BUDDHA and the S**T

Daddy gets lovingly schooled by the Buddha-boy, who ends up delivering a LONG overdue zen masterclass in self-esteem.

Feat. ONE & ONLY from the new album DADBOD, plus tunes from Stillness 3.

How Lord of the Rings, Psychic Dreams, and Fatherhood combine to (retroactively) give birth to a treasured children's story. Oh...and cats :)

Feat. and original story written and performed by yours truly, w/ music by Stillness3 and Owl Cave Dreams.

The irony when you search and dream and pretty much BEG for profound connection with others...but that same intensity of longing only pushes people away. Uggh. As a middle-aged male in a society that puts little value on men's need for deeper bonds and friendships, is it any wonder there's a troubling loneliness and mental health epidemic? 

All I ever wanted was a 'best friend'. And maybe, just maybe, my prayers were answered...

A heartfelt 25MIN Pre-Covid Revelation heralds the surprise premiere of SEASON 3! New art + tweaked title = new Daddy! Finally, it's crystal clear who's the Buddha...and who's the S**t =)

HUGE thanks to all you amazing listeners for keeping the show in the Top 5% of podcasts globally, even in my absence <3 And with that...the monthly storytelling adventure continues!

https://dadbodthealbum.com — my new DADBOD album is on FIRE, so we're doing a shameless nod to Sean Evans' interview high-bar HOT ONES to celebrate!

From Best Friend funk to Little Guy folk to hip-hop autobiography in BUMPY w/ Chrystal Leigh (Sons of Daughters), co-composer extraordinaire TOBIAS TINKER is in the house from Berlin to conquer 8 wings from Hell and share tales of creating this massive 20 song and 20 video epic for my young prince. And we finish off with a HUGE video preview for 80's homage ONE & ONLY in full Genesis/Gabriel style. Get your swoon on!

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/bro... - for album samplers, the BEST FRIEND video, and links to Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Tidal, Amazon, and more!

Wanna skip straight to the good stuff?

Wing 1 - 3:00 Aardvark Habanero

Wing 2 - 5:30 Heartbeat Hot Sauce

Wing 3 - 9:00 Christian's Cherry Bomb

Wing 4 - 14:00 Dawson's Hot Sauce

Wing 5 - 15:00 Christian's Tomato Haste

Wing 6 - 17:30 Bravado Black Garlic Reaper

DA BOMB! - 21:00 WE'RE GONNA DIE!!!

Wing 8 - 26:12 Burn After Eating

MUSIC VIDEO PREVIEW — 29:30 ONE&ONLY

BUY THE ALBUM w. TONS OF EXTRAS: https://brookeburgess.bandcamp.com

A bite-sized ep where I harness a creative technique to ask a timely question:  if MASKS are the modern symbol for our social and emotional WALLS...then what does YOUR 'wall' look like?

When a good friend pulled me aside to share that they were Googling 'most painless ways to kill self'...?

WelI...that triggered a powerful revelation about the trials and tribulations of the past year.

2020, people. We're all in it together.

And there IS a way out <3

FEAT. music from Owl Cave Dreams (new Winter Solstice double-album available now!)

Take a DEEP dream-dive with me for 20MIN! Featuring music by OWL CAVE DREAMS:  

Happy Halloween one and all! It's the season of the witch, so I'm bringing you a fresh DREAMTIME journey — this is where I walk you (and myself, let's be honest) through the strange symbols and trippy moments and flickers of lucidity to try to get at the root of what a particular dream was trying to communicate. If you've got any hunches, inklings, or ideas, please pass 'em on!

(And yes - I DO believe that dreams are important messages from the subconscious...and that the ones we remember upon waking are remembered for a REASON)

I've been a game writer and interactive narrative guy, in some capacity or another, since 1997.  23 YEARS. Let that sink in for a minute. And even with all of that storytelling experience, heaps of professional accolades, high-level game writer recommendations, and some acclaimed self-created indie projects? I still get asked, more often than not these days, to do a test story or provide an exclusive 'sample' for game writer gigs.

Seriously. 

In this age of Covid-19 and the (re)rise of remote work? I've been batting .500 on these 'auditions', which ain't bad. Especially when said gig ends up being fun, creatively challenging, and networking boon, and wallet steroids. But that still means that there were a handful of game writer jobs I applied for and didn't hit the bullseye. Ones where — after the headhunter or studio HR got my CV and reviewed my past work samples and learned of my (modest but fair?) salary expectations — I was asked to spend 1-2 weeks on a game writer 'assessment'. A test that would most certainly be based, at the very least tangentially, on the design parameters for an upcoming title they had in development.  And they'd expect it for FREE.

And, like a schmuck, I'd deliver. Buyer's market, and all that. But consider the math for a second; they knew my salary range and industry history, which made them painfully aware of the real-world value of my time. (at least 2K per week, being frank...or...well...Brooke). And yet, even after delivering more than expected and ahead of schedule and always with a thank-you note peppered with gratitude and genuine interest in their project moving forward, whatever their choice..? I'd get a three-line form letter rejection. At best. Which is kinda shitty, especially in these uncertain and heavy-hearted times. For everyone.

But since I tend not to sign NDAs until there's real contract tact, I'm more than comfortable sharing a recent example with you here. Embedded audio, too! I've taken the liberty of omitting some potentially incriminating chunks of design-related stuff; that's probably why I'm not posting from the massive game writer test I sank two weeks of my life into for that now-infamous IP that rhymes with SHMARY SMOTTER). Instead, this is one I whipped up for a AAA Chinese developer back in July.

And after weeks of badgering their headhunter for any post-submission feedback whatsoever?

'Sorry, but you were overqualified.'  

Thanks for the ass-smoke, lady...I hope you enjoy the freebie.

It’s the 10th anniversary of my creepy AF graphic novel BECOMING — published by ARCANA Comics — so what better way to celebrate in remote lockdown than a suitably spooky reading + hypnotic new music by Owl Cave Dreams?

SKIP TO 4:10 to dive straight into the narrated goodness of the first act of the story. If you like what you’re hearing? Then drop me a line and maybe…just maybe…we can figure out a way to get an HD PDF of all 98 pages into your grubby virtual paws!

Here’s the summary, along with an embed of the original trailer for the comic:

At a remote university, an angry young student faces the harsh realization that he has nothing to show for years of study. When he threatens his professor to teach him something real, he is drawn into a horrifying game of life and death. Soon, he will learn that the only rule is pain, and that true knowledge only comes when everything you believe…has burned away. Written by Brooke Burgess — the award-winning creator of Broken Saints — with art by Dane Cypel.

This is # 2 in a 'DREAMTIME' series I've been recording live and unfiltered, where I share profound 'visions' downloaded in sleep. Prophecies? Well...that's for YOU to decide.

You can find VIDEO of the first—a super emotional symbol dream on the eve' of my 50th— over on my FB and Youtube pages (5000 FB views and counting!) 

Featuring hypnotic new tunes by OWL CAVE DREAMS.

With all the buzz surrounding the Snyder Cut, 'deep fakes', the spectre of advanced AI, and the entertainment industry leaning on animation to survive the Covid-19 pandemic?

I had a thought. 

Or two ;-)

Feat. original music by Tobias Tinker and Owl Cave Dreams.

Jesus H Christmas...it's true...I'm turning 50. 

And with just a few weeks left to brace before the 'oldometer' rolls me into flattened obsolescence? I wanted to reach out to my most loyal and loving listeners with a request.

You see...after 3 years of giving this show away for zip, nada, bupkis, nothing, FREE...I figured it was fair time to hit you up for some sweet b-day charity. Fiscal love. Cash-cash-money, y'all.

And if just 5% of you send me a little somethin-somethin'? Then this Southeast Asian Lockdown mid-life nightmare might just transform into this storyteller's creative dream...

It's FREE AUDIOBOOK BINGE TIME, folks! For the next 30 DAYS I'm giving away copies of our HD deluxe bells-and-whistles #audiobook extravaganza The Cat's Maw to any and all who want it — that's 8+ HOURS of award-winning storytelling, FREE!

Listen to the latest ep for how to snag it (of course there's a catch, but it's mere minutes of effort) — if you're still on the fence, I've included THE pivotal chapter in the story for your listening pleasure!

So spread the good word, get those headphones ready, and be sure to set your Audible account to HD Downloads — I promise you are in for a feline-lovin' trip <3

You want it? You got it!

No razzle dazzle required, my friends — by popular request, here's my TOP 10 BUCKET LIST, in honour of 2020 and the painful birthday milestone I'm destined to hit, coronavirus permitting =)))

Feat. original music by STILLNESS 3

This month's 20min Q&A edition asks:

WHO ARE THE WORST KIND OF TRAVELLERS YOU'VE MET, WITNESSED, OR PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED?

Whooooo-boy. Fasten those safety belts, kidlets. It's about to get nasty.

(FEATURING MUSIC FROM STILLNESS3)

If there’s anything I've learned in my near 5-decades wandering the plains and crags of this waterlogged rock spinning in the deep, deep dark, for God Knows What Purpose before this soul of mine pops off like the last bubble in a dirty kid’s bathwater..?

It’s this: though the essence underneath it is the same, the human act of LOVE represents something different to everyone.

And here's what it means to me...

(Featuring original music from OWL CAVE DREAMS)