Dear Reader,
Whether you know me personally, through my music, content, or creative studio, welcome to this window into my creative journey. This newsletter offers a regular dose of wit, wisdom, insights, and updates meant to entertain, inspire, and put you on game.
Previously, this newsletter focused on my music as Bastion, but as I’ve started writing my first novel of the same name, it’s time to expand the scope here as well. So, what is Bastion, anyway? The TLDR is that Bastion is the dystopian sci-fi world that inspired my music project—And now I’m finally writing it as a novel, as it was meant to be.
In 2016, I was studying film & tv production at NYU Tisch when I first wrote Bastion as a TV pilot. At the same time, I began making electronic music directly inspired by the retro-futuristic world I was writing about.
I fell in love with making music and figured that any success with it would help the book or screenplay some day. While I continue to make and release music, it’s also time to get back to the original mission: I’m now writing Bastion, the novel.
Why subscribe & what to expect:
I want to make this Newsletter valuable and not just a promotional tool. If you’re the right kind of person, this will be one of the most interesting things you read each month. I’ve got a lot to share with you:
Personal Updates/Navigating Life’s Challenges: I’m moving from NYC (my home for 10+ years) to Portugal after marrying my sweetheart and launching my own creative studio—Ever wondered what it’s like to live in Europe and work for yourself? Stay tuned.
Living a Creative Life: This is what it all boils down to—Everything I do is for this. No matter what art project or business you’re working on, I’ll share advice and insights from my own journey about what works (and what doesn’t).
Cultural Movements: Take a break from the doomscrolling; there are weird and wonderful things happening in culture, tech, and the arts changing the way we connect, create, and think.
Self Improvement: Let’s explore how to overcome habits or modes of thinking that hold us back, and what it means to be a true friend when it matters most.
Story time: I’ve performed at music festivals, married the love of my life, survived Hollywood’s worst boss, partied with expats in Vietnam and befriended some of the most talented artists of our time. What did we learn?
I’ll get into all this and more.
Who even am I?
I’m a creative New Yorker of 10 years who’s moving to Portugal with the love of my life. Career-wise, I’ve worn more hats than a haberdashery: writer, video producer, music artist, marketer, entrepreneur. You might know me from my music as Bastion, my content on social media, or my creative studio, Sublime Port.
Thanks for coming along for the ride. If this resonates, please share it with someone who’d enjoy it.
Onward,
Brendan Donovan
