Writers & Residents Archives | Writers' Retreats

15 December 202515 December 2025

Celebrating Hilary Sideris. A Poet of Heart, Heritage & Imagination

Every year in early May, we are honoured to welcome back Hilary Sideris, – an extraordinary poet, warm soul, and dear friend – to La Casa Grande here in Evia, Greece. With roots that trace back to Greek heritage and a life now in Brooklyn, New York, Hilary brings with her a unique voice that bridges cultures, histories, and emotions in ways that resonate deeply with all who know her and those lucky enough to encounter her work.

This year, we are especially proud to celebrate Hilary’s latest poems featured in Gargoyle Magazine — a vibrant showcase of her lyrical power, wit, and keen insight into the human experience.

In pieces like Gulf of America, 69, Extended Release, and Feta, Hilary draws from a rich tapestry of places, memories, and moments. Her words are playful and profound, offering both intensity and tenderness as they unfold across landscapes of love, identity, cultural nuance, and introspection. These poems reflect the spirit of a writer who is unafraid to explore complexity with clarity — a rare gift in poetry that speaks to the heart as much as the mind.

Hilary’s work has long been celebrated for its linguistic richness and emotional honesty. From her acclaimed collection Calliope — a beautifully crafted tribute to language, family, and self-discovery published last year — to this year’s stunning contributions in Gargoyle, her voice continues to grow in depth and resonance, captivating readers around the world.

We feel so fortunate to be part of her creative world. Each time Hilary visits us in early May, she brings warmth, curiosity, and generosity. Her stays at La Casa Grande have not only yielded remarkable poetry but also built cherished friendships that enrich our creative community.

To our dear friend Hilary — a massive THANK YOU. For your brilliance, your authenticity, and your unwavering dedication to the craft of poetry. Your words illuminate corners of our hearts we didn’t know needed light, and they remind us why we gather here, in this beautiful place, to create, to reflect, and to connect.

Read her latest poems here:

👉 Hilary Sideris at Gargoyle Magazine — https://gargoylemagazine.com/hilary-sideris/

We can’t wait to see what new wonders your words will bring next year.

Read below our personal favourite:

Feta

Konstantina drives me to the beach,
brings takeout pork. I ask about her kids,
but she said ribs—same word in Greek
when spoken fast. I want to know who built
the medieval tower between the red
& white smokestacks along the quay.
Venetians, Franks? She waves away a fly,
closes her eyes & with both shoulders,

shrugs—yparchoun polloi—there are many.
What about the half-built church
in the pine grove, its floor littered
with yellow shell casings, the green-black
snake lifting its head along the road,
but clearly dead? She says today
my president called feta Swiss.
What kind of world is this for kids?

A few words about Hilary

Hilary Sideris is the author of the poetry collections Calliope (Broadstone Books, 2024), Liberty Laundry (Dos Madres Press, 2022), Animals in English (Dos Madres Press, 2020), The Silent B (Dos Madres Press, 2019), Un Amore Veloce (Kelsay Books, 2019), The Inclination to Make Waves (Big Wonderful LLC, 2016) and Most Likely to Die (Poets Wear Prada, 2014). Her poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. Originally from Indiana and a longtime Brooklyn resident, she is a co-founder and curriculum developer for CUNY Start, a college preparatory program within the City University of New York.

24 July 202424 July 2024

Robert P. Robinson reviews his stay at Writers’ Retreats in Greece

I stayed at La Casa Grande, a beautiful two-story, two-bedroom, two-bathroom home in the small village of St. John. Courtesy of Nikos and Georgia, I was able to enjoy coffee and snacks in charming Aliveri, beautiful sites and delicious dinner at the water front, a visit to the archaeological sites and museum in Eretria, and relaxing time at the beach. At the same time, I was given the freedom to construct my schedule, and thus read hundreds of pages and wrote sometimes over 2000 words a day. The home is in a quiet area, so I had time and space to read, rest, think, and write. I was able to analyze my archival material, heavily revise a book chapter, and write two brand new essays.

And compliments to the chef! Georgia kept the fridge stocked with snacks and breakfast foods and brought delicious and filling Greek dishes with local-style touch. When I say everything was delicious, I mean EVERYTHING!

Beyond the space, Georgia and Nikos were so warm and friendly. For a week, I was invited into their world—introduced to local folks and family. You can tell they have a passion for people and for what they do. In addition, they were available at any time, and their proximity to the home was a major perk.

Again, I highly recommend staying in one of their retreat spaces. In fact, I hope to return next summer for my next writing project!

Robert P. Robinson is an Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at John Jay College and Doctoral Faculty in Urban Education and Interactive Technology & Pedagogy at The Graduate Center, CUNY. Prior to higher education, he was a K-12 educator and mentor for 11 years. His broad research and teaching focus on the Black Freedom Movement, Black education history, Blackqueer studies, digital humanities, history of education, and curriculum studies. His forthcoming book project is a history of the Black Panther Party’s Oakland Community School (OCS) as a site for understanding Black self-determination, the shift in mainstream curriculum and pedagogy, and the Black radical imagination in education.

Robert spent one week at La Casa Grande in Agios Ioannis, Evia in mid July 2024.

6 August 20236 August 2023

Angeliki — by Hilary Sideris

Agios Ioannis Evia La Casa Grande Writers Retreats Greece

What do I do with my body while
she crosses herself, lights holy oil,

kisses icons in the small,
unfinished church she’s led me to

with gestures, undulating speech?
Watch her moves attentively?

Lower my gaze, look away?
We walk downhill past mottled sheep,

a dog she calls a Greek Shepherd.
We’re beyond history. We have no

slot to put each other in. TV is kako,
she says. Symphono, Kyria, I agree.

This is my house. Come for coffee.
Eucharisto. Does she mean now?

Tasting the eucharist in thanks,
I stand here, mute, thirsty.

—by Hilary Sideris

Source: https://heroinchic.weebly.com/blog/poetry-by-hilary-sideris1155686

Hilary Sideris’s poems have appeared in The American Journal of Poetry, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, OneArt, Poetry Daily, Right Hand Pointing, Salamander, Sixth Finch, and Verse Daily. She is the author of Un Amore Veloce (Kelsay Books 2019), The Silent B (Dos Madres Press 2019), and Animals in English, poems after Temple Grandin (Dos Madres Press 2020). Liberty Laundry, her latest collection from Dos Madres, was recommended by Small Press Distribution.

Hilary lives in Brooklyn and works as a professional developer for the CUNY Start Program at The City University of New York.

We hosted Hilary for some time in May 2023 at La Casa Grande in Agios Ioannis, Evia.

We are more than grateful and humbled for being part of her inspiration and eventually her work.

1 August 20236 August 2023

Nerophidia — by Hilary Sideris

Nerophidia

Nikos apologizes for the clouds.
He says sheep might disturb my sleep.

Two hours from Athens, on Evia,
there will be small black snakes

called nerophidia, who love water,
nero in Greek, but they won’t bite.

A bee might fly into the house.
We cross Chalkida bridge. Red

rubber strips flap from the struts.
That’s not an accident – bungy

jumpers. The weather’s strange
as usual, chilly in May.

Because I am American, Nikos
offers to turn the AC on.

—by Hilary Sideris

Source: https://spinozablue.com/hilary-sideris-new-poems/

Hilary Sideris is the author of Un Amore Veloce (Kelsay Books 2019), The Silent B (Dos Madres Press 2019), Animals in English (Dos Madres Press 2020), and Liberty Laundry (Dos Madres Press 2022.)

She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

She spent most of May at La Casa Grande, a writers’ retreat in Evia, Greece.

We hosted Hilary for some time in May 2023 at La Casa Grande in Agios Ioannis, Evia.

We are more than grateful and humbled for being part of her inspiration and eventually her work.

25 September 202216 August 2023

Jinny Webber Reviews Writers’ Retreats in Greece

Unable to decide whether to book La Bodeguita or La Casa Grande, I spent a week in each. Both are peaceful and conducive to focused work. In such beautiful, calm spots, I accomplished more than expected and felt lucky every minute! Each residence has advantages, so I can’t recommend one over the other. La Bodeguita in Dafni is more remote, with the sea at the end of the lane, an outdoor shower, and an enjoyable walk into the hills where a taverna is located. La Casa Grande, in the small village of Agios Ioannis on a hillside, is larger with constant internet.

I appreciated the enthusiasm Nikos and Georgia have for their retreats. They’re helpful organizers, friendly and accommodating to guests’ needs and wishes. Mine included swims at the beach by the nearest town, Aliveri, and its Saturday Farmer’s Market, an excursion to the Aegean side of the island, and various special treats. Georgia’s excellent meals add to the delight of being in Greece, and the residences were well stocked with delicious fruit and snacks.

Best of all, however, is the stimulating atmosphere: lovely places to work. I hope to return soon.

I had such a wonderful time!

Unforgettable.

My stay with you exceeded my expectations!

Jinny has been born in Los Angeles, Califoria and living in Santa Barbara since she came to UCSB as a freshman, she has spent a great deal of time in England, watching the construction of the new Globe, the restoration of the Rose theatre ruins from Shakespeare’s London, researching at the British Library and Cambridge University Library, and best of all, visiting historical sites and attending plays.

All of these contributed to her historical novels set in Shakespeare’s England. Each features a girl who disguises herself as male in order to perform on the London stage, when only men were allowed to act: The Secret Player, Dark Venus, and, published in November, 2021, Bedtrick.

Her own amateur theatrical experience contributed to her backstage view: she has played Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Corin the shepherd in As you Like It (as a woman), and the widow in The Taming of the Shrew. As a sabbatical project, she co-directed and stage managed a faculty production of As You Like It with Jim Edmondson of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Her short stories and essays have appeared in Blood and Roses, Library Book, Splickety Spark, and Greek Myths Revisited. Plays include Dearly Begotten, a spin off from Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, and Bedtrick, based on the novel, as well as Queeen Undaunted: Margaret of Anjou, Qualities of Mercy, Tales of Woo and Woe, and From Eve’s Fair Hand for DramaDogs of Santa Barbara.

Jinny spent one week in each residency in September 2022.

21 November 202016 August 2023

Guest Writer Agnes Marton Got Published!

Long Poem Magazine - Issue 24 | Autumn 2020

Back in September 2019, Agnes Marton from Hungary/ Luxembourg spent ten days in La Bodeguita Writing Retreat in Dafni, Evia. According to her review, she seemed to enjoy her stay and she thanked us for our hospitality.

At that time, Agnes was working on several projects but we can remember that she was quite busy with a jaguar research. A few weeks ago, we got some exciting news!!!

Agnes Marton poem “Mission Jaguar” got published in Issue Twenty Four of Long Poem Magazine in the UK.

Congratulations Agnes!!! This is really impressive.

Honestly, we cannot describe better our excitement, pride and honour for this accomplishment which somehow took place in one of our Writing Retreats.

Please allow 5 minutes to read an extract:

The Jaguar God of Terrestrial Plague

The Aged Jaguar Paddler,

steering the canoe with Tonsured Maize God.

A nagual, protecting shamans from evil spirits.

Earth, you gave me pace and reproach.

I keep repeating the same mistake.

Habitat loss.

The Jaguar Patron of the War Mouth of Pax.

The Jaguar Goddess of Midwifery and War.

Peacing out sea, piercing out the Earth —

the Jaguar of the Backward Glance.

Agnes comments about this publication:

“To be able to explore the jaguar corridor and the jaguar habitat in Costa Rica, to do field trips to national parks like Corvcovcado, Amistad and Piedras Blancas, and to become familiar with the Boruca culture, I applied for and won the Jaguar Luna Arts Collective Residency and also the Mauser Harmony with Nature Foundation residency.

However, because of COVID-19, my research trip had to be postponed, probably until March 2021, maybe longer. I used the lockdown for doing the necessary research, and for finishing my poem sequence anyway. I studied wide-ranging areas from felid conservation to animal tales.

I tried to make the best of the situation and to reflect on the lockdown as well as ecological issues, the extended role of social media in our limited lives, the selfie-culture and artistic self-representation, the way mythology and shamanic practices might infiltrate the mundane and ephemeral. Instead of looking into the necessity and the advantages of wearing surgical masks, but certainly hinting at them, I elaborated on numerous aspects of artistic masks: their history, techniques to create them, cultures where they were widely used.

Masks also gave me the opportunity to ruminate over identity, integrity, trust and betrayal, even blasphemy. Another part of the poem sequence revolves around desires and expectations, fulfilment and loss. The text is multi-layered with vivid imagery and playful language.

These jaguars lured me and haunted me throughout the lockdown.”

Issue 24 of Long Poem Magazine that includes Agnes’s poem Mission Jaguar (along with other amazing pieces of writing of course) is available for orders here: http://longpoemmagazine.org.uk/issues/issue-twenty-four/

Long Poem Magazine is recognised as a place to encounter the best of traditional and innovative new writing, with a prestigious and growing list of contributors. More details about it can be found here: http://longpoemmagazine.org.uk/about/.

From the bottom of our heart, we wish to Agnes some more greater achievements in the future.

Agnes, once again we would like to deeply thank you for your decision to spent time in La Bodeguita and work on your writing projects in Greece. Looking forward to hosting you again in December 2020!!!

As long as you love what you do, success is the only way.