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[torchtoburn]

BOY KING: the story of Sidney Crosby before the NHL

76,929 words, 387 sources, and 3 years later, here's my biography on Sidney Crosby, the boy wonder. From the end of Troy Crosby's brief hockey career to the day Sidney landed in Pittsburgh, BOY KING is the story of how a boy from the Maritimes became the most famous 17-year-old hockey player in history.

☆ READ BOY KING ON MY WEBSITE

Join me at torchtoburn.com and enjoy BOY KING as a multimedia experience with illustrations, photographs, and four videos.

☆ READ BOY KING ON AO3

The ideal method for readers who prefer streamlined, simple text or those who are reading on a small screen/mobile device. Though this version of BOY KING includes no photos or illustrations, the four BOY KING videos are embedded within the pertinent chapters.

☆ READ BOY KING AS A PDF

In which you will find bonus photos and a more traditional biographic format, available both to read online and to download.

[torchtoburn]

Hello, I'm a Sidney fan from Asia. English isn't my native language, so it took me a long time to read Boy King. This message will also be written using a translator, so there might be some grammatical errors, but I'll do my best. I could feel your love for Sidney between the lines; it was so real and so warm. I teared up many times while reading it and often regretted that I came too late and missed so much.

He transcended the role of a hockey player; he attracted so many people not just because of his hockey skills, but also because of his personal charm. He was truly a wonderful person, and he deserved all the good things in the world. I know it's nearing the end of his career now, but he experienced amazing hockey, and he will always have happiness and joy. So will you. Thank you for spending so much time writing such a wonderful biography. Your words have also brought me happiness.

Your drawings are also beautiful. No words can accurately express my gratitude. I don't know if you'll ever see this, but these are the words I had to say after reading it. Thank you for taking the time to read my message.Due to Tumblr's character limit for asks, I had to split it into three parts. Thank you again.

Thank you for the kind message! It's important to remember that when you learned about Sid and his story doesn't impact how much you care, or the ways in which you're allowed to care. His story is a good story, and good stories are timeless. What luck you came to care about him at all! Hopefully he gives us all more years to enjoy his play.

[torchtoburn]

i just read boy king and it made me cry. your writing is so earnest and kind. you've done an wonderful job in this biography and i love it with my whole heart.

Thank you so, so, so much. Having a passion project like it was such a rewarding and enjoyable experience; getting to pour my whole heart into it was such a great purpose to have. I'm so happy you love it too.

[torchtoburn]

your works got me into hockey :D

This is the highest compliment I could ever receive, thank you so much! I'm glad you found your way to hockey... I think it's a very fun sport to be interested in, and gaining fans from "unconventional" paths (like Tumblr or primers) is always a win!

[torchtoburn]

Dude, you literally wrote a whole-ass biography! All this research is fucking amazing, I can’t even imagine how much work it must have been, and the prose style itself is funny and witty and all your quotes are integrated so well! Amazing job, I hope you’re proud of yourself!

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I'm very glad you liked my prose! Narrative nonfiction isn't something I'd ever really written before working on the primers. I'm super proud of the work, but nothing makes my day quite like hearing how it's been received by people like yourself. Thanks for this kind ask—it's always wonderful to hear from anyone who's read it!

[torchtoburn]

Hi, folks!

I'm going to be getting that retrospective/postmortem on BOY KING (and BOY WONDER) out sometime soon. If there's any questions you have, things you want to know about the process or about the experience, please message me or send in an ask! I'm happy to talk about whatever you'd find interesing.

[torchtoburn]

I just want to thank you for your hard work. you created such a fantastic piece and it deserves an award. wishing you the best. peace love and prosperity. <3

Thank you so much—it really was a joy to put together. It's the longest project I've ever worked on, both in raw word-length and the time it took. It's a little niche, but I hope that those who've read it have enjoyed it. It warms me to hear when people have loved it!

I hope next month I'll be able to finally publish a postmortem/retrospective on the BOY WONDER/BOY KING project(s) and how they came to be. I don't know if anyone's interested in the breakdown of how I did my research and what the writing process was like (or, at least, what I can remember of it. My memory is bad and it's been a few years!), but I think it'll be a nice endcap to the project ❤️

[torchtoburn]

Hey there! I really love the art of Boy King, and I was wondering, did you make that yourself?

Love all your work!

I did! Thank you!

[torchtoburn]

Sidney competing at the 2005 World Juniors, and Sidney hoisting the Guy Lafleur trophy after defeating the Halifax Mooseheads in May, 2005 for BOY KING

[torchtoburn]

Sidney at the 2005 Memorial Cup in London, Ontario, for BOY KING

[torchtoburn]

can you post versions of the art in boy king?

Is that something folks would be interested in? Of course I can!

[torchtoburn]

The giveaway winner has been selected and contacted! Thank you to everyone who participated!

[torchtoburn]

There are just over 24 hours left to enter the BOY KING Giveaway!

[torchtoburn]

Um I just read Boy King and you are… amazing?! Like the writing is great, the sourcing is phenomenal, SO well-researched… holy shit babe you should be proud of urself! And also the videos are great, I’ve listened to that King song like five times today lol. Great job!

Thank you so much!

I poured a lot of myself into it for a long while, and I'm really beyond happy that people seem to be enjoying it. There was SO much good information out there!

[torchtoburn]

GOOD TO BE KING

The videos used in Good to be King are:

"Sid The Kid V. Alexander The Great"

"Sidney Crosby delivered on much-hyped promise"

"Sidney Crosby and the Oceanic back to Rimouski after losing the Memorial Cup part 2"

"Sidney Crosby - Chandail Canada volé / robbed Canada Jersey"

"Crosby and the Oceanic going to London for the Memorial Cup"

"Sidney Crosby Hockey Junior - Le préféré / The favorite one"

"Sidney Crosby & Oceanic Rimouski Going To The Memorial Cup"

“A look back at Canada's 2005 WJC team”

“How Sidney Crosby broke many records as 16-year old in CHL”

"Sidney Crosby Highlights 2005 World Junior Championships"

“Sidney Crosby, 16, inför JVM 2003”

"Great expectations Sidney Crosby"

"The Crosby Effect in Rimouski"

"Sidney Crosby - Named 2004-2005 CHL player of the Year"

"Reportage Crosby à 16 ans"

“Sidney Crosby when he played in Rimouski Oceanic QMJH”

“Sidney Crosby - Rimouski moments *French video*”

"Téléjournal, March 8, 2005"

"La famille d'accueil rimouskoise de Sidney Crosby"

"Top 40 World Junior Moments: #18"

"The Moment of Truth with Russell Wilson, Sidney Crosby & Shaquille O'Neal"

& the song is "KING" by Zayde Wolf!

[torchtoburn]

JUST SID FROM HALIFAX

The videos used in Just Sid from Halifax are:

"CTV News Archive: Meet 14-year-old hockey sensation Sidney Crosby"

"Sidney Crosby - Stattuck-St. Mary's Prep School"

"Great expectations Sidney Crosby"

"Sidney Crosby at the Canada Games"

"Boys to the Bigs Part 2"

"Boys to the Bigs Part 4"

"30 ans et beaucoup d’engouement pour Sidney Crosby"

& the song is "Jerk It Out" by Caesers!

[torchtoburn]

THIS COLE HARBOUR HOME

The videos used in This Cole Harbour Home are:

"Great expectations Sidney Crosby"

“Sidney Crosby: Intimate Portrait”

“Lost Footage of a Young Sidney Crosby”

"CTV News Archive: Meet 14-year-old hockey sensation Sidney Crosby"

"Sid The Kid V. Alexander The Great"

"Sidney Crosby delivered on much-hyped promise"

& the song is "Fervor" by The Chain Gang of 1974!