Return to “Klaustrið” (The Monastery) – where I finished the first draft of The Tricking of Freya

I was lucky enough to spend a month as a writer-in-residence at Klaustrið, the writers sanctuary that is part of the mansion of the late Icelandic writer Gunnar Gunnarsson.

 

Skriðuklaustur is the mansion where Klaustrið (the monastery) is situated. I had my own bedroom, living room, kitchen and a separate library and office – luxury! I arrived at the beginning of May to a snowstorm that shut down all the domestic air flights. The fierce weather continued all month long, keeping me inside and writing. I got more writing done in the one month I spent at Klaustrið than the entire previous year.

 

Klaustrið today, green and sunny. Though just last week it took a light dusting of snow.

 

It just fills me with longing to be back here. That was the best month of my entire writing life. Alone and writing, day after day after day, for 30 days, in the peaceful solitude of the Icelandic countryside, across the river from where my grandfather was born.

 

Comments

[Amy]

What a gorgeous place. It looks like a really lovely place for writing - beautiful countryside, and a room full of books (well, that might get distracting actually...)!

[Christina Sunley]

Hi Amy,

Since all the books are in Icelandic it was not too distracting, but right behind where I sat was a shelf with books by my grandfather's uncle, a famous farmer-poet, and that was so inspiring...

Plus, when I was there in May 2001, it was not green, it was so windy and snow-blowy it was hard to step outside at all, and it took 5 minutes to load a single internet page.

So it was the least distracting place I've ever written, really!