WRITERS' and ARTISTS' HIDEOUTS: Great Getaways for Seducing the Muse by Andrea Brown

The Berwood Hill Inn, Lanesboro, MN

Writers’ and Artists’ Hideouts: Great Getaways for Seducing the Muse is a wonderful guidebook to inns and hotels where you can find peace and quiet and inspiration for your work.  But even if you are not a writer, these are great places to relax and get away from the hurly burly of daily life.  Combined with advice from editors, literary agents, authors, illustrators, art directors, and other creative people, this is a great resource for all of us who sometimes want to get away.  Here are some excerpts from Andrea’s introduction to the book: 

My friend and agent Andrea Brown’s book

     Many of my most memorable life experiences are times when I left the comforts of home, took off by myself, and escaped to a scenic, peaceful place to do some serious thinking or some serious writing.
     Solitude can be bliss, but, for myself and many other creative people, it is a necessity.  Since I began working in the book publishing business in 1976, I have listened to numerous authors and illustrators complain about working at home–as most writers and artists do.  Distractions at home often involve spousal demands, children with needs, pets to feed, ringing phones, chores to finish, refrigerators to raid, and on and on.  Even the most disciplined and organized find it a constant challenge.  If a writer or artist is under deadline, the pressure can be enormous.
     I am lucky enough to have built a career that allows me to indulge in my travel passion.  Over the years, I have kept notes and brochures on my favorite places for those times when I needed to decamp to recharge my enthusiasm or to simply get the creative juices flowing. I often make friends swear they won’t divulge the names of some of these prized locations, as I don’t want them getting too crowded.  But, after hearing more and more writers and artists complain about needing a special place to which they might escape, I decided to share my findings.
     That’s what this book is, a roster of special places; a guide to the wonderful, the beautiful, the relaxing.  In these pages you will find sites that are as good for the eye as they are for the soul, from small cabins and hostels to luxurious hotels–and I’ve even included a hotel or motel chain if it meets my criteria.
     The book is organized by region.  Many locations included in this book are not on the beaten path, yet I have tried to narrow the selection to places that are welcoming and safe, especially for women who may be traveling alone. I have included places in major cities that are easy to reach without a car.  For instance, if you live in New York City, find it difficult to work at home, and don’t want to travel far, I suggest comfortable and reasonable places in Manhatten.  It can be especially fun to stay in a hotel in your very own city if only for a change of scenery.
     So, let loose!  From the rustic Red Fish Lake Lodge in Idaho to a luxurious oceanfront room at the Marriot Wailea-Outrigger Hotel in Maui; from a cabin on an ocean cliff at Lucia Lodge in Big Sur to the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City, explore your creative self, meet those dealines, grab some peace of mind, and arrive home refreshed and rejuvenated.

As I leafed through the hundreds of listings in Andrea’s book, I looked for places that I have stayed on my travels and found several of my favorites, including The Redwoods in Yosemite National Park, where one can rent a cabin up to a large house, a perfect place for a getaway or a family reunion inside one of our most spectacular national parks; the Suncatcher Bed and Breakfast in Tucson, Arizona, located just outside the Sonora National Monument with its many trails and opportunities to enjoy desert wildlife; and the Chalet Kileauea, The Inn at Volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island, in the perfect central location for exploring the craters and lava flows of Volcanoes National Park.  And, now that I have Andrea's book, I have found many more tempting places to go!

Writers’ and Artists’ Hideouts: Great Getaways for Seducing the Muse by Andrea Brown (Quill Driver Books, 2005) is available on Amazon or you can call 1-800-497-4909 to order a copy.