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

    Quarterly wrap: April – June 2021

    Rebecca Alasdair / 30 June 2021 / 7 Comments

    What a hectic few months! It has been a bit of a transitional time for me, meaning I’ve read very little and made little progress on my writing projects, but it’s not all bad news. Come and learn the details of what I’ve been up to in this second quarterly update of 2021!! →

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  • fantasy fridays

    Playing God: Laying down the law for your WIP’s world

    Rebecca Alasdair / 4 June 2021 / 4 Comments

    The law plays an important role in regulating the behaviour and actions of people—and characters—and is therefore an important aspect of world-building . In today’s Playing God post, I explore different types of law, some key considerations, and give a sneak peek at the legal systems in my own fantasy WIP! →

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  • on writing

    How to recharge your writing batteries

    Rebecca Alasdair / 12 May 2021 / 12 Comments

    There comes a time in every writer’s life when their writing batteries are running low and they need to step back and recharge. But that doesn’t mean there’s no solution. Come and check out my methods for boosting my writing energy, and share your own strategies with us!! →

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  • on publishing

    Aussie publishers who accept direct submissions

    Rebecca Alasdair / 23 April 2021 / 6 Comments

    Traditional publishing is generally a long and arduous journey, but here in Australia there are many publishers who accept “unsolicited” manuscripts without them having to come through a literary agent. There are pros and cons to this, but here is a list of a few key publishing houses you can submit directly to!! →

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  • updates

    Quarterly wrap: January – March 2021

    Rebecca Alasdair / 31 March 2021 / 4 Comments

    Welcome to my first quarterly update post of 2021! Over the last three months, I’ve had some exciting life developments, progressed my writing projects, read a total of 15 books (somehow), and more. Come check out all the details and tell me what you’ve been up to!! →

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  • fantasy fridays

    Playing God: Forming government in your fantasy world

    Rebecca Alasdair / 12 March 2021 / 5 Comments

    Government is an integral part of any civilisation, and an element that should not be overlooked when world-building for a fantasy project. In today’s Playing God post, I explore why government is important in a story, some key considerations, and give a sneak peek at the systems in place in my own fantasy WIP! →

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  • goals & reflections

    The year ahead: My goals for 2021

    Rebecca Alasdair / 19 January 2021 / 5 Comments

    The new year might not always bring a fresh start, but it can bring a fresh perspective. My fresh perspective is that, while I have big plans for 2021, I also want to be more flexible and find a better work-life balance. Come and learn how I intend to achieve this and what you can expect from me this year!…

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  • goals & reflections

    2020 in review

    Rebecca Alasdair / 31 December 2020 / 5 Comments

    Well people, we’ve done it! We’ve made it to the end of 2020! In this final blog post for the year, I look back on everything that’s happened in the last 12 months and assess which of my goals I achieved. Come check out all the details and join me in my reflection!! →

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  • updates

    That’s a wrap! December 2020

    Rebecca Alasdair / 30 December 2020 / 5 Comments

    December 2020 has been a month of recovery and reflection, and while my writerly pursuits have taken a back foot, I still read a stack of good books and made the most of the festive season. Come check out all the details and tell me what you’ve been up to!! →

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  • excerpts,  the layers beneath us

    THE LAYERS BENEATH US: NaNoWriMo + snippets + next steps!

    Rebecca Alasdair / 7 December 2020 / 10 Comments

    One week on, I am still super excited to announce that I WON NANOWRIMO 2020! To learn more about how November unfolded for me, read a few juicy snippets from my book, and find out where I’m going from here, come and check out this post! →

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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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