Retreat… to Flying Squirrel Studio

In 1990, I moved off my 36’ wood sailboat and into a 600 square-foot log cabin in the beach village of Indianola, Washington. After living on a boat for three years, the cabin seemed spacious, and the small community of Indianola exactly what I needed.  But I wanted a writing space that was separate from the cabin, so set about remodeling the garage. With the help of my brother-in-law and friends, we sheet-rocked and painted the walls, added a wood floor, windows, and French doors that open onto a deck. Later, to accommodate overnight guests and make the studio usable in all seasons, we added a sleeping loft, bathroom, small kitchen, and an energy-efficient heater and replaced the quaint, single-pane windows with double-pane sliders. I eventually wrote or edited four books in that light-filled space.

Since I retired from full-time teaching, I want to share the creative space that served me well for so many years. During the summer, I’ll rent the studio at the full price, and will use this income to support women writers, so they can apply for a residency at a reduced rate in the fall. In the spring, I’ll offer fully sponsored fellowships to indigenous women, in acknowledgment that Indianola is on land owned by the Suquamish tribe.  

I hope you’ll consider visiting, either during the summer for a beach vacation or during the fall to write. Income from the rentals will be used to cover operating expenses and fund the fellowships. Please consider sending a donation to the residency fund to sponsor indigenous writers here or contact me if you have other ideas. 

Holly

PS - You may be curious about the name: When I first moved to Indianola, my cat Sophie occasionally brought flying squirrels into the cabin through the cat door and let them loose in the house. One even perched on my shoulder before flying off to hide! I somehow managed to save all but one, so Flying Squirrel Studio is in honor of the one flying squirrel I couldn’t save.