Send DeMisty to Iceland to Write!

Time and Space to Write!

I have recently learned that I have won a spot in an Icelandic residency!I will have a place to stay and write for a whole month. Like many residencies, this particular location includes both visual artists and writers. I am more than certain that the change of scenery, exposure to other artists, the pace, and the freedom to create will be inspiring and prove productive.

While there, I will have access to the space to work on my writing.  My plan is to polish a novel draft, write some short fiction,  and compose more poems.

In 2012, I spent time at Vermont Studio Center and got a lot of work done that I have since published. I have met some awesome artists and writers with whom I keep in touch. Since my time at VSC, I have done collaborative work with a visual artists and some writers that I've met during that residency. I expect that my time in Iceland will be as fruitful.

The residency I'll be attending is The Gullkistan. It is located  70 km from Reykjavík in a quiet village with views of Hekla Volcano. You can learn more about the residency here . 

To attend the residency, I will need to put a down payment of $550 by October 31 and another $500 by March 31. The rest of the money I am requesting is for other travel expenses. 

As a writer whose work is literary, I am rarely compensated for my work. When opportunities such as this artist residency come along, I do not always have the funds I need. 

I am a mother of twin pre-teens and I am happily married. After many years of being a stay-at-home dad, my husband is returning to work. Basically, though I work full time as a tenured professor, we live paycheck to paycheck and if I don't budget for a trip like this a year in advance, such a trip cannot happen. I didn't have a year for planning, but I don't want to lose this opportunity! I love my kids and husband dearly, but experience shows me the value of time and a place to write. Just a little time. Like, a month. In Iceland! 

I hate asking for money and usually do not need any assistance, but this time, I'm going to swallow my pride.

Thank you for any support you may be able to give me! 
--DeMisty