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

    MONTHLY UPDATE: July 2018

    Rebecca Alasdair / 31 July 2018 / No Comments

    July 2018 has been a blast! Not particularly productive on the writing front, but that was a price I was willing to pay. Find out what I have been up to, what I read, and what bookish quote I loved the most in this month's update post! >>

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  • updates

    MONTHLY UPDATE: June 2018

    Rebecca Alasdair / 30 June 2018 / No Comments

    June 2018 has been exam month, so a large proportion of the last few weeks has been focused on study...though I did console myself by reading eight books! Find out what I read, what progress I made with my writing, and much more in June's monthly update post! >>

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  • graceborn,  on writing

    How to make character portraits with Rinmaru Games

    Rebecca Alasdair / 20 June 2018 / No Comments

    Unlike some very fortunate writers, I am NOT also a drawer. This has been a cause for frustration when it comes to sketching my characters, but I have FINALLY found a way to bring my brain children to life! In this post, learn how to create anime portraits of your characters with Rinmaru Games. >>

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  • updates

    MONTHLY UPDATE: May 2018

    Rebecca Alasdair / 30 May 2018 / No Comments

    May 2018 has passed in a blur of university reports, crises at work, and increasingly chilly weather. As a result, motivation levels have been low and fatigue levels high...but I've still managed to read and write and blog and do all sorts of other things. Find out more here! >>

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  • updates

    MONTHLY UPDATE: April 2018

    Rebecca Alasdair / 30 April 2018 / No Comments

    The third Update's a charm! Find out what I've been up to during the 30 days of April, where I'm at with my WIPs, what great books I've read, and which was my favourite quote of this month. >>

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  • on writing

    Those Who Chose To Serve: A poem for ANZAC Day

    Rebecca Alasdair / 25 April 2018 / No Comments

    This poem is written in honour of all Australian soldiers, both past and present, who have served on operations overseas. Adapted from my 2016 poem Leave None Behind for ANZAC Day 2018. >>

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  • on reading,  on writing

    Exploring mental illness in YA literature

    Rebecca Alasdair / 18 April 2018 / No Comments

    Mental illness is one of the most pressing health concerns of the modern age, and YA literature has a role to play in opening up the conversation on this long-tabooed subject. Here I discuss some of the things to remember when writing about mental illness, and what YA books are currently out there. >>

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  • on writing

    The delicate art of naming characters

    Rebecca Alasdair / 4 April 2018 / No Comments

    Choosing names for our characters is no easy task. We want them to be memorable, meaningful, and representative of the story we're trying to tell. Here, I share how I name my characters, and some of the tips and tricks I've picked up during my writing journey. >>

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  • updates

    MONTHLY UPDATE: March 2018

    Rebecca Alasdair / 30 March 2018 / No Comments

    Monthly Update Take #2! Find out what I've been up to these last 4.5 weeks, where I'm at with my WIPs and what great books I've read. Also introducing a special new segment my fellow bookworms might enjoy... >>

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  • on writing

    10 things to do after you finish writing your novel

    Rebecca Alasdair / 22 March 2018 / No Comments

    You know that kind of lost feeling you get when you finish writing a novel? That weird sensation of not knowing what to do with yourself? Well, here are 10 of my favourite things to do after I put my pen down, and before I move onto my next WIP! >>

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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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