By Delia Rose Gibbs
Contributing Writer
Photos by JD Montgomery

In award-winning author Bob Johnson’s short story entitled “The Train to Union Station,” a woman boards a train with her recently deceased mother’s antique purse (“a yawning monstrosity like a pig sitting on its haunches”) and a wish to extract herself from a life turned stifling.

Libby Cudmune’s “The Pantry” relays the story of a marriage born of fanaticism and fear that contrasts with a caring community of quirky women (with inspiration for canning preserves woven throughout).

On Thursday mornings, I eagerly await stories like these delivered to my inbox by Brown Hound Press, a project recently launched by Lexington-based author Josh Boldt. 

The idea to run an independent literary press has been rattling around in Boldt’s mind for a while. About a year ago, unsure of when (or if) he’d follow through, he secured a website and social media handles and designed a graphic inspired by his own brown hound, Ruby. 

Earlier this winter, Boldt felt his vision had gained enough clarity and that he had the experience and skillset to make it happen — so he did. 

He activated the social media accounts and posted: “If you have a good story, I’d love to read it,” accompanied by a link to a Google Form. Through word-of-mouth among the Central Kentucky writing community that Josh calls home and some strategically placed ads on various social media platforms, Brown Hound has received a lot of local support and submissions, along with some national and international engagement.

There’s a lot of heart behind Brown Hound Press. Boldt, who’s published three novels, knows what it’s like to submit writing you’ve poured yourself into and wait months to get a response or, in many cases, never receive a response. It’s important to him that this is never the case for those who send their work to his press. 

News of Brown Hound has spread far and fast, with submissions coming in from authors across the U.S., one from Canada, and even one from Nigeria. On Facebook, someone commented, “They promised a two-week turnaround for a response, and I got it in one day. It was rejected.” Of the 530 submissions, Boldt has bought 16 of the kinds of stories he most likes to read and write — offbeat, a little dark, mysterious, funny. He’s open to publishing works from other genres, and there’s a lot of variability in the range and experience of the writers Boldt is working with: some have never published writing before, and others have won national awards. The website explicitly asks that works written using AI not be submitted. 

Brown Hound stands out among most small literary presses, as there is no fee required to submit a story, and compensation is provided for writers whose stories are published. For now, each acceptance receives enough for a handful of lattes to fuel a future writing project. It’s something concrete to say, “We appreciate what you’re doing, and I think your writing is deserving of something more than a ‘thank you,’” Boldt says. In the future, as he grows the funding model, Boldt plans to pay more for work that the press accepts. 

Another motivation for Josh to open a press is that he’s seen firsthand how tough it is for new writers to become published. As a board member of the Lexington Writer’s Room, a nonprofit co-working space whose members include both New York Times Best Sellers and the emerging and/or unpublished, he’s routinely impressed by works-in-progress read aloud at monthly “writing parties.” Through Brown Hound Press, he hopes to give talented, lesser-known writers a home and a champion for their work. 

Drawing from his experience teaching writing at the University of Georgia, Boldt offers editorial guidance to some who submit stories to Brown Hound. Not everyone to whom he offers feedback takes him up on it, but some use his suggested revisions and come back to him with a story made more compelling. 

It’s clear that Boldt is genuinely fond of and excited about the stories that Brown Hound is picking up. On Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky, he posts quotes from and thoughts about upcoming stories designed to create a buzz leading up to their publication. Each story is sent out with a track from Josh’s extensive musical library with a note about why it was chosen. These “story tracks” are all over the place: so far, the songs have been by John Prine, Alice In Chains and Cardi B. In this way, we get a glimpse into Josh’s own writing, his humor and the way he uplifts other writers.   

Josh has been surprised and pleased by Brown Hound Press’ initial reception, and looks forward to seeing how the project will evolve. He expects to move into the print realm eventually, likely with collections of short stories and perhaps novels further down the line. He’s open to bringing on other editors who could help select and edit poetry and essays. 

But for now, one story per week, delivered to your inbox for free. You can subscribe here. I’m already looking forward to the next one! 

Have you written a story you’d like to see out in the world? Submit it here.