Debbie's Biography

D.A. “Debbie” Brockett loves Western Colorado history, which is why she writes about it. Having lived off and on in Colorado for thirty-four years, she can’t go anywhere in the state without wondering about its stories. Her expertise is Grand Junction, her favorite place. When she first moved there in 1981, the oil shale boom was in full throttle. Within a year, the town was nearly deserted. Someone actually created tee shirts that said, “Last one out of Grand Junction, turn out the lights.” Learning about the area’s history helped her to endure the painful change. After all, history stayed the same…the stories couldn’t be uprooted or dismantled by Exxon’s whims. The more she studied, the more intrigue and unsolved mysteries and murder caught her eye. When her three sons had grown, she took up writing those stories, endeavoring to solve the mysteries she’d learned about. She calls her series of books “mystoricals,” as they encompass real history and mysteries.  

Great news! "Stained Glass Rose" is being written into a play by Two Chairs Theater co-founder and playwright, Joe Wilcox. Hopefully, it will hit the stage later in the 2009 year.

Debbie, an award-winning author, has extensive experience as a writer, teacher, and encourager of “closet” and budding writers. Along with four others, she co-founded the Western Slope Christian Writers Association, which operated for over five years and produced some great published authors. For six years, she wrote a monthly column, “The Trumpet Vine,” for the Christian magazine, The Testimony, and accumulated over ninety articles. Three of her short stories are included in Christian compilation books similar to the Chicken Soup series. Debbie is an award-winning editor, having worked for the prestigious Western Reflections Publishing a number of years. In her quest to help other writers succeed, Debbie has spoken to, and taught at, many writer and reading groups. She just retired from two years as Treasurer for Colorado Independent Publisher’s Association, Western Slope Division. She also is a long-time member of the Museum of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society.  

While taking a break from her usual “mystorical” genre, Debbie researched, wrote, and produced her historical video documentary on a Grand Junction church. It debuted in April 2007. “Messiah Lutheran Church: Tried By Fire,” recounts its interesting 74-year history and how the congregation survived and thrived after a devastating arson fire in 1989.  

Additionally, she is the "Grand Valley History Sleuth" and writes a bi-monthly article for Grand Valley Magazine. Each is built upon an item of Grand Junction's history.

Her newest book, “George Crawford’s Attic: Dusting Off Grand Junction Colorado’s Past,” won a 2009 EVVY Award for History! 

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