Turning Memories Into Memoirs
Introductory Workshop, September 2006

Participants came to Maine from from California, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, Georgia, Massachusetts and Quebec.

Sessions were held both indoors and out in a very supportive, informal, yet focused atmosphere.
  • "Couldn't have asked for a better group. Everyone was respectful, positive...there was great energy."
  • "Discussions were lively and constructive. Denis made sure everyone spoke--very important."
  • "I was surprised to find I could trust the group with difficult aspects of my story. I learned so much from their feedback.
    Denis' leadership guided us in this."
  • "The process was safe and respectful as well as useful."



  • "This experience has been invaluable to me as a beginning writer."
  • "My confidence has increased exponentially."
  • "I was relieved to find that not only do I have a story, but that with discipline and this kind of training and inspiration, I will be able to write it."
  • "The memory-accessing exercises were very effective. I had wondered if I could remember enough but this was not a problem at all."
  • "I have grown by leaps and bounds in my understanding of the process and techniques of memoir writing."
  • "I'm highly motivated to continue writing."

    • A bumper blueberry crop was quickly harvested for Blueberry Buckle during one break time. Other breaks were taken in the back yard.
  • "It was wonderful to be able to go outside for breaks..."
  • "The beauty of the Maine countryside was very stimulating for me."
  • "Maine in early fall could not be more conducive to creativity!"
    •
    Workshop description and Registration info
    Recipes to Write By

    Martha's Blueberry Buckle

  • 1 stick butter or margarine
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups flour (whole wheat pastry)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3-4 cups berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or a combination)
  • fresh grated nutmeg
    • Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg, mix well. Sift the dry ingedients. Mix alternately with the milk into the butter mix to make a stiff batter.
    In an oiled deep cassarole, lay out a layer of batter. Sprinkle liberally with berries and press the berries down into the batter. Dust with nutmeg. Cover with the remaining batter and top with the rest of the berries, again pressing them into the batter and adding nutmeg.
    Topping
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 stick butter or margarine
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
    • Mix ingredients to make a crumbly texture topping. Sprinkle over the final layer of blueberries.
    Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. (Deeper dishes require a longer bake time; test the center for doneness.)
    Serve warm or cool with whipped cream, ice cream, yogurt or creme anglaise.