Hello, Legend-lovers! Welcome to the Campfire!

Hello lovers of lore! What have you read this month? What's a story someone told you that stayed with you? Since I graduated from my degree in composition in 2022, one conversation with a classmate has been in my mind. We were talking about a subject called Improvisation, taught by an elderly composer who was respected in the avant garde music scene in Melbourne. He was a great teacher--he loved experimental music and music from other cultures, and had a very open mind. But most of what he...

Hello legend-lovers! How are you? How was your February? This month, I've been mainly teaching music in schools and setting up the Book Balladiers: composing for our first few customers and writing the February newsletter. My writing goal for the month was to finish the second draft of The Mistwaes Home, and I only have 3 chapters to go! But before I finish that, I need to write this email XD. (God gave me an extra day in February for this, and I still haven't started :').) I wanted to tell a...

Hello legend-lovers! Remember me? XD How was your Christmas and New Years? Do you have goals for 2024? Finishing 2023 with a full head and a weary body, I looked over everything I wanted to do in 2024 and thought... that's too much. 😅 So I'm pulling back; focusing on achievable and worthwhile goals, and aiming to set time aside to rest and enjoy simple joys from day to day. The two big projects I'm working on are my novel The Mistwaes Home, and the musical The Piper's Mountain. I'm also still...

Hello my friends! HAPPY LAUNCH DAY! *throws confetti* THE BOOK BALLADIERS IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS LOOK AT THE WEBSITE LOOOOOOOOOK https://debbiecoll.com/the-book-balladiers/ You can also find it on the home page, under the tab "SHOP". Go forth, and see what we offer! (Even if you have no intention of buying anything (which I completely understand), it would mean so much if you had a look around. <3) Don't forget! From now until next Wednesday, you have 50% off with the discount code CAMPFIRE!...

Hello story-lovers! We interrupt our usual programming for the most EXCITING announcement you've heard all year! (Please note: this will depend largely on what other announcements you've heard this year 😆.) Have you ever read a book so good that you wished you could somehow show your appreciation to the author? Maybe you have a friend who is publishing their book, and you want a special way to celebrate? Or maybe you're writing your own book, but struggling to get into the right headspace...

Hello legend-lovers! How are you? What have you been reading or watching lately? When I was looking for a legend for this week, I came across the Viking Sigurd Saga accidentally, and started reading it. I was quickly enthralled (HAH Viking pun not intended but I’ll take it XD) by the characters and the circumstances. This would be an awesome story to share! I thought. Until suddenly… it wasn’t. Very quickly my urgency to share the story became a growing desire to slowly close the book and...

Hello fable-fans! How has your week been? I'm sorry, this email is really pushing the deadline. I'd planned to do it after dinner today (Saturday--I'm writing at 9:30pm local time) but my dad and I have been working on a mini construction project, and we wanted to work on that instead (a rare opportunity when we were both available and motivated!). We're turning my old guitar into a set of mini shelves. It broke a few years ago, and I've been thinking of putting the shell to good use since...

Hello myth-makers! How has your week been? What have you been up to? Melbourne has been enjoying some gloriously sunny early-Spring weather, and it's wonderful to see how much more cheerful everyone naturally is because of it. 😆 Whenever I go to a new place now, I'm naturally on the look-out for legends from that place. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find one in Minnesota, since most of my time was spent in the studio recording the musical. But stories are all around us, so if you spend time...

Hello, legend-lovers! How are you? What have you been up to this last week? What have I been up to? Funny you should ask! I've been up to (*cackles*) the Northern Territory of Australia, staying in Darwin with my aunt and uncle! I spent the first half of June in Darwin, where I learnt about Indigenous people, culture, music and mission. I met Indigenous Christian brothers and sisters (and aunts and uncles 😄), sat in on Kriol Bible recording (I still can't quite describe how powerful that...

Hello lovers of lore! (What's that? A new opening? Who are you and where is Debbie?? 😅) Ahem. How have you been? What have you been up to this May? I know it's been a while. As usual with my excuses, I really can't answer for the first four-ish weeks, but a lot happened last week and they make such good excuses that I don't want to use them as excuses... May... has been difficult for me. Yes, last May was difficult too. I really don't like Mays anymore 😅. (If you're in a delicate place...