Dear Getaway Participant,
All good things must end. The Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway has never been a money maker, but this past year left me with a considerable personal loss. Although I haven’t raised the tuition in three years, I realized I could not hold another Getaway without raising the tuition a lot. So after 18 years, I decided to call it quits.
I started to draft a letter telling you the bad news, and Amanda started to send out her resume to look for a new job. We were both brokenhearted. Despite making this decision, we kept looking for ways to make the Getaway sustainable for me and affordable for you. We eventually asked, “What if we put everything on the table?” A different Getaway would be better than no Getaway at all.
With this in mind, I approached Richard Stockton College to see if they would be interested in partnering with me. Stockton recently purchased Seaview, a historic four-star resort outside Atlantic City with gobs of guest rooms and meeting space. They also completed a $15 million renovation making the place quite spiffy.
Stockton is giving us its enthusiastic support, so the Getaway will continue. Although the location will differ, the Getaway will still have the same wonderful spirit and the things you love most including:
- The challenging and supportive atmosphere that fosters your best writing
- Generous and helpful instruction from our award-winning writing faculty
- The solitude and melancholic beauty of the shore in winter
- A fantastic community of writers
- Terrific restaurants nearby
- My bad puns
→ Check out our fun facts about Seaview
Getaway workshop group
All good things in life must change. We know this is a surprise and you may want to voice your feelings, so we’ve set up a forum for you to do so. After all, we are a community. Leave your comments below.
The Getaway will continue to be the same energizing and nurturing weekend you look forward to each year. Look for an email at the end of August when registration kicks off. If you have enjoyed the Getaway and benefited from the workshops and instruction, please take this leap with us. I hope to see you on January 13, 2012 at our new home.
Warmest,
Peter
PS – Save the Date – We are planning a Getaway reunion in Philly on Friday, September 16. Details here.
PPS – We don’t have current email addresses for all of our past participants. If you think we missed someone, please pass this note on to them.
Thank you, Peter, for keeping the Getaway going!
I’m sure we’ll miss Cape May, but it’s good to hear that it will continue.
I got to the Getaway twice in the last several years and I had a great time both times! Perhaps I could make it out for the new location.
Keep up the great work!
Thanks for your support. Hope to see you in January!
Congratulations. Change is good. Thank you for continuing the Getaway Weekend. I look forward to seeing you.
Very happy I don’t have to start the weekend with a certain song. Or do I?
Not sure we’re ready to give up that song quite yet. May have to be creative. Thanks for your support!
Count me in! I loved Cape May, but came because it was pretty close to my home and more importantly for the high quality of the workshop, the wonderful people I have met and the inspiration I get from it that carries me throughout the year! I am just so glad it will still be held and the new location sounds quite interesting! I look at it as a new adventure (-:
Debbie Clarke
attended the last 4 Winter Workshops
Glad to hear it! Thanks for your support.
Though I haven’t been to the Prose & Poetry getaway in a few years due to personal reasons, I would hate to think that all of that inspiration would just quit. I am glad, therefore, that you found an alternative venue for the Getaway and look forward to seeing the workshops offered this fall. Thank you Peter!
Nancy Demme
ndemme@yahoo.com
Thanks for your support. Hope to see you at a future Getaway!
Delighted that you are continuing the Getaway, wherever! Only regret is not being able to sing “On the Way to Cape May,” at our first gathering.
Fondly,
Nan Asher
Not sure we’re ready to give up that lovely song quite yet. May have to sing it one last time, at the very least. Thanks for your support!
Peter,
This is terrific news for me personally.
Less time driving …..
I will be there.
Carol Schreibman
P.S.
The Marriott Seaview is a beautiful place.
Carol,
It’s good to find the positives in everything. We are optimistic about the venue and the changes that are occurring. See you there!
Cape May has been an important pivot in each of my years this past decade, and Ballyhoo’s dancing has started off my year with a Dionysian rebirth! I love you, Peter — and the Cape May gang — and I know the spirit will continue at Sea View! Congratulations on a new beginning! Laura
Hi Laura,
We are happy to begin anew and will keep the traditions alive at Seaview! See you there.
Glad to hear the Getaway is continuing! Yes, Cape May was nice, but AC is closer. I look foward to the new venue! Maria
Hi Maria,
We are happy to continue the Getaway as well- we hope to see you there!
I was afraid to open your e-mail after reading just the first line. So glad I read further. I have been to only one Winter Getaway, but I will have done two others by the end of this month and would love to get to the new place.
Lizabeth Smith
Hi Lizabeth,
We are glad you read through as well. We hope to see you there!
Bummer about Cape May. I missed last year, so didn’t get to say goodbye! However, it will still be “Cape May” with all the people who are regulars that are really part of what makes it such a special weekend. And of course…the chance to getaway and write! Of course…your puns.
Seaview will be great and I’m so glad you were able to continue on with all you do for us to make this the best weekend of the year. Sorry about your loss last year, you can’t keep that up and I’m certain everyone understands. Glad Amanda can stop sending out resumes!
Leigh Mackelvey
Hi Leigh,
Thank you for your kind words; we are grateful to have this tradition continue. We agree that the heart of the Getaway is the people, not the location. Amanda is also glad to have stopped sending out her resume. Hope to see you at Seaview!
Peter, Amanda, et al.,
It’s wonderful that the Getaway didn’t get away! The annual event has been so meaningful to so many over the years. Change is often a very good thing and the Seaview looks lovely. I predict that the Getaway’s new home will be a happy one.
Pam,
Yes, we are happy to continue the Getaway tradition. Thank you for your positive thoughts and kind words!
Congratulations on continuing the Getaway at a new locale!
We are excited about this new location- we hope to see you there!
Seaview CC is a GREAT choice! It’s a lovely venue located just off the G.S. Parkway, so it will be an easy and shorter trip for travelers. Lots of restaurants to choose from for dinner.
The Grand hasn’t been the same since they renovated Ballyhoo’s, anyway.
So, why not move the Getaway?
Looking forward to the change.
Hi Nina,
We are optimistic that this is a change for the better, as well. While nothing can replace Ballyhoo’s, we are also willing to try new things. Thanks for your kind thoughts- look forward to seeing you there.
So glad you are continuing. SeaView is great. It will he a wonderful venue!
Thanks- we are looking forward to this new venture! Hope to see you there.
As special as Cape May has been for us it isn’t the place it is the people. I am excited to go someplace new. Maybe it will inspire new writing. At least I won’t have to drive so far. You know you always have my support. You have always supported me. Thanks for keeping the “Getaway” alive.
Hi Martha,
Thank you for your kind words- we appreciate your support. We think a new location might work out for everyone. Thanks!
Perhaps a song parody to the tune of “I Will Follow You”? One good thing is that the new location is closer to New York, so we might be able to get some new recruits. See you at the Getaway. Thanks for your labor of love.
Barb Reiher-Meyers
Hi Barb,
Very true! We’d love to see the parody. See you then- thanks!
I am looking forward to the getaway and its new location. : )
Thanks- we are too!
Well of course the good news is that the Getaway isn’t totally getting away from all of us who have loved this tradition for years. I feel a bit of heartbreak at the loss of its original home, but have great confidence in Peter and Amanda’s creative choice for an alternative. Thanks for keeping us informed about what I’m sure was a difficult decision. I look forward to hearing more about the new digs (e.g. will there be a dance floor???) and hopefully seeing many familiar faces again in January. Wendy
Wendy,
Thank you for your positive thoughts- we are trying to keep in mind that sometimes change is for the best. We will figure out the dance floor! Hope to see you there.
Peter, I am happy for you & Amanda. Truthfully, I think this particular change might turn out to be an even better environment for your getaway. The way I saw it was that it was NOT Cape May that was the inspiration…it was you. If you’re there, wherever, the joy of writing will continue to flourish. Jane H.
Hi Jane,
Thank you for your kind words and support- we appreciate your positive outlook. Hope to see you at Seaview!
Peter,
Come to think of it, there were years when it was so cold I didn’t get outside at all.
Change is good.
God willing & the creek don’t rise, I’ll be there.
Don LaBranche
Don,
We agree change is good- thanks for the support!
Thank you for your support, creative spirit and commitment to Keep the
winter getaway going. I will make an effort to attend in January.
rosalie g.
Rosalie,
We hope to see you there. Thanks for your support!
Peter and Amanda,
While I will certainly miss Cape May, the most important thing is the Getaway, not the location. I hope Stockton will let you continue to provide the kind of workshop atmosphere that has been so supportive and productive. And I hope I will be able to attend the revised version.
Best,
Pat Valdata
Pat,
We agree that the heart of this will not be lost. We hope so too- Thanks!
They say only a wet bably really likes change, but you’ve found a way to keep the heart and soul of the get-away…and that certain song can easily change too..On the way to Cape May, we stopped in Ab-se-con…or maybe we leave the rewrite to Peter the Poet 🙂
all the best, carol
Carol,
Thank you for your kind words!
Peter and Amanda
You are both incredibly generous with your hard work and spirit and friendship, which have made the getaway what it is. All of those things will be in AC….
I am so sorry this year’s Getaway caused you financial trouble and stress, but I am doubly grateful that you want to continue.
I have so many wonderful memories of Getaways past, so many not-bad poems and so many great friendships …
We will all miss Cape May, but we’ll see you in AC ready for prompts.
Tammy
Hi Tammy,
Thank you for your kind words and positive thoughts. We are optimistic about the future, and we feel that many participants have had similar experiences to yours. We will be happy to see you there!
Dear Peter,
I”m delighted the Getaway is coming to the Seaview. Galloway is not Cape May, but I know the warmth, good cheer, and support of workshops will continue.
All the very best, Penny Dugan
Penny,
We are excited about this venture as well. We agree that the spirit of the Getaway will carry us forward. Thank you for your kind words.
I will miss my 6 am walks by the breaking waves with (occasionally) their balls of frozen spume, and I will miss the Bird Room as a place of inspiration.
But I am sure that the new place will have its special places and 6 am walks. And I trust Amanda and Peter to come up with new corny traditions to replace that song.
The real wealth of the Getaway is the people and Peter’s prompts and the sheer inspiration.
Thank you again and again and again.
Hi Sam,
We will miss being by the beach as well. Thank you for your kind words; with a new location comes new traditions, which we look forward to. We will do our best to continue being corny! See you in January.
Seemed to me that the Getaway was about the people more than the admittedly delightful place, so it sounds like you’re keeping what’s important. More than that shouldn’t be asked. And thank you for finding a way to keep such a remarkable thing going.
pax, Devon
Hi Devon,
Thank you for your positive words. We agree that the spirit of the Getaway is actually the people, and not the location. Hope to see you in January!
Last year was my first Getaway, and I plan to attend again. I can tell you I breathed a sigh of relief to find out it is still continuing. Thank you, Peter, for your vision.
Hi Laura,
We are glad to hear that you have enjoyed your experience at the Getaway. We are also relieved that the Getaway will continue and look forward to seeing you in January.
Dear Peter,
Glad the Getaway will be continued. Hope to see you in January. Thanks for your and Amanda’s hard work.
Sincerley,
Barbara Hoffman
Hi Barbara,
We are relieved as well to continue with the Getaway. Thanks for your kind words and we look forward to seeing you in January.
Peter and Amanda, I’m glad you were able to take what has become a winter tradition for poets and writers in the region and keep it going. Even though I’ve only attended twice, it’s been an invaluable experience each time: getting to work with poets like Stephen Dunn and James Richardson, Cat Doty and J.C. Todd has been informative and rewarding, not to mention meeting some very talented poetry peers, swapping books, getting killer writing prompts to keep the creative juices flowing, and just getting away to a beautiful setting for a few days to immerse myself in the process. Thanks for all you’ve done and continue to do, and I hope to see you soon.
Hi Bruce,
Thank you for your kind words. We are optimistic that Seaview will provide the same atmosphere as Cape May did. We are glad to hear that you have enjoyed past Getaways and look forward to seeing you in January.
Awesome, looking forward to it!! ( :
Looking forward to seeing you, Svea!
great, Peter! People may not be able to sing “On the Way to Cape May,” but it’s a shorter ride for city folk. miss you! xo Kathy
Hi Kathleen,
We’re in the works of finding a new song- have no fear! Hope to see you in January.
Peter and Amanda — Many thanks for your creativity and determination in finding a way to keep the Getaway alive. I have no doubt that you will continue to foster just the right environment to allow us attendees, in turn, to deploy our creative energies. It’s great that Stockton has recognized that partnering with you in this venture can only add to its standing in the academic and arts communities. In short, thank you and congratulations! Oh yeah — I’ll be back.
Hi Dave,
Thanks for your kind words; we are confident that the Seaview Getaway will foster the same inspiration that the Cape May Getaway did. See you in January!
Looking forward to the experience again.
I enjoyed Cape May. A moving enlightening time for me.
Thank you Karen B Warden
Hi Karen,
We will be glad to see you there.
All good things must end. Or change. Sounds like a good move!
Faithful fan, Elinor