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Rebecca Alasdair
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    • GRACEBORN (SERIES)
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  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • BOOKS
    • HOLDING UP THE SKY
    • GRACEBORN (SERIES)
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • holding up the sky

    A call for beta readers!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 25 February 2019 / No Comments

    **NOW CLOSED** I am OFFICIALLY looking for beta readers! Set in Melbourne, Australia, “Holding Up the Sky” is an 84,000 word contemporary YA novel about love, loss and the dangers of not being true to yourself. Keep reading for details on how to apply! →

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  • fantasy fridays

    How to make a fantasy city map with Illustrator

    Rebecca Alasdair / 8 February 2019 / No Comments

    Drawing maps is a key part of many fantasy writers’ process, but it can be hard to find the right program to get your ideas down on paper. I recently created a city map using Adobe Illustrator, and wish to share how you can too. →

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  • fantasy fridays

    Playing God: Incorporating religion into your fantasy world

    Rebecca Alasdair / 25 January 2019 / No Comments

    Religion plays an integral role in shaping history and society, and is therefore an essential consideration when it comes to world-building for a fantasy novel. In this Playing God post, I explore the key types of belief system, some interesting religious themes, and give a sneak peek at the religion in my own WIP! →

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  • excerpts,  goals & reflections,  holding up the sky

    Holding Up the Sky: NaNoWriMo + snippets + plans!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 5 December 2018 / No Comments

    Did you participate in NaNoWriMo in 2018? I did, and I finished the 3rd draft of my WIP Holding Up the Sky!! Learn more about how NaNo unfolded for me, read some celebratory snippets, and find out what my plans are next! >>

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  • fantasy fridays

    Playing God: Understanding your WIP’s world cosmology

    Rebecca Alasdair / 23 November 2018 / No Comments

    In today's Playing God post, we go back to basics and take a look at world cosmology: what it is, what types there are, and why it is important to consider when writing in the fantasy genre. Includes a quick peak at the cosmology in my WIP—and I'd love to hear about yours! >>

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  • fantasy fridays

    How to make a fantasy map with GIMP

    Rebecca Alasdair / 16 November 2018 / No Comments

    At the end of September, I put up online a map I had created for my WIP fantasy series Graceborn. I was touched by everyone's enthusiasm and I received a LOAD of questions about how I made it. So here it is—the post I promised on how to make a fantasy map using GIMP!! >>

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  • about me,  on writing,  tags and top posts

    The Writers Tag: Let’s connect!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 6 November 2018 / No Comments

    I've been tagged in the Writers Tag by Ari Meghlen and M.L. Davis! Thanks guys! Come join in the fun and learn more about me, my writing journey, and my WIPs. >>

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  • goals & reflections,  on writing

    NaNoWriMo 2018: A different kind of goal

    Rebecca Alasdair / 25 October 2018 / No Comments

    Are you participating in NaNoWriMo in 2018? I am, but I've decided to adjust the rules the suit the fact that, for us Aussie students, November is also EXAM MONTH! Here I reveal my NaNo goal...and I'd love to hear all about yours!! >>

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  • fantasy fridays

    Playing God: Let there be light! // Writing a creation story

    Rebecca Alasdair / 19 October 2018 / No Comments

    Today, we head right back to the beginning and take a look at writing creation stores: what they are, why they're important in high fantasy, and what different types of "creation myth" are out there. Includes a sneak preview at the creation story in my WIP—and I'd love to hear about yours! >>

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  • fantasy fridays

    Playing God: The essential elements of world-building

    Rebecca Alasdair / 21 September 2018 / No Comments

    When it comes to writing a good high fantasy story, there is little more important than having strong world-building to back it up. But what are the essential elements of world-building? Here I go through a list of what I believe to be important...and I'd love to hear what YOU think!! >>

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Welcome! I'm Rebecca Alasdair, an Australian indie author who hoards books, loves dogs and coffee, and has a tendency of staying up all night!

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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
I love these two, and we all have my beta readers I love these two, and we all have my beta readers to thank for this particular exchange 😁

Tora and Kael from the #GracebornSeries are like ice and fire personality-wise, but deep down, where it matters most, they have very similar values. Beta reader feedback on book 1 indicated I needed to flesh out their relationship more, which has led to a new scene featuring my favourite interaction between the two.

I can't wait to see what future readers think of these two! In some ways, they had my betas divided 😂

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#fantasybooks #fantasyseries #epicfantasy #fantasywriter #fantasyauthor #indieauthor #bookquote #bookteaser
Do you want to be the first to see my next piece o Do you want to be the first to see my next piece of character art?

I am so excited to share the incredible job @sophielouisedraws has done to bring a key secondary character from the #GracebornSeries to life! But you'll have to wait a few more weeks 😉

If you want to skip the queue, sign up to my author newsletter (link in bio) before next Tuesday because my subscribers will get an exclusive sneak preview!!

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#characterart #characterartwork #artreveal #indieauthor #fantasyauthor #fantasybooks #fantasyseries #epicfantasy
Do you love a hot mess of an MC who is reckless, i Do you love a hot mess of an MC who is reckless, impulsive, and sometimes (often) outright rude?

Kael, the other MC of the #GracebornSeries, was found abandoned as a 10-year-old kid and adopted by Asa's family. He has some issues, and his walls are sky-high, but once you get through them, he'll kill for you. He'll even die for you.

But will anyone risk everything for him?

🎨 Art by @sophielouisedraws

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#indieauthor #fantasyauthor #fantasybooks #fantasyseries #epicfantasy #characterart #characterartwork #digitalart

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