The Writers’ Retreat at Panther Orchard Farm is nestled into 43 beautiful acres in southern, rural Rhode Island. Surrounded by meadows, fields, orchards, woods, a pond, and New England stone walls, Panther Orchard Retreat is open year round for writers seeking a private, comfortable, sanctuary in which to nurture their creative vision. The retreat hosts three Writing Workshops a year, featuring nationally known, award-winning authors with expertise in specific literary genres.

The Fall 2010 workshop (September 10-12, 2010) is entitled "Writing Biographies: The Art of Making Historical Characters Come Alive"

The Writing Biographies workshop features Dr. Marla Miller, professor of history and award winning author of the 2010 biography "Betsy Ross and the Making of America", the first scholarly biography of this well known (but terribly misunderstood) American icon (http://www.betsyrossbook.com). Dr. Miller will share insights into biography as a literary genre and the techniques biographers use to breathe life into the raw material left behind by individuals from the past. Using her own experiences in writing the life stories of 18th century working women, Dr. Miller will guide participants through the intricacies of researching and writing about the personal and professional lives of individuals from history, both known and unknown.

The Writing Biographies workshop will help participants ask and answer the questions: "What information is out there?" "How do I find it?" and "Once I have it, what do I do with it?"