Christmas is a time for games, so each Sunday we’ll be hosting an advent quiz! First up, one familiar to those who attended Seven Player Co-op, our Coin Opera II games poetry reading at the Four Quarters Bar…
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A Sidekick Advent Calendar: Day 6
Day 6 of our Sidekick Advent Calendar, and, say, do you notice anything strange about that door knocker?
In 2011, we commissioned six splendid poems to print as Christmas cards, starring characters from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Now we’re giving each one away as a download, so you can print them yourself, and have a very moral Christmas (sort of)! Each card will fit a size DL envelope.
Today’s visitor is the coffin-nail-esque Jacob Marley, in a poem written by Sidekick editor Jon Stone. Click here for the printable PDF and get customising your card!
In 2011, we commissioned six splendid poems to print as Christmas cards, starring characters from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Now we’re giving each one away as a download, so you can print them yourself, and have a very moral Christmas (sort of)! Each card will fit a size DL envelope.
Today’s visitor is the coffin-nail-esque Jacob Marley, in a poem written by Sidekick editor Jon Stone. Click here for the printable PDF and get customising your card!
A Sidekick Advent Calendar: Day 5
As the Spirit of Christmas Past took Scrooge back in time, so will we now whisk you back to glistening ice, opulence and crowds of people. But this is no party.
The year is 1912 and the location is the RMS Titanic. Sidekick proudly presents two extracts from drowned book and fragmentary masterpiece, The Debris Field, written by Simon Barraclough, Isobel Dixon and Chris McCabe.
Let’s begin with a festive memory.
The year is 1912 and the location is the RMS Titanic. Sidekick proudly presents two extracts from drowned book and fragmentary masterpiece, The Debris Field, written by Simon Barraclough, Isobel Dixon and Chris McCabe.
Let’s begin with a festive memory.
A Sidekick Advent Calendar: Day 4
What the Dickens? It must be the fourth day of our Sidekick Advent Calendar!
In 2011, we commissioned six splendid poems to print as Christmas cards, starring characters from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Now we’re giving each one away as a download, so you can print them yourself, and have a very moral Christmas (sort of)! Each card will fit a size DL envelope (Hobbycraft does some gorgeous ones).
Today’s star is old Humbug himself, Ebeneezer Scrooge, in a poem written by Ian McLachlan, author of Confronting The Danger of Art. Click here for the printable PDF and get customising your card!
In 2011, we commissioned six splendid poems to print as Christmas cards, starring characters from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Now we’re giving each one away as a download, so you can print them yourself, and have a very moral Christmas (sort of)! Each card will fit a size DL envelope (Hobbycraft does some gorgeous ones).
Today’s star is old Humbug himself, Ebeneezer Scrooge, in a poem written by Ian McLachlan, author of Confronting The Danger of Art. Click here for the printable PDF and get customising your card!
A Sidekick Advent Calendar: Day 3
Poems from the Editors #1
What literary advent calendar would be complete without some macabre winter poems to shiver the blood? Those of you who’ve acquired a copy of Kirsty’s Salt collection Never Never Never Come Back (also available as an audio book) might be familiar with this one, but never before has ‘Straight To You’ been made freely available in video format. Never before, that is, until now! Because now it has been!WARNING: After watching, you may not want to go ice-skating at night. Alternatively, you may want to go ice-skating at night.
A Sidekick Advent Calendar: Day 2
Hold on to your hats, because the Sidekick Advent Calendar is going to have some regular and recurring features, and also hats keep your head warm and it’s getting dramatically cold out! In fact, keep a spare pair of earmuffs handy in case something exciting happens and your hands are otherwise occupied!
The first recurring feature to be unveiled is …
Krampus is Germanic folklore’s Christmas beast-demon, a counter to St. Nicholas who stuffs naughty children into his sack and spirits them away on cloven hooves. Why, we at Sidekick are forced to ask, aren’t there a sweeter abundance of Christmas monsters with which to terrorise impressionable minds? Might we make a suggestion or two?
First up, one of Japan’s impressive array of mythical changelings: the Aka-shita. Yokai.com describes these fearsome demons as “agents of bad luck and evil … primarily known as punishers in water disputes”.
Here it is as it appeared in our Japanese monster anthology, Obakarama, rendered visually by Michael Stone, and addressed in poetry by Adham Smart.
Traditionally, the Aka-shita is a summer monster, but there’s nothing to say a little winter shift work would go amiss. Hiding in its cloud, the bright-tongued revenger would find house entry via the chimbley easy. It would then proceed to the child’s bedroom and lick its sleeping face to make a moral determination. Evil or ethically-compromised minors would suffer bad luck in the ensuing present-giving, receiving the wrong edition of the latest Pokemon, Bryan Adams instead of Ryan Adams, and so on.
The first recurring feature to be unveiled is …
Move over, Krampus!
First up, one of Japan’s impressive array of mythical changelings: the Aka-shita. Yokai.com describes these fearsome demons as “agents of bad luck and evil … primarily known as punishers in water disputes”.
Here it is as it appeared in our Japanese monster anthology, Obakarama, rendered visually by Michael Stone, and addressed in poetry by Adham Smart.
Traditionally, the Aka-shita is a summer monster, but there’s nothing to say a little winter shift work would go amiss. Hiding in its cloud, the bright-tongued revenger would find house entry via the chimbley easy. It would then proceed to the child’s bedroom and lick its sleeping face to make a moral determination. Evil or ethically-compromised minors would suffer bad luck in the ensuing present-giving, receiving the wrong edition of the latest Pokemon, Bryan Adams instead of Ryan Adams, and so on.
A Sidekick Advent Calendar: Day 1
On the first day of Christmas (which is technically the 25th December but to this end, it is the 1st), my true love gave to me …
… a partridge in a preview from Birdbook 3. Click here to view in pdf format.
The third and penultimate volume in our ongoing series (full title Birdbook: Farmland. Heathland, Mountain, Moorland) is currently circling a definitive release date early next year, once the good doctor has finished working through snowy reams of hand-written calculations reaching deep into the catacombs. Here’s an exclusive taster – the plump and chestnutty grey partridge, poem by Philip Cowell, paper-cutting by Lois Cordelia, who is also responsible for the book’s cover art.
Seven-Player Co-op: a Coin Opera II event!
For those of you unable to access the Facebook event, this Thursday 6th November we will be hosting Seven Player Co-op, an evening of game poetry, at the Four Quarters Bar, 187 Rye Lane, Peckham.
Contributors to ‘Coin Opera 2: Fulminare’s Revenge‘ reunite for an evening of poems based on, or inspired by, computer games, featuring: Samuel Prince, Gabrielle Nolan, Harry Man, Emily Hasler, Clifford Hammett, Jon Stone and Kirsten Irving.
And possibly a Top Secret End of Level Boss. I can say no more for now.
We’ll be setting a quiz and offering as a prize on the night the top level Kickstarter reward!
So that’s:
Contributors to ‘Coin Opera 2: Fulminare’s Revenge‘ reunite for an evening of poems based on, or inspired by, computer games, featuring: Samuel Prince, Gabrielle Nolan, Harry Man, Emily Hasler, Clifford Hammett, Jon Stone and Kirsten Irving.
And possibly a Top Secret End of Level Boss. I can say no more for now.
We’ll be setting a quiz and offering as a prize on the night the top level Kickstarter reward!
So that’s:
- a copy of Coin Opera II in all its hot-foiled glory!
- a copy of procedurally-generated and hand-sewn experimental poetry pamphlet Core Samples, featuring poems which drill through levels in Zool, Trine, Grim Fandango and more!
- a poster featuring sprites of all of COII’s contributing poets.
- a rather snazzy badge.
- a copy of Super Treasure Arcade, a full-colour pocket booklet featuring a poem a game for every year between 1971 and 2013.
Nearest station is Peckham Rye Overground and readings will start between 7.30 and 8pm. Lots of buses too! The bar also has old school arcade machines, so you can take your pick of entertainments!
Coin Opera II custom poems #5: Fallen London for Claire Trévien
As top-tier rewards during our Kickstarter campaign to fund the printing of video games poetry anthology Coin Opera II, we offered backers the chance to have their own custom poem written on a game of their choice. In the run-up to our Seven-Player Co-op event on Thursday 6th November at Four Quarters Bar, Peckham, we’ll be revealing the finished poems, now in the hands of their wonderful backers.
Poet and storyteller Claire Trévien selected Failbetter Games‘ steampunk text adventure Fallen London. Kirsty used the familiar refrain of the game to bring the narrative swinging back around each time.
Here’s what a mysterious stranger dropped through Claire’s door:
And here’s the poem to read (simpler text below, as the author was a scrawler):
Hmm. This might be a bit easier on the eye:
Delicious Friend
For Claire Trévien
The Embassy is quiet tonight.
No lesser imps by sulphurlight.
You could go home and pour a tot.
Perhaps not.
No, you have business. Old acquaintance.
A scent of debt and smoking incense.
“I thought I’d have to have you caught.”
Perhaps not.
She welcomes you with blazing eyes.
“I do hope you can help,” she sighs.
“Perhaps you’ve never been this hot.”
Perhaps not.
She tells you that she’s burning up
and can’t be quenched by any cup.
Your legs are weak. The candle’s squat.
Perhaps not.
You hand her now the blotto youth.
“He’ll do quite well,” she purrs. In truth,
you nearly ask, “Do well for what?”
Perhaps not.
“Your hand is empty. Stay awhile.
I’d like to see that thieving smile.
You know, we both might learn a jot.”
Perhaps not.
“Well, I’ve jawed on for eons, kitten.
Tell me of your expedition.”
Rapt, she wants to hear the lot.
Perhaps not.
You tell her of the rubber men
who flubbled through the laudanum dens,
and nearly mention what they sought.
Perhaps not.
The Carnival. The iron knives.
You tell her you live many lives.
“With many souls? Now there’s a thought.”
Perhaps not.
***
Thanks once again to all of our amazing backers.
Poet and storyteller Claire Trévien selected Failbetter Games‘ steampunk text adventure Fallen London. Kirsty used the familiar refrain of the game to bring the narrative swinging back around each time.
Here’s what a mysterious stranger dropped through Claire’s door:
And here’s the poem to read (simpler text below, as the author was a scrawler):
Delicious Friend
For Claire Trévien
The Embassy is quiet tonight.
No lesser imps by sulphurlight.
You could go home and pour a tot.
Perhaps not.
No, you have business. Old acquaintance.
A scent of debt and smoking incense.
“I thought I’d have to have you caught.”
Perhaps not.
She welcomes you with blazing eyes.
“I do hope you can help,” she sighs.
“Perhaps you’ve never been this hot.”
Perhaps not.
She tells you that she’s burning up
and can’t be quenched by any cup.
Your legs are weak. The candle’s squat.
Perhaps not.
You hand her now the blotto youth.
“He’ll do quite well,” she purrs. In truth,
you nearly ask, “Do well for what?”
Perhaps not.
“Your hand is empty. Stay awhile.
I’d like to see that thieving smile.
You know, we both might learn a jot.”
Perhaps not.
“Well, I’ve jawed on for eons, kitten.
Tell me of your expedition.”
Rapt, she wants to hear the lot.
Perhaps not.
You tell her of the rubber men
who flubbled through the laudanum dens,
and nearly mention what they sought.
Perhaps not.
The Carnival. The iron knives.
You tell her you live many lives.
“With many souls? Now there’s a thought.”
Perhaps not.
***
Thanks once again to all of our amazing backers.
Coin Opera II custom poems #4: Civilization V for Helen Lewis
As top-tier rewards during our Kickstarter campaign to fund the printing of video games poetry anthology Coin Opera II, we offered backers the chance to have their own custom poem written on a game of their choice. In the run-up to our Seven-Player Co-op event on Thursday 6th November at Four Quarters Bar, Peckham, we’ll be revealing the finished poems, now in the hands of their wonderful backers.
The fantastic Helen Lewis chose Civilization V for her custom poem, and the finished piece ended up being excavated by Kirsty from many sediments and centuries, with just a dusting of Coleridge left behind.
Here’s the readable text for you to enjoy.
Thanks once again to all of our amazing backers.
The fantastic Helen Lewis chose Civilization V for her custom poem, and the finished piece ended up being excavated by Kirsty from many sediments and centuries, with just a dusting of Coleridge left behind.
Here’s the readable text for you to enjoy.
