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Rebecca Alasdair
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  • ABOUT
  • BOOKS
    • HOLDING UP THE SKY
    • GRACEBORN (SERIES)
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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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  • goals & reflections

    A new chapter begins: Plans for 2023

    Rebecca Alasdair / 26 January 2023 / 11 Comments

    Happy New Year everyone!! 2023 marks the beginning of a new chapter as I start the year as a published author for the first time. Come and see what I have planned over the next 12 months and where I’ll be focusing my efforts for this next phase of my writing journey. →

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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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  • holding up the sky,  on publishing

    My first book is now out in the world!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 2 November 2022 / 12 Comments

    The day has finally come! My debut novel, Holding Up the Sky, releases today and I’m officially a published author. Come and see some pretty pictures of the new book and learn more about the journey I’ve taken to get it from that first idea to something we can all hold in our hands!! →

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  • updates

    Quarterly wrap: July – September 2022

    Rebecca Alasdair / 30 September 2022 / 2 Comments

    Wow, is it that time again already? My life has been crazy-busy these last three months as I threw myself into my various writing projects and slowly started venturing back into the Outside World. You can now read all about it in my third quarterly wrap of 2022!! →

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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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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...

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#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!!

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#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

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#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 

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#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 😊

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#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

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#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? 🤔

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#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. 😊

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#bookformatting #ebook #indieauthor #fantasybooks #freebooks

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