Creative Commoners

Wherein Chris recounts his epic journey across the country to his new homestead in Seattle. Hear tales of Beatrice Cumberbatch, border patrol mind games, Dave Matthews’ dog, Mad Libs pizza Seattle Style, road trip tropes, and our first nudie pic submission. Elsewhere, Chris’s dad is totally not dead. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein Allison’s unexpected absence spawns another Bro Show! In this variety act, Chris and Corey explore the Flappy Bird creator’s mercy quit, Chris’s double love affairs, target practice seals, bees in mech suits, codeine hazelnuts, legalized pot, and obscure Marvel superheroes. Elsewhere, Allison pops in for a quick announcement. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein our Dungeons and Dragons adventure continues as our heroes near their escape from the dungeons beneath Nerd’s Landing. But their path to freedom is blocked by many threats, including a massive snake, solider patrols, the mysterious group called The Scorned, and whispers of a growing war. Does the world hold any refuge for our heroes? And what does Rimrod’s past reveal about a guarded and ancient secret among his clan? Theme music by Latché Swing. D&D intro by Derek Laursen.

Wherein we discuss the positive interactions between creators and fans. Whether reviving cancelled TV shows, producing fan-made series, backing Kickstarter campaigns, or allowing fans to co-create video games, technology has birthed a growing level of engagement and blurred the creator/consumer lines. And creatively, we love it! Also, Weight Watchers. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein we explore the foul caverns of toxic fandom to figure out what happens when fans turn sour and downright nasty against the creators and franchises they follow. From Phil Fish’s rage quit to Steven Moffat ire to all things Star Trek, creators and creatives across the spectrum are dealt a steady dose of hatred. We consider the why and what this trend means for indy creators. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein our gang kicks off a three-parter on the phenomenon of fandom. Corey delves into the history of fandom, going all the way back to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and early science fiction. Allison talks about raising a fan and experiencing cosplay at a recent con. And Chris pegs President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his greatest transgression against humanity. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein our Dungeons and Dragons adventure continues. Escaped from their prison cell and on the run from Lord Biznish, Brodo Shaggins and Rimrod Ravenshaft plunge deep beneath the castle into the face of new dangers. With the goliath Gorax at their side, our duo must battle strange beasts and evade certain death. But Brodo’s halfling half and half past is catching up with him, and all we can say is… YOLO. Theme music by Latché Swing. D&D intro by Derek Laursen.

Wherein the show has been hijacked by villainous Greg Holbus, spelling ruin for the Creative Commoners. Will they defeat this dastardly foe? Will they then go on to discuss videos games, linear v. open storytelling, games that defy traditional expectations, and surviving the zombie apocalypse? And then will they reveal awesome new content for the Creative Commoners franchise? Tune in for the answers! Theme music by Latché Swing. “Exciting Trailer,” “Easy Lemon,” and “Movement Proposition” by Kevin MacLeod.

Wherein the gang must face off with their most dangerous foe yet. Once neutralized, they take a look back at 2013 to see the creative steps they’ve each made. After a busy year of book releases, Allison is ready to greet 2014. Corey gets further into electronics and a new Bishbot variant, and Chris lays out the map of his epic journey to Seattle. Plus there’s talk of A.L.I.E. S.H.E.E.D.Y., 99 problems, unproductive hobbies, and we open a piece of listener mail. Elsewhere, a cliffhanger awakens… Theme music by Latché Swing. “Failing Defense” and “Vortex” by Kevin MacLeod.

Wherein Corey and Chris continue their chat with musical guest Luke Bard. In this second part, the trio delve into the process of writing lyrics and the art of improvising, Luke premiers an original song and plays another cover, Chris puts Story Forge Cards to the songwriting test,  and Corey can’t stop dancing. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein Corey and Chris are joined by musical guest Luke Bard for a mix of lively discussion and live music. Luke shared his creative influences, musical inspirations, and talks about his ability to pick up music by ear. Then we delve into his performance history with bands such as Aural Fixation, Boomstick, and Equinox. Elsewhere, Chris reveals his finest band moment, Corey makes Luke sing for his supper, and Allison misses the show as she outruns the paparazzi. Theme music by Latché Swing. “Darkest Days” recording courtesy of John Phillips and Luke Bard.

Wherein Corey talks about Quirky.com, a great website for inventors, idea makers, and people who want to participate in creating new products. Corey teases his secret invention, reveals his involvement in Nerd Club, and talks about the challenges of bringing product ideas to reality. Elsewhere, Chris launches Twerky.com, Allison longs for a companion bot, and the Creative Commoners high rise is packed with Wilsons. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein Chris lays out his ideas for a bloody screenplay called “Period Piece.” The gang helps workshop the characters, setting, conflict, and humor of this guns-blazing, gender-defying, sibling-rivalry tale. What do Space Nazis, NAMBLA, and Honey Boo Boo have in common? None of them will appear in this script! Elsewhere, Corey and Allison give the definitive advice on writing women. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein Allison talks about the exciting launch of her first published novel, “Strings.” We dish about the release party, early reviews, her upcoming book signing tour, joys and anxieties, and a few more projects currently in the works. Elsewhere, Corey points out a glaring flaw, and Chris puts his foot down on the Dr. Who talk. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein we share our third annual Halloween gathering of supernatural tales, this time with a monster batch of two-sentence horror stories submitted by listeners, writers, and tormented souls. Tune in to tales of betrayal, unwelcome twists, strangling temptation, the unknown in the deep, and chilling surrender. Read all of the contest submissions on our Compendium at creativecommoners.net.

Wherein we sit down with visual storyteller Justin Wasson – the artist behind Gemini Serials and Tim Reisen and the Chronologists, storyboarder for the award winning film True Nature, and cover artist for Allison’s forthcoming indy release, Colt Coltrane and the Lotus Killer. We chat with Justin about Marvel vs. DC, commissioned work, the difficulties and heartbreak in the industry, balancing his life with a spouse and four children, and his creative influences. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein we create a fresh round of tales courtesy of the Story Form app and Story Forge Cards. Hear about a level-headed food critic trapped in a love elevator, a thawed caveman battling a band of ninjas, an all-female cast of The Expendabelles, a gun show twin revenge called Period Piece, and a noir tale about Prudence Pride, a detective stuck between a dirty cop, a deadbeat brother, and a frick-ton of beanie babies (well, sorta). Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein we tell an assortment of terrible jokes of the blonde, knock-knock, computer-generated, and Kant variety. We explore the basic joke structure, play with punchlines, foil your expectations, and seek out the funniest joke ever. Elsewhere, Corey shares wholesome Grandpa jokes, Allison loves you with a purple passion, and Chris unearths the world’s oldest known joke. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein we discuss the role of creativity in grieving, loss, and the process of moving forward. We explore the power of sharing personal stories and documenting life trials and share how personal loss has led to the creation of great TV shows like Six Feet Under and Buffy. Elsewhere, Allison shares exciting news about her forthcoming novels. Theme music by Latché Swing.

Wherein we peek inside the hackerspaces and makerspaces to explore this growing worldwide movement for makers, creators, tinkerers, and entrepreneurs. Elsewhere, Corey builds an instrument of doom, Chris makes plans to invade the Pacific Northwest, Allison pines for a sleek industrial kitchen, and Penn Jillette stops by the studio for a few minutes. Theme music by Latché Swing.