From Bitter Ground is an experience that weaves between the printed page, a building that cannot possibly exist, and your presence within the whole work.
It’s about a haunted house.
It’s about who you think you are.
It’s about time.
The whole experience lasts four days, with a prologue that you can access as soon as you purchase your copy.
‘You’re creating something that would literally have been unimaginable’
Neil Gaiman
The Books
You’ll be sent two copies of the set. One is yours, the other you gift to a friend.
Each of you will determine a location to experience this in. Those sites needn’t be the same, but are connected through the stories you’ll be told and be part of.
You’ll read together, but apart.
The books will arrive after you have the opportunity to read the Prologue. We recommend that this is the order in which you read everything, but as in all things, that’s entirely up to you.
There isn’t a right order to read the books, or to read them at all. Everything fits together though, and will make sense, eventually.
A note on the artwork.
Everything is made by hand. With the exception of the text pages, and the titles on the concertina, nothing was composed on a computer, or assembled in Photoshop. These are hand rendered collages, made with love and with care. If you look carefully, you’ll always see the joins.
The Zone
During the Prologue, you’ll be asked to identify a site at which this work will take place. It can be anywhere, but you should be able to travel back to it over a period of a few days.
The specific detail of the site you’ll choose sits within the Prologue. This site is yours though, and nobody else will know it is there.
You’ll read this work with a partner. They can be in the same city or town as you, or they can be a thousand miles away. It’s entirely up to you. You don’t have to share the details of your site with them and they don’t with you.1
It’s important that you choose somewhere you feel safe though. Don’t go anywhere you’re not comfortable being. This work is not designed to trigger any specific reactions in its audience, but we don’t want you to feel that it’s not for you.
1. If you choose to, though, we’re not going to stop you.
Editions
From Bitter Ground comes as a standard, reading edition, and there are two deluxe versions too.
Readers Edition
Contains:
From Bitter Ground.
Concertina volume. (1000mm unfolded). Printed both sides. Full Colour.
The Book of Entrances.
540mm x 900mm (unfolded)
The Book of Exits.
150mm x 180mm. Saddle Stitch binding. 28pp
Two copies. Mailed in black and white envelopes.
Deluxe (keyed) Edition
190mm x 200mm Black edition bound in bookcloth with magnetic latch and key affixed to reverse.
190mm x 200mm White edition bound in bookcloth with magnetic latch and key affixed to reverse.
Black and White editions snap together magnetically.
Contains:
Book Set: 160mm x 180mm (folded).
From Bitter Ground.
Concertina volume. (1000mm unfolded). Printed both sides. Full Colour.
The Book of Entrances.
540mm x 900mm (unfolded)
The Book of Exits.
150mm x 180mm. Saddle Stitch binding. 28pp
Edition made to order - please allow additional time for manufacture. Tracked delivery recommended.
Deluxe (floating) Edition
900mm x 200mm (unfolded) cloth bound edition. Magnetically paired to ‘float’ between each edition. Folded dimensions 190mm x 200mm x 35mm
Contains:
Book Set. 160mm x 180mm (folded).
From Bitter Ground.
Concertina volume. (1000mm unfolded). Printed both sides. Full Colour.
The Book of Entrances.
540mm x 900mm (unfolded)
The Book of Exits.
150mm x 180mm. Saddle Stitch binding. 28pp
£50 (until 11.59GMT April 23rd)
£65 (until 11.59GMT May 8th)
£80 (thereafter)
Edition made to order - please allow additional time for manufacture. Tracked delivery recommended.