Mountainside Novelist Retreat
November 9, 2025—November 12, 2025
1 Ridgecrest Dr.
Black Mountain, NC
A Hands-on Experience for Novelists
Call 1-800-588-7222 to Register Today
Plan to join us November 9 - 12, 2025 for the next Mountainside Novelist Retreat at Ridgecrest!
Storytelling is the ancient art of entertaining others with a powerful story. What better way to move farther along your publishing journey than at a novelist retreat in the mountains? This event will equip writers through workshops and private meetings around all aspects of being a novelist—from improving the craft of writing to valuable tips for marketing and launching a book. Through a variety of classes geared specifically for novelists, this event will help focus on building strengths from challenges. The Novelist retreat is ONLY open to fiction writers: from those with a fiction manuscript in progress, to those with multiple novels published. Join us at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in Black Mountain, NC for hours of hard work, spiritual renewal, and building a career as a novelist.
The Premise
This event will be a retreat to equip novelists—from those with an in-progress novel to those with multiple books. Featured Instructors include best-selling novelist Kara Swanson, along with other industry professionals soon to be announced. During these four days writers can expect:
- classroom instruction time including:
- the craft of writing
- book launches
- organization
- social media & marketing
- private writing time
- meetings with editors, agents and industry professionals
Details
- Program Fee: $325
- Accommodations: $109 per night
- Meals: $138 (total of 9 meals, Sunday dinner through Wednesday lunch)
The Schedule (just an outline, specifics updated soon!)
Sunday
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Registration
3:15 – 3:30 Opening
3:45 – 4:00 Icebreaker – Edie Melson – Social media tag, you’re it.
4:15 – 5:15 Class: Effective Social Media for Fiction Writers – Edie Melson
5:30 – 6:30 Supper
6:45 – 8:00 Opening Keynote – Kara Swanson
Monday
7:15 – 8:15 Breakfast
8:30 – 8:50 Announcements & Devotion – Kate Huff
9:00 – 10:15 Class: Constructing Plot and Story – Vincent Davis
10:30 – 11:45 Class: The ins and outs of using AI effectively and ethically – Lynette Eason
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 Private Writing Time/Assignment (optional)
2:45 – 3:45 Feedback on assignment A & B
A Group Feedback
- Lynette
- Edie
B Group Feedback
- Kara
- Vincent
4:00 – 5:00 Class: Working with an Agent – Lynette Eason
5:30 – 6:30 Supper
6:45 – 7:30 Panel Discussion -Ask the faculty anything – Q&A Bring all your questions about craft, publishing, contracts and more.
- Vincent Davis
- Kara Swanson
- Edie Melson
- Lynette Eason
- Kate Huff
Tuesday
7:15 – 8:15 Breakfast
8:30 – 8:50 Announcements & Devotion – Vincent Davis
9:00 – 10:15 Class: Unforgettable Characters – Kara Swanson
10:30 – 11:45 Class: Newsletters from Good to Great – Kate Huff
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 Private Writing Time
2:45 – 3:45 Feedback on assignment A & B
A Group Feedback
- Lynette
- Edie
B Group Feedback
- Kara
- Vincent
4:00 – 5:00 Class: Facebook Ads for Growing your Facebook Page – Edie Melson
5:30 – 6:30 Supper
6:45 – 8:00 Class: Amazon Bootcamp – Vincent Davis
Wednesday
7:15 – 8:15 Breakfast
8:30 – 8:50 Announcements & Devotional – Edie Melson
9:00 – 9:30 Pack Your Car
9:30 – 10:45 Class: Growing your subscriber base – Kate Huff
11:00 – 11:45 Closing Keynote – Kara Swanson
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
Meet the Leaders
Edie Melson
Director/Author/Social Media Expert
Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers experiencing life through the lens of her camera. No matter whether she’s talking about faith, writing, or social media, her first advice is always “Find your voice, live your story.” Her reputation as an online expert is well-deserved. Her blog reaches thousands and has been on the Writer’s Digest Top 101 Sites for Writers since 2017. In her role as social media coach she’s worked with clients that range from authors and speakers to business and ministry leaders. Her bestselling eBook on this subject, has been updated, expanded and re-released with co-author DiAnn Mills as Social Media for Today’s Writer. She’s the director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, board member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and author of numerous books. She’s quick to remind those she meets about the practical and personal applications of God’s infinite love. Visit her online at www.EdieMelson.com
Lynette Eason
Assistant Director/Literary Agent
Lynette Eason is the best-selling, award-winning author of over sixty-five books. Many have appeared on the USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and Parable bestseller lists. Lynette teaches at writing conferences all over the country, but when she’s not plotting and writing her next story, she’s hard at work as an agent for the Steve Laube Agency.
Lynette is looking to represent a wide variety of fiction including, but not limited to, romantic suspense, thrillers, mysteries, speculative fiction, historical, women’s contemporary, YA, and writers targeting the Love Inspired suspense lines. I’m also interested in YA non-fiction and may be interested in some adult non-fiction, depending on the topic. For fun, Lynette enjoys hanging out with her family and putting her photography skills to good use. You can find more about Lynette at www.lynetteeason.com and www.stevelaubeagency.com
Kara Swanson
Keynote, Best-selling Author
Kara Swanson writes stories about fairytales and fiery souls. She spent her childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired her award-winning Peter Pan retellings, DUST and SHADOW.
She is also the co-founder of the Author Conservatory (authorconservatory.com) where she has the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers.
You’ll find Kara with her toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with her delightfully-nerdy husband, or chatting about magic and mayhem on Instagram (@karaswansonauthor).
Kate Huff
Newsletter and Book Launch Team Expert
Kate Huff is a storyteller at heart and loves finding Gospel elements in all stories, especially fairytales. She believes fairytales that explain the Gospel in clear and captivating ways have the power to change the world, one person at a time. Her first manuscript is currently with an agent, and she’s working on her second novel along with a few non-fiction projects.
Kate works as a freelance content writer and newsletter specialist. She has over twenty years of experience crafting content, specifically newsletters, across diverse sectors, including non-profits, sales, and fundraising. She helps authors and entrepreneurs create compelling newsletters that connect with their audiences and offers tailored content creation services, as well as training on how to build newsletters and grow subscriber bases.
You can find her at www.kateoliviahuff.com or on most socials as @kateoliviahuff. Sign up for Newsletters Made Simple for Authors at https://rebrand.ly/Newsletters-Made-Simple for simple tips to take your newsletter from good to great!
Vincent B. Davis II
Author
Vincent B. Davis II is an author, entrepreneur, speaker, and soldier. His first novel “The Man with Two Names” was published in July 2017, and has since become an Amazon International Best Seller. He is passionate about helping authors improve their brand and platform. He created Warrior Book Marketing Group in 2018 and now works with publishing companies and individual clients to help them sell more books in the modern publishing environment.