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Rebecca Alasdair

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Rebecca Alasdair
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  • ABOUT
  • BOOKS
    • HOLDING UP THE SKY
    • GRACEBORN (SERIES)
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  • on writing

    Fitting writing into the work-life balance

    Rebecca Alasdair / 31 October 2017 / No Comments

    One of the questions I’m often asked is where do I find the time to write? I've given this some thought, and now share how I fit writing into my work-life balance. >>

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  • on writing

    How to conquer Evil Incarnate (a.k.a. thesis writing)

    Rebecca Alasdair / 17 October 2017 / No Comments

    Thesis writing is the work of the Devil. But there is a method to the madness, and if you consider it in terms of the story writing process, you may just find a way to conquer Evil Incarante. >>

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  • about me,  on writing

    JOURNEY PART 3: The hand of the gods

    Rebecca Alasdair / 20 September 2017 / No Comments

    Ironic inspiration for an imaginative idea. The story of writing through high school and a five-year-long fantasy project. >>

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  • on writing

    The letter that changed my life

    Rebecca Alasdair / 23 August 2017 / No Comments

    As a ten-year-old writer, I was on the brink of despair. But then I met a woman who completely changed the way I went about writing and, consequently, the course of my life. >>

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  • holding up the sky

    Scattered lies and falling skies

    Rebecca Alasdair / 19 August 2017 / No Comments

    Seventeen-year-old Carter seems to have it all...but appearances can be deceiving. Juggling new responsibilities at school, old troubles at home, and an unexpected friendship that's turning into more, Carter's life is splintering under the strain. >>

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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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