M.T. Anderson shares spooky tales from his 18th-century Vermont home

National Book Award winner M.T. Anderson recently opened the doors of his Calais, Vermont home to a video tour. The 18th-century cottage sits on a dirt road in the rural hills and holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving house in the town. Anderson has lived there for a decade, a period during which he wrote five books, including the novel Elf Dog & Owl Head.

The property features wide plank floors that creak underfoot and 12-over-12 windows with wavy glass. A large fireplace dominates the interior space. While Anderson does not believe in ghosts, he enjoys sharing the local rumors that the house is haunted. He described his long-held dream of owning an 18th-century home, a goal he achieved when he found this specific cottage.

Anderson is best known for The Pox Party, the first volume of his Octavian Nothing saga. That historical novel is set in New England during the Revolutionary War era. His other work, Elf Dog & Owl Head, was inspired by walks he took in the surrounding woods with his late dog, LaRue.

The tour was led by Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger, who documented the experience for the latest episode of the series Stuck in Vermont. The video includes a candlelit walkthrough of the property and various stories told by Anderson. The production also features a comic shared by Sarah Woodard regarding her childhood in the house and a story from her brother Nat Woodard.

The episode is supported by the Vermont Community Foundation. It appeared in the October 28, 2026 issue of Seven Days. The audio track features Mozart’s Requiem performed by Hill Cronin.