Frequently Asked Questions

Why did The Rat stop taking applications? This is a Pa (Jeff) & Pa (Phil) operation—we only have the one suite with only the summer months (June, July, August, September) to invite writers. We have replaced the application with our annual contest, The Desert Rat Poetry Prize. Moving forward, 90% of our visiting writers will be culled from the contest (the other 10% are Director-discretionary); in 2023, we had TWO winners—and due to a kind LGBTQ donation—were able to invite TWO queer writers to the program: four residents from one competition.

Can the desert be intolerable in the summer? Depends on the person. The exquisite summer months are generously quiet and the pool maintains at a refreshingly warm eighty-six degrees (heated only by the sun), so one gets more pool exercise, maybe some watsu, sunshine, & chill-time to contemplate the writing. If you are at all sensitive to the sun or know you get sick in higher temperatures, then this is not the residency for you. That said, the suite has its own air-conditioning and you control the temperature. And, of course, the saline pool is a great way to cool off. The folks who win The Desert Rat Poetry Prize get to choose their dates—meaning they can visit anytime during the year.

Who started the program and why? J E F F  W A L T, a seasoned resident who wanted to create a visiting writer program that is not fifty miles into the woods down a dirt road with an ant infestation and pull-out bed. Here, a television, reliable wi-fi, a comfy bed, a stocked fridge, so that each resident can jump right into their work. During the desert’s winter months, the suite is sold as a vacation rental on VRBO (check out our reviews), so we got creative and began the visiting writer program as a passion project during our off-season months to help other writers realize their aspirations (when the VRBO is not occupied).

How do I get in? The Desert Rat Poetry Prize. Some of our early visiting writers like Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux were mentors/teachers of J E F F’s, so they were invited to give the space a test-drive. Some of the visiting writers are our future contest judges like Kelli Russell Agodon and David Groff; some, like Jory Mickleson and Stephen Mills, were selected from applications they submitted (when we took applications).

Aside from housing is there a food credit? What am I responsible for? We provide a well-stocked fridge and pantry items. Visiting Writers are responsible for their own transportation to and from Palm Desert (nearest airport is Palm Springs); renting a car is highly encouraged (so you can get out the Joshua Tree, into Palm Springs, maybe out to Coachella, a day in Idyllwild—endless possibilities).

What does the space look like? Visit our The Space page.

I have questions that are not answered here? jeffwalt@rocketmail.com