Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sidekick Books

@sidekickbooks.bsky.social

1.1K followers 640 following 80 posts

📚 UK publisher of collaborative/hybrid poetry books since 2010, based in London and Cambridge. Editors: Kirsten Irving (@kirstenirving.bsky.social) and Jon Stone (@shotscarecrow.bsky.social). www.sidekickbooks.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Nov 15

Hi everyone! We're a small press publisher of collaborative poetry books with mixed media and pop culture elements. We've been featured in the Guardian's top 10 poetry anthologies of 2018, won a Sabotage Award and commissioned work from hundreds of poets.

3 14 30

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · 14d

... and here, up temporarily in PDF form, is 'Oh! The Sweet Trade', a dicing, coin-flipping, pirating game we added to the appendix of Ten Poets Prowl the Seas in Search of Plunder:

sidekickbooks.com/playpoems/sw...

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · 14d

This year's #nationalpoetryday theme is 'play'! How about a #poem and a #dicegame from the same book? Here's Abigail Ottley's 'The Sea Always Wins' ... 1/2

@poetrydayuk.bsky.social

ABIGAIL OTTLEY / The Sea Always Wins - Sidekick Books

Abigail Ottley The Sea Always Wins or, The Ageing Wreck Diver Speaks of the Ocean (after Roland Morris of Penzance, Cornwall) The sea is an indifferent lover. She may be your delight, your mistress, y...

sidekickbooks.com

1 1 3

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · 17d

Don't they look pretty together? Soon to be joined by a dark sister ...

sidekickbooks.com/booklab/prod...

Reposted by Sidekick Books

Emma du Toit @emmawritespoetry.bsky.social · 22d

It’s halfway between Talk Like a Pirate Day and National Poetry Day and this shiny treasure has washed up on my shelf 🏴‍☠️⚓️🌊🏝️

1 3

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Sep 9

And here she is in the flesh! Ain't she a sight for sore eyes, mateys!

1 1

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Sep 4

You can now pre-order Ten Poets Prowl the Seas in Searc of Plunder, out next week, from our website!: sidekickbooks.com/booklab/book...

1 1 3

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Aug 28

A little 15th anniversary post, with some photos of early Sidekick memorabilia!

sidekickbooks.com/booklab/2025...

15 Years of Sidekick: Memorabilia - Sidekick Books

We've been (quietly) celebrating our 15th anniversary this year, and have uncovered some early Sidekick memorabilia ...

sidekickbooks.com

1 2

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Aug 21

Editors having a blast today testing a new tiny dice & coin role-playing game that will be published in the appendix of Ten Poets Prowl the Seas in Search of Plunder ...

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Aug 21

New sticker for our sand martin microbooks ...

Reposted by Sidekick Books

Foreword Festival UK @forewordfestivaluk.bsky.social · Aug 11

What an opening weekend we had!

Here's to the next five days!

#ForewordFestival #books #fringe #festival #literature

Larry Lamb, Camilla Barnes, Paul Bryars talking on stage

Storytellers about to set off on the story trail

Jenni Keer, Heidi Swain, Clare Marchant and Rachel Hore in the 1939 café at the Regal

1 2 4

Reposted by Sidekick Books

Chris Winwood @chriswinwood.bsky.social · Jul 23

Not entirely sure I can live without this

Facebook marketplace advert for a full human size owl costume. A snip at fifty quid.

11 38 90

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Jun 29

On the Sidekick blog today, we talk speculative fiction, a forthcoming #folklore anthology and creative riches in the north-east with @nathanielspain.bsky.social, founder of new micropress @carnyxpress.co.uk. Link to interview in bio!
#sciencefiction #speculativefiction #indiepublishing

2 3

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Jun 18

... and seafaring scallywags, hunting their fortune on the wild waves! Submissions link in bio. #pirates #vampires 2/2

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Jun 18

Last day for your Ten Poets submissions! We're seeking brave souls willing to spend a night with the soulless... 1/2

1 1 3

Reposted by Sidekick Books

Arachne Press @arachnepress.bsky.social · Jun 18

happy #independentbookshopweek to #poetrypharmacy where we spent a happy sunday morning launching #Afonydd in #BishopsCastle our only non-Wales event (so far). We had a lovely time in their new performance/workshop space The Lab, with lots of poets reading their own and other peoples poems.

1 2 4

Reposted by Sidekick Books

Broken Frontier @brokenfrontier.bsky.social · Jun 18

News! Thought Bubble @thoughtbubbleuk.bsky.social and Travelling Man @travellingmanuk.bsky.social Team Up to Provide Another Round of Micro-Bursaries in 2025 for Early Career, Marginalised Creators. www.brokenfrontier.com/thought-bubb... Great stuff!

Thought Bubble and Travelling Man Team Up to Provide Another Round of Micro-Bursaries in 2025 for Early Career, Marginalised Creators – Broken Frontier

Thought Bubble's micro-bursaries return with opportunities for disabled. trans/non-binary and creators of colour.

www.brokenfrontier.com

1 29 41

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Jun 17

Two more days to get your submissions in!

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Jun 10

Just over a week to go on our call for submissions!

sidekickbooks.com/booklab/subm...

Submissions Call: Pirates and Vampires - Sidekick Books

Submissions Call: Ten Poets Prowl the Seas in Search of Plunder and Ten Poets Spend the Night in a Vampire’s Castle DEADLINE: 18 MAY 19 JUNE 2025 The next two books in our hit 10 Poets series, set for...

sidekickbooks.com

Sidekick Books @sidekickbooks.bsky.social · Jun 10

Woo! Thanks for diving in, Marcelle!

Reposted by Sidekick Books

Marcelle Newbold @marcellenewbold.bsky.social · Jun 5

Couple of beauties in the post from @sidekickbooks.bsky.social 💫

‘Ten poets defend their cities from giant, strange beasts’ in green bold writing on a dark gothic landscape background

‘Hell Creek anthology’ on white scratchy writing, in a purple hybrid animal image on a red background

2 2 9

Reposted by Sidekick Books

Cambridge Writing Centre 🖋️ @aruwriting.bsky.social · Jun 10

The #Cambridge #Poetry Festival returns in 2026. This year it's the 50th anniversary of the original 1975 festival, so under the CPF branding, we're helping to promote a whole load of Cambridge-based poetry events over the summer.

bsky.app/profile/angl...
bsky.app/profile/angl...