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Rebecca Alasdair
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  • on reading

    My top five reads of 2023

    Rebecca Alasdair / 21 December 2023 / 1 Comment

    As 2023 nears its end, it’s time to announce my TOP FIVE favourite books of the year! I’ve experienced quite the reading yo-yo over the last 12 months, but I reached my reading goal for the first time in ages and really enjoyed myself doing so. So come and check out my list of favourites and share your top reads…

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  • on publishing

    The indie publishing journey: All things “legal”

    Rebecca Alasdair / 14 November 2023 / 2 Comments

    It can be a bit scary to think about the legal aspect of publishing a book. What kind of registrations do I need? How about copyright? Are there specific requirements for libraries? But all these questions can be answered. For an overview of some key publishing legalities, check out today’s post about all things “legal” when it comes to indie…

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  • updates

    Quarterly wrap: July – October 2023

    Rebecca Alasdair / 31 October 2023 / 6 Comments

    This “quarter” was INCREDIBLE to say the least! Between an overseas adventure, finishing a WIP and starting more beta reading, and getting through a stack of great books, there was a lot going on. All the details can be found within my third quarterly update of 2023!! →

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  • on publishing

    The indie publishing journey: Choosing a platform

    Rebecca Alasdair / 15 August 2023 / 7 Comments

    To indie publish your book, you need to use a publishing platform that will get the book into readers’ hands. There are many such platforms out there these days, but how do you choose one? How do they differ from each other? Today’s post explores the most popular publishing platforms and what you should consider when deciding which one to…

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  • updates

    Quarterly wrap: April – June 2023

    Rebecca Alasdair / 30 June 2023 / 6 Comments

    And just like that, half the year has gone! I’ve been a busy bee over the last three months, writing a massive 103k words, reading some great books, and planning an overseas trip. Come take a closer look at what I’ve been up to in my second quarterly wrap of 2023!! →

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  • on publishing

    The indie publishing journey: Editors and editing

    Rebecca Alasdair / 20 June 2023 / 8 Comments

    Editing is a crucial part of bringing a novel to life, especially if you’re indie publishing and can’t rely on an in-house editor. But do you REALLY need an editor? If so, where can you find one? And what do you need to know about working with an editor? All these questions are answered in today’s post about the editing…

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  • on publishing

    The indie publishing journey: Business mechanics

    Rebecca Alasdair / 16 May 2023 / 2 Comments

    If you’ve decided to indie publish your book, something you should look into early is setting up a “business” for it. But do you actually need one? How do you set one up if you do? What other business considerations should a new indie publisher make? Find the answers to these questions in today’s post about the business mechanics of…

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  • on publishing

    The indie publishing journey: What, why and how

    Rebecca Alasdair / 18 April 2023 / 12 Comments

    Hello and welcome to this brand new series of blog posts where I talk about what I’ve learned so far from my indie publishing journey. I’ll take you through the process from start to finish and share some resources about how to turn your manuscript into a published book. There’ll be something for all budding indie authors, especially my fellow…

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  • updates

    Quarterly wrap: January – March 2023

    Rebecca Alasdair / 31 March 2023 / 7 Comments

    Isn’t the year just racing by? My last three months have been pretty busy establishing some healthier habits, planning a holiday, working on my author newsletter, and turning all my writing attention to my epic fantasy series. Check out the details in my first quarterly wrap of 2023!! →

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  • updates

    Quarterly wrap: October – December 2022

    Rebecca Alasdair / 31 December 2022 / 12 Comments

    Well, friends, we’ve made it to the end of the year—and what a year it has been! In the last three months I have published my first novel, read some great books, and started a brand new work/life routine. Check out all the details, and see how I went on my yearly goals, in this fourth and final quarterly wrap…

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Welcome! I'm Rebecca Alasdair, an Australian indie author whose one true love is fantasy—the more epic, the better.

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What is the most common/popular paperback trim siz What is the most common/popular paperback trim size where you live?

Here in Australia, at least in my city of Melbourne, the most common is the "B format" 129×198mm (about 5.1x7.8"). A lot of fantasy novels initially release in the larger 6×9" format, which I genuinely dislike because it's so damn big in my small hands, but these tend to be replaced by the smaller B format version after a year or two.

But I'm curious about what size(s) are most common in other places, especially the US and UK, as I ponder what size to publish my epic fantasy series in. What size do you prefer? Would the B format (my fave) seem strange to you?

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#bookdesign #bookformatting #booksize #bookstagram #booklover #indieauthor #authorsofig #writerslife
R is for the Red Plague! 👇 This next post in R is for the Red Plague! 👇 

This next post in the A to Z of worldbuilding elements in the #GracebornSeries is all about plagues. What's a fantasy world without a good plague—either current or historical.

In my world, the Red Plague was a highly contagious and fatal plague that devastated the Ten Dominions around three centuries after the Fall of Corraidhin. A cure was eventually found by Follain the Healer, but not before the population had been decimated. People still fear the Red Plague even now, and Graceborn Healers are constantly on the lookout for a resurgence.

What's the most interesting plague or illness you've come across in a fantasy novel? 🤒🦠

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#worldbuilding #fantasybooks #fantasyseries #epicfantasy #fantasywriter #fantasyauthor #indieauthor #writersofig
Look, I'm sure it feels great to have your book hi Look, I'm sure it feels great to have your book hit a bestseller list, but there's something to be said for the quiet achievements.

"Success" in writing and publishing looks different for everyone, and it's not all about the number of copies sold. I would LOVE for my upcoming epic fantasy series to do well, but as I work through my line edits, I feel pretty damn proud of the story I've told. And that's worth celebrating. 😊

What do you think?

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#writingquotes #writinginspiration #writersofig #authorsofig #indieauthor #fantasyauthor #writerslife #authorlife
Line edits are in! Wish me luck as I dive into the Line edits are in! Wish me luck as I dive into them over the next few weeks and polish this book off. 😅

There's still plenty of work to do to get it ready for publication, but it finally feels like I'm creeping closer!

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#amediting #bookedits #writerslife #authorlife #indieauthor #fantasyauthor #fantasyseries #gracebornseries
Happy 1st birthday to the bestest writing buddy a Happy 1st birthday to the bestest writing buddy a girl could ask for 💜🥳

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#birthdaygirl #birthdaydog #dogsofinstagram #minischnauzer #writingbuddy #writerslife #writersofig #indieauthor
Say hello to Tora Kolmarden, a key character in th Say hello to Tora Kolmarden, a key character in the #GracebornSeries...

...or don't. You might want to run and hide, actually. Most people do when they hear Tora's name. She's something of an enforcer for the Council of Eight: cold, ruthless to the point of cruelty, and her tongue is as sharp as her blades.

But this death-wielding warrior has her reasons. She has her secrets, her hidden dreams. And her arc throughout the series is not what you might expect. I can't wait for you to meet her in book 1, "Blood of Old", in (hopefully) 2026!

Another big thank you to the talented @sophielouisedraws for capturing Tora so perfectly!! 🤩

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#characterart #characterartwork #artreveal #digitalart #indieauthor #fantasyauthor #fantasybooks #fantasyseries #epicfantasy
Are you ready? There's only one more sleep until m Are you ready? There's only one more sleep until my next piece of character art is revealed! 😱

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#characterart #characterartwork #artreveal #digitalart #indieauthor #fantasyauthor #fantasybooks #fantasyseries #epicfantasy #gracebornseries
Q is for qava! 👇 In today's post on the A to Q is for qava! 👇 

In today's post on the A to Z of worldbuilding elements in the #GracebornSeries, I wanted to talk about food and drink in fantasy novels.

Do you enjoy seeing new types of food or drink—or even new names for known types of food or drink—in the books you read? I find it adds a certain richness and depth to the worldbuilding in fantasy fiction.

I haven't been all that creative in my own epic fantasy series, but I have come up with a drink called "qava", which you may note bears a striking resemblance to coffee... 🤣☕️

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#worldbuilding #fantasybooks #fantasyseries #epicfantasy #fantasywriter #fantasyauthor #indieauthor #writersofig

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