Our idea for starting a press originated about 10 years ago, when Sonja dreamed up a plan to create a writing retreat, located in some remote-but-accessible corner of the country (far enough away from it all to see the stars at night, but close enough to urban settings for access to airports, train stations, and urban/academic communities). We hadn’t even met, yet, but when we did finally meet at grad school and work together on the literary journal, the idea quickly gained traction, growing to include a publishing component, and eventually named “Wild Lot.” Although specifics of the plans have changed over the years, the goal has basically remained the same: to contribute beautiful and valuable publications and to provide an affordable and idyllic setting for fledgling and pedigreed authors and other creatives to do nothing else but focus on their craft, while allowing us to do the same.

Settling in SWOH

After much searching, meditation, hesitation, and a few missed opportunities, and with the help of Jeremy’s grandfather, in 2014 we acquired a quaint but dilapidated 19th century saltbox-style farmhouse on over an acre of land adjoining Jeremy’s family’s 400-acre family farm in Southwest Ohio.

We began demo immediately. As we slowly peeled back the layers of paneling, wallpaper, and broken plaster, linoleum and water-damaged hardwoods, we discovered a fractured, beetle-eaten, and rotting skeleton, that many thought would be better to simply demolish. This would not be the quick and cheap turnaround we had hoped for.

From 2014-2018 we’ve (us/numerous contractors) painstakingly repaired or replaced the entire foundation, removed over a century of crumbling detritus, reinforced and rebuilt floors, regraded the yard, working with the county to stop the near-constant flooding from road runoff, knocked down walls and replanned the entire layout, and let the surrounding yard transform from religiously-mowed lawn to wild meadow. There were times when we were ready to abandon the project entirely, but despite all of the obstacles we’ve encountered (too many to name!), we’ve always ultimately decided the end result would be most certainly worth it.

This year finally marked a turning point in the renovations — from demolition and critical repair to reconstruction. And we finally are confident enough about the project to make it public. So it’s at this time that we’d like to officially announce our plans to open a Wild Lot writers’ house and residency.

Residency Plans

The farmstead, which is located about an hour from Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton, will contain three bedrooms, comfortably sleeping six, and up to eight, guests, with an accessible master bedroom on the first floor. It will have lots of spaces for reading, writing, and meeting, inside and out. The house will be immediately surrounded by wild zones, permaculture landscaping, as well as some annual vegetable gardens. And beyond, woods, pasture, and fields. We will offer affordable short-term residencies for individuals, families, and small groups, with some scholarship opportunities.

2019 will be, fingers crossed, the last full year of renovations. We hope to offer our first residency in 2020. As this phase draws to an end and we finalize plans for our retreat, we will begin to shift gears and focus on the small press, with more announcements to come. We are also at work on a recently-purchased East Coast urban homestead, which will have space for workshops, readings, and potentially more. We’ve been quiet on the blog this year, but quite busy behind the scenes. We look forward to the new year and all that it will bring, and wish you a happy New Year, too.

xoxo
Sonja and Jeremy