“It’s difficult to overstate the impact that attending Mors Tua Vita Mea had on me, both as a writer and as a person. The opportunity to take your craft seriously against the backdrop of the jaw-droppingly beautiful Italian countryside is almost too good to be true, but thanks to Chelsea and Gian, it’s very real. As teachers they are an incredible team—each brings something unique and invaluable to their instruction. Both are deliberate and fair in their feedback and inspiring in their ideas and encouragement. The exercises outside of workshop left a lasting impact on how I approach writing, as well as many other things in my life. Mors Tua Vita Mea was so thoughtful in organizing the small group of students that I was able to not only sincerely bond with every single person (the friendships I made there are so special) but also receive different and crucial feedback from each writer in the group. On top of all of this, Chelsea and Gian do so so much to ensure that the week spend at MTVM is unforgettable, including providing and arranging for absolutely delicious food and wine, and organizing trips to unforgettable historical destinations. Plus, the villa itself is so comfortable and so gorgeous. 10/10 would recommend to every writer and also every person I encounter on the street or in a Starbucks stateside, whether they ask or not.” —Yasi Salek, MTVM IV

“I was going to say ‘I can't recommend this program highly enough,’ but then I realized that sentence was cliche—evidence of how pervasive MTVM’s influence on me truly is! I've been in at least a dozen writing workshops, none of which got into my head, or under my skin, quite like Mors Tua Vita Mea. It’s hard to put into words just how powerful it is to dedicate a week of your life to creativity and adventure. It's kind of like joining a cult but without any of the bad parts.” —Nicola Maye Goldberg, MTVM IV

“Don’t apply to Mors Tua Vita Mea if you enjoy olive oil because when you get back home, even the best stuff is gonna taste bland in comparison. The same goes for every other aspect of your life. The week I spent there felt at once an eternity and an instant. Chelsea and Giancarlo know what they’re doing in regards to being a writer on and off the page. Giuseppe knows what he’s doing when it comes to food and esoteric history knowledge. The instructors and participants alike will not let you leave the villa without imprinting some of their wisdom upon you. I’ve never felt a greater sense of community in my life, as a writer but also as a person. Definitely do not apply to this workshop if you’ve found comfort in the ordinary, the stagnant, the uninspired. It will rip those things right away from you.” —Steven Arcieri, MTVM V

“If you are nervous about applying to Mors Tua Vita Mea, don't be. This is a non-traditional space for writers of all backgrounds. The space itself, Villa DiTrapano, is pulsing with energy and wisdom. Chelsea and Giancarlo are fearless in their leadership and in their willingness to push you further. I learned more about myself and the art of the sentence during this one week in Italy than I had in many years prior. It was the experience of a lifetime, one that will linger on in my dreams. Take the plunge. Eat all of the pasta. Say yes to everything. Sit next to Giuseppe whenever possible.” —Hether Fortune, MTVM IV

“The invaluable advice Chelsea and Giancarlo provided at Mors Tua Vita Mea had a profound effect on the direction and scope of my project and career path. The effortless discussions, pointed critiques, and authentic and warm connections are a testament to their incredible skill as teachers. Their own vast experience as writers and editors informed every moment of this transformative week.” —Felicia Urso, MTVM V

“Attending Mors Tua Vita Mea made up for all the years of sleep-away summer camp I never got to experience as a kid. Though, instead of dozing on a cot in some shitty log cabin next to a lake, you're set-up in a room with a view overlooking an old Italian village and a lush valley sloping all the way to the sea. It's impossible to wake up every day without new inspiration and an intense desire to create. Chelsea and Gian lead some of the most informative workshops/exercises that you'll ever take part in. And between the sites, cuisine, and most of all, the people you share the experience with, it will be one of the hardest goodbyes you'll have to make when the week comes to a close.” —Matt Broderick, MTVM IV

“Mors Tua Vita Mea is pure magic. I feel invigorated as a writer, an artist, an explorer, and a person. I am still daydreaming about the conversations, the company, and the cooking. The drives up and down mountains keep playing over in my head and leave me calm. Applying to and attending this workshop is one of the best decisions I’ve made in years.” —Emily Present, MTVM IV

"Mors Tua Vita Mea was simultaneously the most valuable educational experience I've ever had, and the most unique vacation I could ever imagine. Chelsea and Giancarlo have created a community that extends far beyond the one week of being onsite at Villa DiTrapano. The workshop element is thoughtfully prepared, efficiently structured, and I learned things both about my own manuscript and about writing in general that were completely transformative. The editing tools and writing practices I've engaged in since returning home have been completely worth the investment. But on top of that, I ate the most incredible food, saw the most magnificent sites, learned bewildering Italian history, and gained a new family, with whom I'm now in daily contact. Chelsea, Giancarlo, and Giuseppe gave us all an irreplaceable, life-changing experience. A weeklong workshop/trip with strangers was an admittedly frightening prospect, but, in the end, if I ever have children, they'll just have to understand they're the second best thing I've ever done." —Lexi Kent-Monning, MTVM II

"The faculty are reason enough to attend Mors Tua Vita Mea. Never in a workshop environment have I felt the instructors to be so engaged with my work and invested in its growth and success. Chelsea and Giancarlo are sharp, centered readers with true artistic sensitivity and a firm grip on the literary world, and their insight and feedback are invaluable. A gorgeous room in the villa, super fun non-touristy experiences, and the best food you'll ever eat are just your added perks." —Mila Jaroniec, MTVM II

"I travelled to the workshop from Australia because I wanted my writing to have the same intensity I find in Chelsea Hodson’s work and in every release from Tyrant Books. Giancarlo and Chelsea put me on the right path. They were generous with time, attention, and took us out to see Medieval monasteries and coastal towns crumbling into the Mediterranean sea. In a long line of bad decisions, attending Mors Tua Vita Mea wasn’t one of them. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made." —Paul Dalla Rosa, MTVM I

"If you want your writing life to stay the same, Mors Tua Vita Mea is not for you. The workshops and craft exercises will challenge you, the faculty will encourage you, your cohort will inspire you, and you'll come away better for it. I not only grew as a writer at Mors Tua Vita Mea, I felt validated as one. The guidance I received from all corners was invaluable. Then, top it all off with food, wine, and the breathtaking Italian countryside? MTVM is worth every penny."  —Jessica Hatch, MTVM I

"Mors Tua Vita Mea was an amazing experience. I went with an idea of who I was as a writer, but I left with a clearer sense of what I wanted to achieve. Giancarlo and Chelsea's advice was valuable and constructive, and I cannot recommend this workshop enough." —Alex Gaertner, MTVM I

"The opportunity of workshopping my material with Chelsea and Gian, as well as the incredibly talented writers in the workshop with me, was instrumental in helping me figure out the direction that my novel ultimately took. I cannot imagine a better setting than Villa DiTrapano to write and discuss literature in, and I cannot imagine a cooler group of people to spend a week in Italy with. It’s fun as fuck." —Ivan Solis, MTVM II

“Mors Tua Vita Mea felt like a first breath. It was so therapeutic to be surrounded by kind, thoughtful, creative, and genuine people with similar interests for an entire week. The food, space, and time are endlessly nourishing.” —Shy Watson, MTVM V

“If you’re looking for a sign, this is it. Go to Italy. Walk amongst ruins. Drink wine. Bask in the sun. Meet new people. Try new foods during a five hour lunch on a mountain next to an ancient chapel. Hear a language that is not your own. Drive down winding roads while Gian plays Fleetwood Mac. Have a staring contest with Chelsea. Listen to every single thing that Giuseppe says. Gaze into the Cave of the Oracle and contemplate what lies in and beyond the darkness. Talk with and listen to your peers and teachers for hours about everything and nothing. Hone your skills, refine your craft, listen, observe and learn. Writing is a tool as well as a practice. You can do it anywhere, but this place has power and you can feel it running through everything. —Brent Reichenberger, MTVM III

“This was my first time in Italy, so I really had no idea what to expect. I arrived there with zero luggage (it got lost on the way), a short story written in 4 nights (I work a full time job), and bluish veins under my eyes (my layovers were long). I went by the word of a trusted friend who had gone previously and recommended it highly, saying the program had jump started her writing again after a long dry spell. It was both everything and nothing like I had imagined. There were haunted nights, dinner spreads on lemon tablecloths, chilly day swims, talks behind the olive trees, medieval history, long-stretching views of the sea, shifting walls and faces, and lots of reading. I realized on this trip what past studio spaces had been missing for me—the encasing of an adventurous yet comforting 360-degree cultural experience. It is the entirety of the experience—the honesty, the familial openness, the diverse group of people— that makes me want to urge people to apply. Don't even hesitate—just go for it! At the very least, you will return home with renewed spirit and, at the very most, you will return a better writer and more soulful person.” —Jenny Morris, MTVM III

“Workshops are investments in our writing careers and future projects, but they are also, inevitably, unpredictable adventures. So what may also bring you to a tiny town in Northern Italy is the writing ledge, the precipice, that you know you’ve been idling at. To leap, you'll need Mors Tua Vita Mea, as well as the three things it provides. Firstly, classmates lining up to leap as well—with a chemistry created by Chelsea and Gian, students are as anxious and excited as you are. Secondly, you will need one Chelsea Hodson, whose confidence, honesty and assurances will convince you of your capabilities as long as you’re willing to work for it. And lastly, Gian, who looks straight in the eye at the hesitations in your prose and names them. These three elements, against the backdrop of idyllic Sezze, will absolve you of any fear about what you need to write about and that you can write. It is an unparalleled workshop atmosphere. Where you end up, where you continue to go and grow on the other end of Mors Tua Vita Mea is only for you to really know. But you’ll return home, and everything—from prose to pants—will fit differently.” —Sophie Nunberg, MTVM III