The reading retreat you’ve been waiting for
An all-inclusive lakeside reading retreat with
Laura Tremaine and Meredith Monday Schwartz
November 4–7, 2026
Big Timber Lodge on Lake LBJ
Burnet, Texas
Spaces very limited!!!
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This is a real reading retreat. This isn’t a conference or a get together. This is a retreat for actual reading. It’s super important you understand that.
This is an all-inclusive three-day stay at a lakefront log home with every meal handled, a personalized Reader Profile, three hand-picked books, and the rarest thing in modern life: permission to actually read for three days straight.
Who We Are
Laura Tremaine
Laura Tremaine is a two-time author, longtime podcaster, and lifetime bookworm. She created the Secret Stuff Substack and co-hosts the Slow Read podcast. Her favorite authors are Elizabeth Strout and Stephen King.
Meredith Monday Schwartz
Meredith Monday Schwartz is CEO of Here Comes The Guide and co-host of The Currently Reading Podcast, where she's been giving her honest thoughts on books since 2018. She loves all genres, but her true love is mysteries of all kinds. The more murder, the better.
what we’ll do
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read
Scheduled, gently-enforced silent reading time.
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eat
Delicious meals together talking about what we’re reading. Or you can eat alone and read more. No one is going to judge you.
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read some more
Lounge by the lake, sit on the porch or stay inside in a comfy chair. It’s all about the reading time.
What’s Included:
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Wednesday check-in through Saturday check-out at Big Timber Lodge on Lake LBJ, with oodles of indoor and comfy outdoor seating just for our small group.
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8 catered meals, from the Wednesday welcome dinner to a lighter breakfast Saturday, plus snacks, coffee, and bevvies throughout.
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Sacred silent reading hours, a Reader Know Thyself session, a journal session with Laura, and a book swap.
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A personalized Reader Profile written for you by Meredith, plus 3 hand-selected books to match, delivered to your door two weeks before the trip.
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Full run of the pool, decks, fire pit, and theater room, plus a premium goodie bag worth showing off.
The only thing you handle is getting to Burnet, Texas with your books.
Everything else is done.
Schedule
Wednesday · Arrival
Check-in from 4:00, then a welcome reception at 5:30 with goodie bags and room assignments.
Catered welcome dinner at 7:00. After dinner, an optional book swap: show us your TBR pile.
Thursday · Reading day one
Breakfast at 8, then three protected silent reading blocks through the day, about 6 hours total, with lunch and buffers in between.
Optional Reader Know Thyself session with Meredith at 5:00, catered dinner at 6:30, reading by the fire pit after.
Friday · Reading day two
The same beautiful rhythm: breakfast, three silent reading blocks, lunch at the big table.
Optional journal session with Laura at 5:00, closing dinner at 6:30, last-night lake vibes. Get those chapters in!
Saturday · Departure
A final breakfast at 8, then goodbyes and checkout at 10. Sad to go, but so happy to have gotten all that reading and rest.
Where you’ll be reading
We chose this location because it is absolutely perfect for the reading retreat we’ve always dreamed of hosting.
Big Timber Lodge is an 11,500-square-foot log home with 250 feet of private shoreline on Lake LBJ, out in the Texas Hill Country near Burnet. It’s about 90 minutes from Austin’s airport but it feels a world away.
There's a corner for every kind of reader: from a sunny spot on the porch, to huge comfy couches, to a comfy bed in your own room, to a shady spot by the water.
All with no one interrupting your reading.
Picture a lagoon-style pool with a slide and waterfalls, a private sandy beach, three levels of lakefront decks dotted with swings and loungers, a gourmet kitchen where our caterer works their magic, and hours of quiet time with the water lapping at the shore.
You will have your choice of beautiful places to disappear into your book(s).
Choose Your Accommodation
This is a spendy vacation. We won't pretend otherwise.
It's also really small. Only 14 spots total, including the two of us. When a room's gone, it's gone.
01 / Bunk Room
A twin in the lakeside bunk room with up to five other readers. Two bathrooms shared amongst the six readers. Six spots available.
Real talk: yes, it's a bunk room, and no, it's not what you're picturing. Think upscale bookish summer camp. You get a twin bed in a big (really big), bright lakeside room you'll share with up to five other readers.
There are two full bathrooms and a private porch right on the water. There's a whole living area to sprawl and read in, too. It's a bunk room with benefits, and it's awesome.
One thing to know: this room is women-only. Six spots total.
See our Super Fun Terms & Conditions
SOLD OUT
02 / Loft Suite
Your own king bed in the semi-private loft. One spot only.
Meredith has stayed in this house more times than she can count, and this is the room she'd choose. You get your own king bed, your own bathroom, a living area, and yes, your own wet bar (you're welcome).
Here's the downside, because we don't do surprises: the loft is open air. The wall above the bed opens to the downstairs living space, so it's semi-private rather than sealed off. If you love a cozy perch above the action, this one's for you. One reader only.
See our Super Fun Terms & Conditions
SOLD OUT
03 / Private Suite, Single Occupancy
The whole king suite to yourself. Premium solitude.
This is Laura's pick, and an introvert's paradise.
A private room with a king bed and a full bathroom that is yours, and yours alone. Close the door, exhale, and read in total peace.
Premium solitude for the reader who wants the retreat without the sharing.
Note: There are four king rooms total in the house, those four rooms can be purchased as either single occupancy or double occupancy.
See our Super Fun Terms & Conditions
SOLD OUT
04 / Private Suite, Double Occupancy
A king bed and en-suite bath, shared with your reader of choice. Four rooms, two readers each.
Bring your reader bestie. You already share your favorite books and all the dirt on your worst bookish habits, so why not share a room?
Fair warning: this tier is one king bed for the two of you, so come with someone you're happy to sleep next to.
One price covers the room, you sort the split between yourselves, and you’ll add the second person’s details when you check out.
Note: There are four king rooms total in the house, those four rooms can be purchased as either single occupancy or double occupancy.
See our Super Fun Terms & Conditions
SOLD OUT
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, go ahead and make your purchase to save your spot.
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Don't book non-refundable travel until after Tuesday, September 1, 2026. That's our go/no-go date.
If we don't hit our minimum of 10 attendees, we cancel and refund everyone, and we don't want anyone holding a plane ticket they can't use.
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Readers who want to actually read. The kind of reader with a TBR pile that's been giving them side-eye for months, who's tired of "retreats" that turn out to be all programming or chatting and very little actual reading.
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Nope. Bring your reader self, that's all we need. There will be zero quizzes about our respective shows.
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Quiet. We protect three reading blocks each full day, about 6 hours total. During those blocks, there’s no talking in the shared reading spaces. If you want to chat, you take it outside and away from other readers.
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Yes, in the Private Suite Double Occupancy tier. They get the same retreat experience you do, reading included.
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Tickets are fully refundable until September 1, 2026.
After that they're non-refundable, but you can transfer your spot to another reader up until October 1.
After October 1, 2026, we’re fully locked in and everything is non-refundable.
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Tell us at booking. We're working with the caterer to handle vegetarian, gluten-free, and the most common allergies.
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It's a reader thing. Introverts and extroverts both fit, as long as you're someone who reads and you’re someone who’s comfortable with long stretches of quiet.
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There will be one optional group book, but you only read it if you want to. There won’t be any mandatory time to talk about it.
Otherwise, just bring your own TBR. This isn't a book club, it's a reading retreat.
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Because that's what we want to tell ourselves for these days. It's permission language. You're telling yourself to shut up, not anyone else.
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