A fragmented memory of friendship – navigating fluid genders, relationships, and bodies that resist order, category, or completion. Inspired by Margaret Clap, and the many myths of Hermaphroditus.

| novel

Riding SideSaddle*

A queer novel, in fragments of memory…

Bookmark from ridingsidesaddle.com

A novel, in a box
Buy the book or read it online

Since it was published in 2015, the novel has inspired a number of Teacup Gorilla songs – including a series of 4 of that make up our new EP and theatrical production, Whiskey From Strangers. Produced with Grapefruit Lab, it’s a love letter to our city, and to friendships that change over time.

Join us! May 10 — June 1 @ Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St.

All tickets are pay-what-you-want. Reserve your seats now!

with Teacup Gorilla’s Whiskey From Strangers

This feels more realistic than any other novel could hope to be: every moment is just one in a sea of other moments, no more or less important, although no less interesting for that. The result is an impressionist array of feelings and emotions and understandings of oneself and others.

—Natalie Weizenbaum

It’s a new and wonderful adventure each time, a story of outcasts, their caretaker, and the friendship and love they find with each other.

—Ryo Yamaguchi, Michigan Quarterly Review

The characters, ideas, story are exposed, raw, alive – merging masculine and feminine into some kind of mystical marriage.

—Erin Rollman & Brian Colonna, Buntport Theater

I was just digging everything, and didnt want the night to be over.

—Sam O’Daniel, Your Older Brother

10 Myths on the Proper Application of Beauty Products

True West Award

Riding SideSaddle was previously adapted for the stage by Buntport Theater, with original music by Teacup Gorilla.

Read the script »

The Holes They Leave

The first Teacup Gorilla EP also includes several songs related to the novel:

Visual Art

The novel has gone vertical with art prints, and several gallery shows…

A face and neck collage of black-and-white medical and electrical diagrams, with red arrows and text that says "a longing" Sketch of a couple dancing over diagrams of a rifle and genetic charts with red arrows and text that says "carcass redirects here" Sketch of people diving over a contour map and cancer cells with red arrows and text that says "when we walked, Herman with a sheepish smile" Sketch of a house over electrical diagrams with red arrows and text that says "different, deformed" Sketch of two moths in a collage of bones and electrical diagrams with red arrows and text that says "sunset burns, the corner of a movement, now gone" Sketch of a skyline and mountains in a collage of medical & electrical diagrams with red arrows and text that says "cities rise sweaty and" Sketch of a pond with reeds growing in a collage of electrical diagrams with red arrows and text that says "dangly bits, imperfect, concave" Sketch of a boxer with one arm and a short skirt in a collage of diagrams with red arrows and text that says "only shrapnel, into your heart" Sketch of Hermaphroditus lifting her skirt, in a collage of genetic diagrams and wings, with red arrows and text that says "not clear to me, a body" Sketch of a volvo in a collage of electrical & genetic diagrams, with red arrows and text that says "high heels firm on the pedal, he" Sketch of an eye up close, in a collage of diagrams, with red arrows and text that says "boy on the tv, those eyes, cheeks"
Art from the novel (available as prints)

Publishing Credits

Riding SideSaddle* is an open source text published by SpringGun Press, released online by OddBird, and adapted for the stage by Buntport Theater and Teacup Gorilla.

Past Events

Queer Art @ Charis Books

Atlanta, GA »

The Card Table @ Buntport

Denver, CO »

Fucking Fabulous Fiction Festival @ Oriental Theater

Denver, CO »

Everything 'Riding sidesaddle'