2026 BK Authors Retreat
October 9–12 (Friday–Monday), 2026
Gather with us on October 9–12, 2026, at the Marianist Retreat Center in St. Louis for four days of connection, learning, and discovery. Registration is now closed.
Registration closed on September 8, 2026. Stay tuned for our fall 2027 retreat, to be held on the East Coast (date and location TBD).
October 9–12, 2026
(Friday dinner through Monday lunch)
Marianist Retreat & Conference Center
4000 MO-109
Eureka, Missouri 63025
Google Maps directions | PDF directions
About 35 minutes from the St. Louis Lambert International Airport
What is the BK Author Retreat?
The BK Author retreat is an annual four-day event where around 30–45 Berrett-Koehler authors, Berrett-Koehler staff, and other like-minded nonfiction authors gather to connect with, learn from, and help each other.
At the retreat, you will:
- Meet and get to know (or reconnect with) other BK authors, BK staff members, and friends of the BK community
- Talk about trends, topics, and issues that are important to you
- Develop your skills in building a larger author platform and marketing yourself and your books
- Learn from people with perspectives and backgrounds different from your own
- Discover possibilities for collaboration
- Take a break from the grind of the digital work world
- Spend time in personal reflection, relaxation, and rejuvenation
What is the location?
Marianist Retreat & Conference Center
4000 MO-109
Eureka, Missouri 63025
Google Maps directions | PDF directions
Established in 1967, the Marianist Retreat & Conference Center is located on 130 acres of wooded land on the outskirts of St. Louis
The retreat center offers several meeting and breakout rooms, single bedrooms each with a private bath (a few doubles available), and nourishing and healthy meals.
The Marianist kitchen staff is able to accommodate vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, sugar free, lactose intolerant, or other special diets.
What’s included?
- Room accommodations Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday night, October 9–11, 2026
- Catered breakfasts, lunches, and dinners from Friday dinner to Monday lunch, October 9–12, 2026
- Snacks and refreshments throughout
- Four days of structured conversations, activities, mentoring, sessions, and group interactions, as well as unstructured time for mingling or personal renewal. (See schedule below)
Why should I come?
The Retreat is an opportunity to flourish. It’s an opportunity to welcome new authors into the fold and help old authors find fresh ideas and connections.
We also aim to make the retreat a valuable learning opportunity, with sessions and conversations designed to introduce you to new ideas and trends and help authors learn from each others’ extensive experience and wisdom.
Event Schedule
This is a preliminary schedule: times and activities are subject to change.
Friday, October 9
3:00–5:00 pm – Room Check-In and Welcome
Informal group walk around the grounds at 4:15 pm
5:00–6:00 – Dinner
Get to know other authors with “We Connect” cards
6:30–9:00 – Retreat Kick-Off and Opening Activities
- Welcome to the BK Author Retreat
- “What’s In Common” exercise – To make unexpected connections and form new friendships
- “Wacky Metaphor” activity and free write – To get your creative juices flowing
Saturday, October 10
7:30–7:55 am – From Freeze to Flow
A somatic healing session facilitated by Jennifer Zach
Being an author is hard work, sometimes leading to complete overwhelm. Come learn in-the-moment somatic strategies to move out of freeze and back into flow — the state that lets you do your best work. Using Jennifer’s 3N Model, you’ll learn to:
- Notice — locate the actual physical sensation of being stuck
- Name — put a word to the sensation
- Navigate — shift from freeze to flow using a tool from your calming toolkit
The goal isn’t to solve the writing problem itself; it’s to get the creative juices flowing again.
8:00–9:00 am – Breakfast
9:15–9:25 – Morning Stage Setting
9:30–10:40 – Breakout Conversations #1
Option 1: How Is Your Online Presence? In this session, we’ll Google your name and examine the results! We’ll look at how well you and your books are showing up across your website, social channels, Amazon author page, and other organic hits. Is it easy to contact you? Is your website professional and up-to-date? What’s working well, and what needs more attention? – Facilitated by Jeremy Madsen
Option 2: Unscripting Your Life – Imagine: Each morning, wake up with no agenda and ask four simple questions: “What do I want to do today? Where do I want to go? Who am I today? And why am I living?” We rarely ask such questions because our lives are so pre-scripted. Our calendars tell us who we are. Our phones tell us where to go. Our responsibilities tell us why we’re alive. Remove those structures, and something strange happens: the self becomes a little more mysterious. – Facilitated by Eileen McDargh
Option 3: The Writer’s Journey. This highly participatory session will take you through mapping out your own “hero’s journey” as a writer: where you’ve come from; how you got started on the journey (chose it, got pushed, stumbled in); what “monsters” you have to overcome, avoid, or befriend, and maybe even how to do so; who your allies and helpers are on the journey; and where you imagine you are going. – Facilitated by Charles Feltman
10:50–12:00 – Breakout Conversations #2
Option 1: Powerful Presentation Skills for Everyone – Public speaking is a lifelong, valuable pursuit. We all want to be heard. This interactive session will help you add power to your messages and relax when it’s your turn to talk. Join us to more fully enjoy your presentations, so your listeners can enjoy them more, too. – Workshop taught by Michelle Gladieux
Option 2: Leveraging Stories and Questions to Move Readers toward Action – Stories and questions are both powerful ways to share our expertise, because they prompt readers to come to their own insights—a crucial step for inspiring real change. In this session, we’ll consider the distinctions between information and insight, and we’ll practice transforming information into effective invitations for our readers to embrace change. – Facilitated by Leslie Peters
Option 3: Voice: What Does It Mean to Be Heard? – We are living in a moment when it has never been easier to share our voices—and perhaps never harder to feel heard.
For authors, that tension can carry a quiet grief. We may spend months or years crafting an idea, a book, or a body of work, only to release it into an endless stream of content competing for attention.
We’ll commune together about what it means to have a voice today. Why do we share in the first place? Is expression inherently in itself meaningful, or does being received matter? What do we mean when we say we want “reach,” “impact,” or “influence”—and are the definitions we have inherited still serving us?
– Discussion facilitated by Crystal Kadakia
12:00–1:00 pm – Lunch
1:15–2:30
Mentoring Program Kick-Off
First-time authors will be paired with an experienced mentor and given an hour of structured mentoring time. After that, mentors and mentees are encouraged to continue your conversations during meals or unstructured times, and to keep in touch after the retreat for at least one additional mentoring conversation—with more if you are both inclined to continue.
Group Walk (for non-mentors/non-mentees)
Walk-and-talk around the retreat center grounds for those not participating in the mentoring program
2:45–4:00 – Flash Topics
First we meet all together to propose and identify 3–6 topics to discuss in small groups; then you get to decide which conversation to join.
4:00–5:00 – Unstructured Time
The main gathering space will have books by attendees that you can browse and review
5:00–6:00 – Dinner
6:30–9:00 – Talent Show
Your opportunity to share a song, poetry, recitation, magic tricks, or other talents. Start thinking of what you want to share! Emceed by Rob Jolles, a.k.a. Johny Fabulous.
Sunday, October 11
7:30–7:55 am – Meditation Labyrinth
Engage in this centuries-old reflective and calming experience.
8:00–9:00 am – Breakfast
9:15–9:25 – Morning Stage Setting
9:30–10:40 – Breakout Conversations #3
Option 1: Five-Minute Coaching with The Presentation Whisperer – Bring Rob Jolles your toughest speaking challenge, your biggest presentation question, or even your podcasting dilemma. Put him on the clock, and in five minutes or less, he’ll give you practical ideas you can use right away.
Option 2: Trust Is a Family Affair – Charles Feltman and Emily Bouchard will share some of what they’ve learned about building and sustaining trust in families when money is involved. Be prepared to share your related experiences, hear others’ stories, and learn something to bring home to your family.
Option 3: Improvisational Writing Activity – Rediscover the joy of writing by tossing out all the “rules” we’ve imposed on ourselves over the years. – Facilitated by John Kador
10:50–12:00 – Breakout Conversations #4
Option 1: Booking Business from Our Books – How do we expand from our book(s) into getting paid organizational work? – Facilitated by Amy Powell
Option 2: Leaving a Legacy – A space to reflect and journal. What part of my experience feels ready to be shared or taught? What would a meaningful legacy look like in action—today, not someday? – Facilitated by Eileen McDargh
Option 3: Adapting to 2026 to Thrive in 2027 – With the new administration, changes in corporate priorities, a shifting culture, and economic tightness, many training and development companies are reporting that their sales are down 40–60%. How do we reinvent our business offerings and thrive in the current zeitgeist and economy?
12:00–1:00 pm – Lunch
1:15–2:30 – Flash Topics
First we meet all together to propose and identify 3–6 topics to discuss in small groups; then you get to decide which conversation to join.
2:45–4:00 – Publishing Industry Overview and Berrett-Koehler Update
Berrett-Koehler staff members Jeevan Sivasubramaniam, Christy Kirk, and Sarah Nelson, as well our operations manager Jeremy Madsen, will give updates on recent developments in the publishing industry and the latest initiatives by Berrett-Koehler Publishers to adapt to marketplace changes and raise new sources of revenue. We’ll include plenty of time for Q&A and discussion.
4:00–5:00 – Unstructured Time
The main gathering space will have books by attendees that you can browse and review.
5:00–6:00 – Dinner
6:30–9:00
Game Night
Book Cover Charades, Never Have I Ever, and other uproarious games.
Salon Gathering
Relaxed conversation in a separate lobby for those who want a lower-energy evening.
Monday, October 12
We expect and acknowledge that many attendees will need to leave throughout Monday morning to catch flights.
7:00–10:00 am – Room Check-Out
8:00–9:00 am – Breakfast
9:15–10:15 – Closing Reflection
A chance to reflect on, journal about, and share what you experienced over the last three days.
10:25–11:25 – The Magic of Metaphor: Using Everyday Objects to Look into the Future
An activity of exploring the serendipitous, facilitated by Eileen McDargh.
11:25–11:40 – Clean-Up, Tidy-Up Time
11:40–12:00 – Goodbye Circle
A silent experience of conveying energy, gratitude, and love to each other to conclude
12:00–1:00 – Lunch
1:00–1:30 – Final Farewells / Departure
Frequently Asked Questions
Pricing
| Attendance Type | Early Bird Price (Feb 1–June 30, 2026) | Full Price (July 1–Sep 8, 2026) |
| Stay-In (Room and meals included) | $645 | $695 |
| Commuter (meals, no room) – Friday evening, Monday morning | $95/day | $99/day |
| Commuter (meals, no room) – Saturday, Sunday | $125/day | $130/day |
You can cancel your registration for a full refund up until September 8, 2026.
Mentoring Program (Pilot)
Brand new this year! Over the years, we have seen a recurring need and an untapped resource:
- The need: First-time authors working on or having just launched their first book. They are new to the publishing landscape and are figuring out how to market their book and build a larger thought leadership business from it.
- The resource: Experienced authors who are veterans of the publishing world, who have built successful businesses around their books, and who are looking for opportunities to support and give back to the next generation of authors
To match this resource to this need, this year we will be launching a one-on-one mentoring program as part of the retreat.
How it will work: Prior to the retreat, we’ll send you a survey to identify if you are a potential mentee or mentor, and what your needs are (if a mentee) or strengths are (if a mentor).
We’ll use that information to pair mentees with mentors who have the expertise they are looking for.
At the retreat, you’ll be introduced to your mentor/mentee and given an hour of structured mentoring time. After that, you’re encouraged to continue your conversations during retreat meals or unstructured times, and to keep in touch after the retreat for at least one additional mentoring conversation—with more if you are both inclined to continue.
(For authors who aren’t interested or aren’t a fit for being either a mentor or a mentee, we’ll have other enriching opportunities for you during this time!)
We’re excited to pilot this mentoring program—with the potential to expand it beyond the retreat if it does well.
Marianist Retreat Center Photo Gallery
Past BK Retreats Photo Gallery
