The Writing Retreat

Alex awakens the next morning, hungover. She pieces together the previous night’s events and realizes that she has slept with Pete. She also notices that Ursula has left her a voicemail, in which she mentions something about Blackbriar, Roza’s estate. Alex calls Ursula. Apparently, Ursula’s agent once worked under Roza’s agent. Ursula believes she can arrange for Alex to visit Roza.

Alex remembers applying for Roza’s monthlong writing retreat. A remarkable offer for female authors under the age of 30, the retreat would effectively make any attendee famous. She and Wren had both applied, only to be rejected. Now they are both too old to meet Roza’s requirements.

While thinking about the possibility of meeting Roza, Alex rereads an interview with the author. In it, Roza cultivates an air of mystery and highlights her interest in the occult. In addition, Roza discusses how she wrote her first novel, Devil’s Tongue, as her best friend was dying of cancer. The interviewer notes that this book, like almost all of Roza’s novels, grapples with similar themes, like relationships between women and the constant presence of death. After reading the article, Alex worries about her own writing. It has stalled since her falling out with Wren.

Ursula texts Alex again, asking which story she submitted in her application to Roza’s writing retreat. This prompts Alex to think once more of Wren, and how they had bonded over their difficult childhood experiences. Wren’s mother meted out particularly harsh punishments, such as locking in her a closet. Alex did not suffer from physical abuse, but she did grow up without a father and her mother was often overworked and unhappy. Alex remembers telling Wren how she had discovered Roza’s work when a clerk at Barnes & Noble slipped her a copy.

Alex receives a text from Ursula, urging her to call. Ursula has news: Alex has secured a spot at Roza’s writing retreat. One of the original applicants dropped out, and Ursula was asked to submit other eligible writers’ works. Roza had loved Alex’s story about two girls who encounter something mysterious in the woods. There is only one catch: Wren, too, has been accepted. Consequently, Alex will have to deal with Wren’s presence as well as her own writer’s block at the retreat.

As Alex is on her way to Blackbriar, she remembers almost meeting Roza a few years ago. Roza had attended the Brooklyn Book Festival alongside another author, Jett Butler. Hailed as the next Hemingway, Butler had received an unprecedented advance for his first book. Roza interrupted the moderator to ask Jett some questions herself: She wanted to know where he went to college and whom he dated. Jett was understandably a little taken aback, but the audience urged Roza onward. Jett eventually admitted that his former girlfriend was also a writer, at which point Roza accused him of stealing his girlfriend’s work. If true, this meant that his masterful debut was actually the work of the woman he discarded after having appropriated her work. The event devolved into chaos after Butler stormed off the stage. While Alex did not get to meet Roza that day, she reveled in the ferocity of Roza’s willingness to engage in confrontation.

Alex meets another attendee, Poppy, at the station. A car is there to take them to Blackbriar. Poppy recounts a story that Alex already knows: The estate is supposedly haunted by the ghosts of Horace and Daphne. A wealthy 19th-century oil tycoon, Horace built Blackbriar but remained a bachelor until meeting Daphne, a much younger local waitress. After they married, Daphne became a spiritualist, conducting seances and communing with a powerful demon named Lamia. Daphne created paintings inspired by this occult connection. Horace forbade her to continue her spiritualism. Their bodies were found shortly thereafter: Horace’s had been disemboweled, while Daphne’s body was “burned beyond recognition” (34).

As they approach the isolated estate, Poppy notes that there is no cell service. The driver informs them that the closest establishment, a nunnery, is 20 miles away. He also notes that they might be snowed in, and bids them farewell. The women approach the looming structure with awe.

An unsmiling woman ushers Poppy and Alex into the house by. She points them toward the library—famous for its massive collection—to meet the other writers. Alex is relieved to see that Wren has not yet arrived. She and Poppy introduce themselves to Taylor and Keira. They discuss their backgrounds and discover that all are from large metropolitan areas: Alex from Brooklyn, Poppy from Atlanta, Taylor from Austin, and Keira from Los Angeles. Alex notes that Keira is the only person of color in the group. Poppy mentions having a boyfriend, while Taylor says she has a girlfriend. Taylor mentions that there is no Wi-Fi on the property. Keira observes that they are all unmarried and without children. Alex almost mentions her age—she older than 30—but decides against. She is simply happy to be there.

Taylor guides them upstairs to their rooms. Each one is decorated in a unique color scheme: Keira’s is green, Taylor’s is blue, and Alex’s is orange. Unfortunately, Alex’s space also contains two beds: She and Wren are to room together. Alex tells the others about their broken friendship, although without much detail. Poppy volunteers to room with Wren instead.

They each receive a welcome gift from Roza: a gold necklace bearing an animal pendant. Keira’s pendant is in the shape of a lion; Taylor gets a rabbit; and Poppy receives a miniature pig. Alex’s animal is a spider. All of the pendants sport diamonds for eyes.

Alex falls asleep in her room, nearly missing the welcome dinner. When she arrives, almost everyone is already seated, including Wren. Roza herself is absent. Though Alex has forgotten to put on her necklace, everyone else is wearing their gift. Alex sees that Wren’s pendant is a snake. They are served a magnificent dinner by Yana, an employee, and Chitra, Roza’s chef.

There is a lively discussion with Ian, Roza’s editor. Wren tells a story that elicits laughter from the others and jealousy from Alex. Wren also mentions that she is engaged. This upsets Alex, but she quickly forgets this after Roza appears.

Everyone is introducing themselves when Roza abruptly stops and demands to know why Alex is not wearing her necklace. She asks Alex to leave; the whole room grows quiet. Alex refuses to back down. After several moments of awkward silence, Roza laughs. She claims she is kidding and compliments Alex’s writing.

Then Roza delivers a bombshell announcement: The writing retreat is actually a contest. The gathered group will choose one winner, who will receive a publication deal and go on book tour with Roza.

To participate, each writer must produce a minimum of three thousand words a day. They must also start completely from scratch; they cannot continue work on a previously established idea or manuscript. Finally, Roza will require them to read and comment on each other’s work.

When Wren protests the nature of the contest, Roza shuts her down, saying that the element of competition will boost the quality of their work. They are all to present a book proposal at the next morning’s meeting.

Everyone retreats to their corners to write. After some fruitless hours, Alex decides to make tea. As she approaches the stairs to go down to the kitchen, however, she hears noises from across the landing. Alex recognizes the sharp cries as sexual in nature. She runs back to her room, forgoing the tea.

In the morning, Alex is still unsure of her proposal. Taylor suggests they go to the library for inspiration. Keira is already there: She has been doing research on the history of Blackbriar, but has decided not to go in that direction. She urges Alex to pursue the material instead.

Alex peruses a biography of Daphne, whose little sister died at age 12. This loss prompted Daphne’s lifelong interest in spiritualism. The biography also notes that Daphne’s paintings The World In Between I and II were born from what she called her “Great Commission.” Daphne claimed to be channeling her art from spirits. Alex realizes that these particular paintings are still hanging at Blackbriar. Horace had burned the others prior to the couple’s gruesome deaths.

The group gathers at the library to share their proposals. Roza gives Keira, Taylor, and Poppy positive feedback on their ideas, but she hesitates over Wren’s proposal. Wren wants to write about an actress whose director imprisons her at a remote location. Roza worries that actors are uninteresting protagonists.

Alex pitches a story about two best friends who protect each other against dangerous or dismissive men. One of the friends does not realize how far the other will go to ensure that protection. Roza points out that this storyline is too similar to her own novel Devil’s Tongue. Alex is dismayed by this revelation, which she cannot deny.

Taylor reminds Alex of her research on Daphne. Roza immediately approves of this tack. Alex agrees to write about Daphne and her spirit channeling. Roza invites her for a one-on-one meeting within the hour.

Alex and Roza share a drink while they discuss Alex’s writing. Alex admits that she has been suffering from writer’s block over the past year. When Roza asks what might be causing the block, Alex admits that she has been unable to write since her friendship with Wren ended. When Roza prods her for more information, Alex finally tells the entire story: She and Wren had been living together when they started sleeping in the same bed. After drinking, though, they would occasionally kiss and cuddle. Alex is careful to stress that she considered this friendly comfort more than anything else. One night, however, Wren came to bed naked and performed oral sex on Alex. The next day, Wren acted as if nothing had happened, then suddenly announced that she was moving out of their apartment. Alex later tried to talk to Wren on her birthday. Wren had pulled away from Alex’s touch and fallen on her wineglass, slashing her hand in the process. Several surgeries were required to fix her hand. This mishap ended their friendship.

Roza suggests that Wren felt guilty about their sexual encounter and was blaming Alex for her own desires. Roza further tells Alex that Wren’s severance of their friendship could inspire Alex’s writing.

Roza then asks Alex an even harder question: Did Alex actually push Wren at her birthday party? Alex awkwardly admits that she was indeed responsible for Wren’s injury.

When Alex returns to her room, she begins to write. She decides to title her novel in progress The Great Commission.