Being at Civitella let me do something I had been putting off for a few months: reopening my book manuscript, which I had left dormant as I did more reporting and research, and thought about how I wanted to move forward. But at the castle, in my light-saturated studio, I began to edit and write again and think in different ways about a project that has challenged me more than anything I’ve ever worked on. I did this with the help of a serene natural environment and other Fellows who, through our conversations, got me moving my work in new directions. I have so much appreciation for this experience.