Write here, write now...

By summertime, the word had started to spread about IN THE WRITE LIGHT. Six students signed up. A mother and daughter from the Costa del Sol, two sisters from Dublin, and two more, one Irish man and another English woman, both lived in Spain for almost twenty years.

The expats said they were grateful to finally have the chance to pursue their writing passion in Spain.

I had employed the talents of poet Nessa O'Mahony to take the reins. Her unassuming approach and infectious humour soon put the group at ease; all fears about writing abilities evaporated with the morning mist. As the hours passed, a steady breeze aired the sun-room where we wrote, laughed and compared notes.

The first session revealed some unexpected talents. Each evening we headed into Tarifa town, relaxed, enjoyed tapas, chatted and chatted. In fact, the chat never stopped. I had collected a group of chatter-boxes! But what personalities. While the Dublin sisters entranced with tales of childhood escapades, some one else told of an adventurous holiday or a relationship that went wrong. Very soon, all the gossip became fodder for our stories. That weekend produced some great stories. And some great friends. If every group is as easy and as pleasurable to work with as this one, I feel blessed.