A.K. Benedict

‘The Emo and the Chav’ in No. 1 Fake

a.k. — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:42:41 +0000

My new poem, “The Emo and the Chav,’ is published today in No. 1 Fake. It features violence, torrid love by the fish counter, and cherryade: in fact, everything you might want of a Tuesday afternoon.

‘The Ice Candle’ published in New Fairy Tales

a.k. — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:11:01 +0000

The Ice Candle - illustration by Samantha Davey (vision__incision@hotmail.com)

My winter fairy tale, ‘The Ice Candle’, is published today in Issue 4 of the wonderful New Fairy Tales journal with illustrations by Samantha Davey. Give it a go, the journal is packed with fabulous original fiction and pictures and all that is asked of your pocket is a wee donation to Derian House Children’s Hospice. I recommend reading it at leisure, snuggling up with your laptop in a winged armchair with a hefty hot chocolate stirred with a cinnamon stick.

‘Amy Nitrate’ in No.1 Fake

a.k. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:35:49 +0000

‘Amy Nitrate’, part of my Last Night at the Fair series of poems, has taken up residence in Issue 2 of the fabulous No. 1 Fake magazine. Christian Watson provides the gorgeous accompanying illustration of a ferris wheel and a bottle of poppers: the recipe for a great first date if ever there was one.

November 8th: Night of Noir at the Komedia

a.k. — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:26:25 +0000

Come, come, come to Short Fuse at the Komedia in Brighton for a night of Nouvelle Noir! I’ll be reading a suitably dark tale in the company of a smoking handful of fine writers including headliner Danny Hogan.

Wear your killer heels.

Tickets £5, Studio Bar Show.

‘Reservations’ wins London Independent Film Festival prize!

a.k. — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:00:58 +0000

‘Reservations’, the fabulous indie film I co-wrote with director Nick Pilton and actors, has won Best No Budget Film at the London Independent Film Festival 2009. Happy little dance time.

Seagulls II

a.k. — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:28:16 +0000

I call all seagulls Steven (apart from the ones I call Stephen) cos it is in a small way amusing to call them after an 80s helmet-haired martial artist. Today I saw two Stevens locked in an awkward embrace, one beak thrust inside the other’s. The first Steven opened his beak wide inside second Steven’s mouth in order to grab a chip. The second Steven clamped his beak down lest first Steven’s beak poke further down his throat. Wings outstretched they hovered a metre off the ground, trying to fly backwards away from each other. It was very much like my early snogs.

Audio Version of The Zoetrope is up!

a.k. — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:06:08 +0000

Yes, yes! Listen to it, imbibe the melodious voice of Mairi McFarlane and, if you enjoyed it, heck even if you didn’t enjoy one tiny moment, donate some moolah to Derian House Children’s Hospice.

pip pip.

New Story and Haiku in Limited Edition Black Hole Pamphlet

a.k. — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:51:02 +0000

‘How to Pull a Geek Girl’ and ‘The Boy who Collected Holes’ make their blushing debuts in the gorgeous lil pamphlet available only at the World of Benbo Black Hole extravaganza this very eve (Friday 10th July). The pamphlet also features new art and writing from Imogen Salt, Paul Aitchison, Dizzy Tiger Stu and Benbo ‘imself among others.

Come early to The Crypt to make sure you get a copy then bumble up and say hello: I’ll be performing as Pimpernelle with my lovely band for the evening, The David Tennants.

Seagulls

a.k. — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:16:00 +0000

I’m sitting in the garden surrounded by seagulls. I’m not going to go all Tippi Hedren and run about flapping so that they poke out my eyes and arsehole (although that would be a suitable way to go in a seaside town) but I am nervous. They are squawking ‘OFF, OFF, OFF, OFF’ like a feathered and perpetually-shitting X-Factor audience.

New Writing in Black Hole Pamphlet

a.k. — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:26:35 +0000

An exclusive A. K. Benedict story (or a poem. or both) will be published in the special pamphlet produced for Benbo’s ‘World of Benbo Party’ on July 10th. Come along and see how writers/bands/artists/burlesque beings and other marvellous types interpret the theme of ‘Black Hole’.

*whisper* The night will also feature the debut appearance of my alter-ego, Pimpernelle. Pimpernelle will be trying on and out new songs such as “The Dandy’, ‘A Day at the Graveyard’ and ‘The Luckiest Girl in the World’. Don’t tell anyone. Okay, you can tell people. But only two. And dogs, you can tell dogs - they keep secrets tucked in their droolly mouths. Secrets are in fact the root cause of dog breath. */whisper*