Madeleine Johns: Beautiful, welcoming and peaceful.

Madeleine was awarded a 2019 KSP Aspiring Writer Fellowship.

I have had a wonderful time at the Katharine Susannah Pritchard Writers’ Centre, where I have stayed in the Clarke cabin for two weeks, working on my urban fantasy novel. I’ve written 16,588 words on my novel, which exceeded my goal of writing between 10,000-12,000.

I can’t imagine a more beautiful setting to work in than the KSP Writers’ Centre and Katharine’s beautiful gardens and home. The Clarke cabin faces directly onto a gorgeous view of gum trees and bushland, which was the most peaceful setting to work in. (Although the air-conditioning in my cabin certainly got a work out, as I experienced a heatwave in Perth on my first ever visit to WA, with plenty of days over 40 degrees in my two-week stay.)

The KSP Writers’ Centre has fostered an amazing community here in the beautiful hills of Greenmount. Everyone I met was so welcoming and encouraging. I can’t thank Elizabeth, Shannon, Lisa and Bec from KSP enough, who all welcomed me with open arms and made my stay so memorable, warm and friendly. I was immediately included in the KSP community and am so grateful for their friendships. I also want to thank Fern, Sheree and Bernie who made my stay so comfortable and who were happy to have a chat every time I saw them.

In my two-week stay at KSP I have written 16,588 words; read six books (whoops!); participated in four different writing groups (Writefree Women’s Writing Group; Thursday Night Group; Fantasy, Sci-fi, Horror Writing Group; and Room to Write Group); attended one book launch (for Lisa Wolstenholme’s The Sunrise Girl); went to the Writefree Christmas party; saw three lizards, one snake (!), two cats (named Bob and Boris, belonging to the neighbours) and too many birds to count; and visited two beautiful beaches (Cottesloe and Scarborough, where I saw the sun set into the ocean for the first time).

I have been encouraged at every single writing group I attended, and have met so many like-minded and friendly writers here at KSP. I have felt energised and enthused by the morale-boosting writer’s groups – in particular the Writefree Women’s Writing Group, who welcomed me wholeheartedly with open arms and invited me to their Christmas party; and the Fantasy, Sci-fi and Horror Writing Group where I met other writers similar to me, who just get it and are following the same passions and pursuits as I am.

I cannot recommend staying at KSP Writers’ Centre enough. I have achieved more here on my book than I hoped to, and am leaving knowing that I will never forget my stay, or the people I met here.