Dear

Happy Spring Equinox.

As a late-March baby, I always enjoy this time of year.

Not for the birthday celebrations, (although this year I did have a particularly fine cake!), but for the return of the sun, blooming of flowers and the birdsong that reminds us summer is coming. This winter in Scotland has felt long! The hopefulness, vigour and sense of possibility that arrive with Spring always brings relief and excitement.

Having said that, it is my birthday week, and to celebrate this I'm inspired to take a leaf out of my friend Tad Hargrave's book, who always offers deals on his birthday.

If you don't know of his work, both in marketing and culture then you're missing out. You can find his work at https://marketingforhippies.com/ it might just change your life, and will certainly benefit your business.

(Cutest cake ever?)

Scottish Tales for Telling

A few years ago I collated a choice selection of my favourite tales into an audio collection and ebook (generously supported by people on kickstarter). The collection allowed me to record in a studio, test the relationship between oral story and written word, and create something beyond the moment of live performance.

Recently, I've been circling around the idea of developing a more enhanced collection of tales, seeking a publisher, gathering the best of the stories I tell and collating them into written form. I want to develop this collection of ten tales to forty or so. I sense there's the making of a decent introduction to Scottish tales in there, potentially with a collection of world tales to follow.

This brought my attention back to an initial selection of tales, which prioritised audio, and is currently available on 'Bandcamp'.

For my birthday week I'm offering 50% off on my audio collection of Scottish Tales for Telling, reducing it to £6 for ten stories and around two hours of audio. I think that's a pretty good deal, and possibly a gift for someone in your life who loves traditional tales.

https://dougiemackaystory.bandcamp.com/album/scottish-tales-for-telling

Spring Riddles

The rising sap seems to help me access my playful side too, and as such I've been indulging in a bit of riddling over the past week.

Having used up all of my familiar riddles over 10 live Hearth Fire Sessions, I'm on a bit of a mission to gather some more, either through making them up, or inviting riddles from other people.

I'm having a bit of fun with it over on Substack @Rekindling the Hearth and Instagram @dougie.mackay.story, so feel free to investigate some lyrical puzzles on either of these platforms, or send me your favourite riddles here.

The latest one, crafted during birthday revelry is this:

'Preparing for Winter,

I plant many trees.

I'm no Dr Dre,

But my style it is free'

What am I?

Looking forward...

Things are falling into place for the summer, with our programme up at the Shieling Collective in the Scottish Highlands going live, and it looking likely that I'll be in the Pacific North West at midsummer.

Find the Shieling programme here:

https://www.theshielingcollective.com/upcoming-events

In Edinburgh, we've got a very exciting lineup for the Hearth Fire Sessions in May, and July's lineup is developing nicely too.

https://scottishstorytellingcentre.online.red61.co.uk/event/913:6447/913:28178/

Our wolf show is also emerging from hibernation, with at least one booking in Stirling before we return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for a longer run at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.

Finally, the upcoming story mentoring programme is almost ready to be launched! Message me if you'd like advance notice about that, as places will be limited.

Wishing you a spritely spring emergence

Dougie