LSD. And, Alex finds herself wondering if the (open door) self pleasuring, and the sexual explorations she experiences with the other women are hallucinations or awakenings?

I have been in the writing world for about eight years now, and began actively publishing my work when I was sixteen. There’s a certain sense of doom and gloom when you realize that once you become an adult, while also being a writer, is that under a system of capitalism you simply are not allowed to create without having to worry about money. Unless you come from rich parents, money and writing will most likely be a concern of yours. Anyways, writing retreats and applying to fellowships and conferences have become a staple in the process of quote on quote becoming a writer, despite them costing a lot of money. I suppose it could be considered an adventure and a challenge with an off amount of gratuitous gay sex as a side. The writing is all over the place and the old "kitchen sink" moniker deserves its place with this story. At the start of the novel, Alex sees a pair of high school friends on the subway. Viewing them makes her feel the loss of her friendship with Wren like “a penknife in the ribs,” and she feels sad at seeing the high schoolers’ “shared world. Their undeniable certainty that they were a team” (3). How do Alex’s feelings of loss influence much of the resulting action in the novel? For starters, this is an impressive debut novel. I believe Julia Bartz will have a nice career ahead of her. The book's pacing—a slow roll of dread and horror—is exceptional . . . A perfect winter night's haunting."But the biggest disappointment is that The Writing Retreat fails to answer the following questions: Competition is central to the plot and the cause of so many of the events that unfold. In what ways do the young women allow competition to rule their lives at the retreat, and where do you see them rebelling against toxic comparisons? Q: Did you attend writing groups or a writing retreat before you wrote your novel? What were your experiences like?

I felt frozen, unable to look away. Wren turned and said something to Craig. He laughed and looked relieved. The others moved inward towards her, though Ridhi glowered at me a few seconds longer. Many thanks to the author, Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on February 21, 2023. Slowly, I stood and flushed the toilet. At the sink a pretty girl washed her hands and avoided looking at me. She must have heard my retches. I wanted to burst into tears but I kept them firmly down.

More books by Julia Bartz

Roza brings all those aspiring young authors together and tells the main purpose of their retreat: in one month they’ll start to write a book from the fresh, at least eighty one thousand words: each of them edit the other’s book and at the end of the retreat, one of their works will be chosen to be published! Friday night commuters filled the sweaty subway car. I stood over two seated girls who were maybe in high school, their mascara-laden eyes darting, hands pulling nervously at hair. One leaned in and said something into the other’s ear. She nodded sagely, and they regarded each other with smirks. While tense and atmospheric, the novel’s tone is also quite funny and satirical. What lines made you laugh the most?