• Southscript Press
Rebecca Alasdair

Official Website

Rebecca Alasdair
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • BOOKS
    • HOLDING UP THE SKY
    • GRACEBORN (SERIES)
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • BOOKS
    • HOLDING UP THE SKY
    • GRACEBORN (SERIES)
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • graceborn

    Blood of Old: Cover and blurb reveal

    Rebecca Alasdair / 30 June 2026 / 3 Comments

    My question finally has an answer! After years of wondering what the cover of Blood of Old might look like, I’m ecstatic to reveal it to you today, along with the release date and official blurb. Come take a look, share your thoughts, and get ready to mark your calendar!! →

    Read More
  • graceborn

    Another call for beta readers!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 31 July 2023 / 2 Comments

    I have finished writing the third draft of Blood of Old (Graceborn #1) and am on the hunt for beta readers! If you like chunky books with multiple POVs, complex world-building and high stakes, and would like to read this epic fantasy story of brothers and blood, submit an EOI today! →

    Read More
  • graceborn

    My characters as signs of the zodiac

    Rebecca Alasdair / 26 July 2021 / 4 Comments

    I’ve been a little low on motivation recently, so I decided to have some fun and take a deep dive into the characters from my WIP fantasy series Graceborn. In today’s post, I use personality traits to match my key players with signs of the zodiac—come check it out and tell me if you’ve done anything similar!! →

    Read More
  • graceborn

    A call for beta readers!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 12 December 2019 / No Comments

    *NOW CLOSED* I am OFFICIALLY looking for beta readers for the first book in my WIP fantasy series! Blood of Old (Graceborn #1) is a 195,000-word novel about two brothers, one a healer and the other a troublemaker, thrown into an ancient conflict where they both have a role to play. Keep reading for more information and details on how…

    Read More
  • excerpts,  graceborn

    GRACEBORN: NaNoWriMo + next steps + book 2 reveal!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 3 December 2019 / No Comments

    Did you participate in NaNoWriMo 2019? I did, and I finally finished the draft of the first book in my fantasy series Graceborn! Woohoo! Come and check out the details, featuring some exciting SNIPPETS from the book, what I plan to do next, and the reveal of the title and mock cover for book two!! →

    Read More
  • graceborn

    My characters as Major Arcana tarot cards

    Rebecca Alasdair / 16 October 2019 / No Comments

    There has been a recent trend in the bookish community to make tarot cards with the characters in popular books, so I decided to have some fun and match the key players from my WIP fantasy series Graceborn with the Major Arcana cards! Come and check out my list, and tell me if you’ve ever done something similar! →

    Read More
  • goals & reflections

    Connect with me on Pinterest!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 21 May 2019 / No Comments

    I have been wanting to get involved in the Pinterest community FOREVER, but only now have I finally gotten around to setting up my account. I’d love to connect with all of you on this platform, so come tell me about your own Pinterest experiences, and take a peek at the boards that I’m constructing! →

    Read More
  • excerpts,  graceborn

    Old Blood: *New* title + cover + excerpt!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 24 August 2018 / No Comments

    If you've been following my blog and/or reading my posts, you've probably heard me mention my WIP fantasy series and its first book, Old Blood. Today, I am announcing Old Blood's NEW TITLE and presenting its NEW MOCK COVER, and to celebrate I also have a BRAND NEW EXCERPT for you. So come and check it out!! >>

    Read More
  • excerpts,  graceborn,  updates

    Old Blood draft is FINISHED!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 10 March 2018 / No Comments

    I am OVER-THE-MOON-CRAZY-EXCITED to announce that the first draft of my epic fantasy novel Old Blood is DONE! Here are the stats, my future plans, and a special EXCERPT to celebrate! >>

    Read More
  • graceborn,  updates

    UPDATE: Old Blood reaches 100,000 words!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 11 December 2017 / No Comments

    Today, I celebrate a milestone in the first draft of my fantasy novel, Old Blood. And it's a big one. The 100,000 word one. >>

    Read More
12

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

Search site

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Threads
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Pinterest
  • Goodreads

Sign-Up to Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email!

Categories

  • about me
  • excerpts
  • fantasy fridays
  • goals & reflections
  • graceborn
  • holding up the sky
  • on blogging
  • on publishing
  • on reading
  • on writing
  • tags and top posts
  • the layers beneath us
  • updates

Archives

  • 2026: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2025: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2024: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2023: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2022: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2021: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2020: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2019: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2018: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2017: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Disclaimer

The information on this website / blog is authentic to the best of my knowledge, and as such, it may contain errors or be absent some key information. Any opinions expressed are my own. Content is generated for entertainment and informative purposes, and is not to be perceived as professional advice. I am not responsible for the comments made by visitors to this site, and will act quickly to remove any inappropriate comments. Abuse and harassment may be reported and the perpetrator’s personal information disclosed in accordance with my Privacy Policy.

ARCs for my upcoming epic fantasy novel have start ARCs for my upcoming epic fantasy novel have started going out, but there is still time to apply for a copy! Just head to the link in my bio and complete the form! 😀

Much has been lost, but blood does not forget. And while the Old Blood remembers, what once was may yet be again...

•
•
•

#arcreaderswanted #arcreader #fantasybooks #fantasyseries #gracebornseries
How do the KDP and IngramSpark versions of my pape How do the KDP and IngramSpark versions of my paperback compare?

𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Both have a matte cover, and the artwork and colours look awesome. The cover on the KDP version does curl quite a bit at the moment, but hopefully it will settle over time?

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗮𝗽. Ugh. The KDP version has been coming out 3mm thinner than their specs say...which is still within their enormous "acceptable" error margin of 3.2mm. This throws out the cover wrap so some of the spine ends up on the cover. The IngramSpark version is PERFECT.

𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲. The IngramSpark version uses groundwood paper, which makes the book lighter and is closer to trad pub paper. The KDP version has nice smooth cream paper, which is denser. This makes the book heavier, but I don't find it TOO heavy.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿. The KDP version has very crisp text on the cream paper. Because the groundwood paper is more textured, the ink in the IngramSpark version sinks in a bit more and makes the text a bit softer. Still looks good though.

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁. I like the IngramSpark version better. It is better quality and feels more professional; this is the version that will be available everywhere except Amazon. The KDP version is still pretty damn good though, and will probably be cheaper (even though I'll set the same price) for those who want to buy through Amazon.

"Blood of Old" will be out on 01 December 2026, and I hope to have preorders up next month!!

•
•
•

#paperbackbook #fantasybooks #indieauthor #selfpublishing #gracebornseries
What do you like to see in a mentor character? Th What do you like to see in a mentor character?

Three of the key secondary characters in "Blood of Old" act as mentors for the MCs, and I just LOVED writing their relationships. We have...

Myrrine, the former princess who knows a lot about governing a nation (or so she thinks) and has her own plans for MC Asa.

Tora, the snarky warrior who doesn't approve of Myrrine's interference and gets lumped with Asa's "unteachable" brother, Kael.

Endrid, the struggling Weaver who just wants everyone to get along and could do with a nice long nap.

Can't wait for you to meet them all at the start of December!

🎨 Art by @sophielouisedraws

•
•
•

#characterart #fantasybooks #fantasyseries #epicfantasy #gracebornseries
Who is the traitor sowing dissent in the ancient c Who is the traitor sowing dissent in the ancient city-state of Asphodel?

I love a good betrayal arc, so of course I had to include one in my fantasy series! It's a bit of a slow-burn subplot, and I hope to keep people guessing who is pulling the strings behind the scenes.

What is the best betrayal arc you've come across in a fantasy series before?

🗺 Map by @cartographybird 

•
•
•

#fantasymap #fantasybooks #fantasyauthor #indieauthor #gracebornseries
Is it completely shameless of me to capitalise on Is it completely shameless of me to capitalise on this?? 🤭

Social media has been melting down over the last few days following the title and cover reveals for ACOTAR 6 and 7. I had a chuckle to myself when I saw one of the tag lines is "What was lost will be reclaimed", since that's a key line of a prophecy in my own fantasy series!

Now, the #GracebornSeries is not the same sub-genre as ACOTAR, being epic fantasy rather than romantasy. But it really does go to show how similar themes and elements can occur across a broad variety of fantasy books.

If you're looking for a way to pass the time while waiting for ACOTAR 6, would you like an eARC of "Blood of Old"? See link in my bio for details 😊

•
•
•

#fantasybooks #fantasyseries #fantasyauthor #indieauthor
Kael O'Dair is not the type of MMC everyone likes Kael O'Dair is not the type of MMC everyone likes to fawn over...

There's no quiet brooding, no cunning plans masterfully executed, no sauve confidence and posse of loyal followers.

This guy is a prickly, whiny risk-taker who would love to kill you if only someone would teach him how. His bark might be worse than his bite, yet chaos always trails in his wake.

Request an eARC of "Blood of Old" now through the link in my bio!!

🎨 Art by @sophielouisedraws

•
•
• 

#indieauthor #fantasyseries #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #gracebornseries
Z is for Zamkhulis! 👇 We have finally made it to Z is for Zamkhulis! 👇

We have finally made it to the very last post of my A to Z of worldbuilding elements in the #GracebornSeries! I can't believe it's been going for YEARS!

To celebrate, I thought I'd talk about...celebrations. There are two main celebrations that mark the calendar in the world of Graceborn:

🎉 Zamkhulis, which occurs at midsummer. The longest day, the shortest night, in the very middle of the year on the full moon of summer’s second lunation. It's a vibrant time for celebrating life and the Maker's blessings.

🎉 Zamtaris, which occurs at midwinter. The shortest day, the longest night, on the full moon of winter's second lunation. It is a quiet, reflective time, marking the end of one year and the beginning of the next.

What is the most interesting type of festival or celebration you've come across in fantasy fiction? 🤔

•
•
•

#worldbuilding #fantasybooks #fantasyseries #fantasyauthor
Guess what I'm working on at the moment! That's r Guess what I'm working on at the moment!

That's right, formatting of the ebook for "Blood of Old" is well underway! I'd originally planned to use Atticus to produce my ebook this time but found it didn't let me get down to the nitty gritty as much as I wanted. So I'm back to using trusty old Calibre. Kindle Previewer is also great for seeing what it will look like on different screens.

In other ebook-related new, eARCs will be going out in only a few short weeks! If you'd like to register for one, head to the link in my bio for more info and to fill out the form. 😊

•
•
•

#bookformatting #ebook #indieauthor #fantasybooks #freebooks

— SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER —

© Copyright 2017-2026 Rebecca Alasdair. All Rights Reserved.