Rebecca Fraser's Blog, page 4

I’m proud to be an ‘Australia Reads’ Ambassador…

Australia Reads is is a unique Australian book industry collaboration (between authors, booksellers, libraries and publishers) born of a common passion for, and mutual interest in, championing reading, promoting the many mental health and lifestyle benefits of reading books, and encouraging the next generation of avid book readers to significantly increase book reading by all Australians – no matter the format they read.

When Australia Reads put a call out for creators to apply to become Ambassadors to join them, I enthusiastically put my expression of interest forward. I couldn’t think of a better mission. So now I’m joining a cast of 300 ambassadors all across Australia to help share and deliver the message that reading rocks, culminating in the tenth annual Australian Reading Hour on Tuesday 14 September 2021.

This year’s theme, Stories that Matter, is set to generate a buzz around how the books we read, and write, and talk about, help shape our sense of identity, belonging and understanding – and why these stories matter so much.

Which book will you be reading on 14th September?
Let me know in the comments

In other literary news, Happy Children’s Book Council of Australia Book Week, everyone! Like last year, book week looks a little different, but there are so many authors, bookstores, and libraries hosting awesome online appearances and readings, everyone across Australia can get involved.

This week I celebrated Book Week by recording two readings for Mornington Primary School as a collaborative effort with members of Peninsula Writers’ Club. This is me getting my cat on for a reading of ‘The Flying Tuxedo Brothers’. I also did a ‘click and collect’ from local independent bookstore legends Farrells Bookshop for some new spring reads I’ve been looking forward to. Happy Book Week, Australia!

With much of Australia in lockdown, there’s never been a better time to pick up a book.
We all need a little escapism right now.
Take care, everyone…and be kind to each other.

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days
Rebecca

The Story Behind the Stories: Inspiration for ‘Coralesque’.

Do you like to know the ‘story behind the story’ when it comes to sources of inspiration for written works? I do—I love when authors include the inspo for their tales in their publications. The story catalysts and accompanying thought processes are often so interestingly abstract!

People often ask me where I get my ideas. Sometimes that’s an easy question to answer…sometimes not so much! Since my short story collection Coralesque and other Tales to Disturb and Distract launched in May this year, the question has come up a lot more frequently.

In fact, the lovely Clare Rhoden recently invited me to be a guest on her fabulous blog, reflecting on what inspires my writing. You can read ‘Ocean Currents: Inspiration by Rebecca Fraser’ here. The interview also includes a bonus—the first chapter of my middle grade fantasy adventure Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean.

In this blog post, I thought I’d share the ‘story behind the story’ of some of the tales in Coralesque. I hope you enjoy learning about some of the weird wells their inspiration was drawn from!

Coralesque

When I was living on the gold Coast, I worked in the real estate industry for some time in an administrative capacity. They were fun, fast times, and everyone knew everyone. One local salesperson lived for surfing, and chased waves all over the world. He once developed a nasty infection from a reef cut while surfing at Sumatra. While he went on to recover well…I went on to write Coralesque. The ocean is an endless source of fascination to me. Many of my stories are set in, or inspired by, what lurks beneath the waves, both seen and unseen.

Don’t Hate Me ‘Cause I’m Beautiful

Story inspiration is a strange beast. I once watched an interview given by Paris Hilton. In response to a question about her polarising popularity, she said, “Don’t hate me ‘cause I’m beautiful.” This odd reply stuck with me, and bubbled away alongside a plot scrap that sought to hold a mirror up to society’s obsession with keeping up with the Joneses. Don’t Hate Me ‘Cause I’m Beautiful was the fun-to-write result. It went on to be published in an issue of Polluto literary journal, sharing page space with the amazing Stephen Graham Jones!

The Pedlar

When I was a little girl, my father introduced me to one of his childhood favourites The Little Round House by Marion St John-Webb. Among the many beautifully-crafted characters that bring The Little Round House to life is a charmingly roguish pedlar. He’s stayed with me all these years and I channelled a little of his energy to shape our ne’er-do-well from The Pedlar, Calypso Reeves.

William’s Mummy

Motherhood can be a complicated, sometimes frightening space, especially for first time mothers. When my son was born, I clearly recall the emotional weight of responsibility and expectation that arrived with him. William’s Mummy was written around that time. Thankfully, my Play Group experience was very different to that of Selena Morris (special shout out to Carrara Funtime)!

Uncle Alec’s Gargoyle

I have great affection for the storytelling style the masters of horror from the turn of the 20th Century delivered with such understated class. Uncle Alec’s Gargoyle is my attempt to pay homage to their style.

Never Falls Far

My parents live in Hobart, and I visit often. There’s an enigmatic, wild and dangerous beauty to Tasmania that makes it such a ‘ripe’ setting for tales of horror. When I visit my parents, we often drive down through the Huon Valley – apple country, rows and rows of apple trees. What makes some grow better than others? Ah, gotcha…

Cycle

Some have called Cycle a feminist poem. Perhaps it is. At the time of writing, I wanted to turn the male-stalks-female trope on its head, and the werewolf mythology felt like a good vehicle to carry it.

Casting Nets

Like many others, I’ve had my eclectic—sometimes wonderful, often bizarre, occasionally downright dangerous—share of flatmates. In my early twenties, I shared an apartment with a man from Mauritius. He was a talented artist, an even more talented alcoholic, and completely insane. He was also a wonderful storyteller, and recounted many tales about his time growing up in Mauritius, and his dabbles in black magic. I never quite knew how much to believe, and how much he embellished, but one particular story always stuck with me. My flatmate swore (not to the gods of his ancestors) that he had paid a woman in a neighbouring village to cast a spell on a stone so he could make himself invisible. He insisted that it worked. But he also insisted I was the reincarnation of the Queen of Sheba, so…

Hermit 2.0

Hermit 2.0 received an Honourable Mention in the Somers Paper Nautilus Writing Competition Short Fiction Category, judged by best-selling Australian author, Garry Disher.The theme for the competition was ‘Shell’ – Hermit 2.0 was my interpretation of the theme. I remember thinking at the time I hit the submit button, someone is either going to think this is very cool, or just to ‘out there.’ Thankfully, it was the former   I do like this little story a lot. It’s essentially a love story.

Clarrie’s Dam

My best mate, Tanya, lives on eight acres in Torbanlea, west of Hervey Bay in Queensland. I don’t get to her place nearly as often as I’d like, but on one particular visit, we sat on the verandah looking out at the new dam her and her husband, Matt, had recently installed. Tanya told me she’d seen a duck disappear below the surface one day. She’d watched, and she’d waited, but it never re-appeared…

The Carol Singer at the Back

When the AHWA put out a call for Christmas-themed flash fiction of exactly 500 words, I was up for the challenge. I love everything about Christmas, but what a manic season it is! Emotions and expectations are heightened.   The pressure to have a good time can stretch one as taut as the skin of a roasting turkey. Christmas delivers a dark side in a beautifully-wrapped box just waiting to be opened.

Peroxide and the Doppelganger

The band name Peroxide and the Regrowths jumped into my head one day, and wouldn’t leave until I wrote it out.

Just another City Night, 2086

As I mentioned earlier, pedlars have always captured my imagination. In this dark little micro offering I introduce a pedlar of a very different kind. I’d been watching a fair bit of cyberpunk at the time, and also writing about a near-future city in a novel I was working on, and a snapshot of two characters—one desperate junkie, one merciless dealer—wanted to star in a little vignette of their own.  

Knock Knock

When I heard the River Red Gums that line the Murray River referred to as ‘widow makers’ (their heavy branches have been known to come down in high winds and flatten campers in tents and swags beneath them), it sewed the seed for this little tale.

In the Middle of the Night

Insomnia sucks. What can I say?

Once Upon a Moonlit Clearing

I have great affection for AntipodeanSF, Australia’s longest running speculative fiction magazine. It’s acted as a publishing platform for many new and established authors thanks to the passion of founder, Ion (Nuke) Newcombe. I’m grateful to have been published in AntiSF multiple times, so when the call came to contribute to the milestone 250th Issue I was delighted to contribute, and this little fantasy offering was the outcome.

The AVM Initiative

Widespread deadly viral infection—it’s a popular horror trope for a reason. It happens. It’s happened before, and, as I write this, it’s happening right now. Mosquitoes, fleas, rats, avian flu, our complete disregard and disrespect for wildlife, water pollution, or…perhaps it will be deliberate. The AVM Initiative seems to be striking a chord with many readers—I dare say they find it all too topical and relevant. It also was selected for a spot in this year’s Microflix Film Festival competition. If any film makers out there want to have a crack at turning The AVM initiative into a three-minute film, I’d be well chuffed!

What the Sheoaks Saw

Big cat sightings across the Mornington Peninsula and other parts of Victoria are oft-reported, giving rise to the legend of the ‘Peninsula Panther’ and similar urban myths in other parts of the state. Records of these sightings can be found in newspaper, radio and television archives, government reports, a very few books,  and—of course—on the internet. More info can be found at http://www.bigcatsvic.com.au/

In the Shadow of Oedipus

This was my very first publication, and I clearly remember the thrill of receiving that first acceptance. While it’s certainly not the best thing I’ve ever written, it holds a happy little place in my heart, and was inspired by my love for unreliable narrators, and the unique relationship between mothers and sons.

So, there you have it—A little story inspo for some of the tales in Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb ad Distract. If you’d like to know the story behind the story of any tales that I didn’t include here, please let me know in the comments, and I’ll be sure to reply.

Thanks for reading!

Happy writing, happy reading, and, of course, happy days

Rebecca

Both Coralesque and other Tales to Disturb and Distract
and
Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean
are available through all your favourite bricks-and-mortar and online bookstores, or you can order in through your local library.

Why I Haven’t Slept Since February (AKA Latest Writing Wrap)

Ok, so perhaps I have slept a few hours here and there, but with all that’s been going on, let’s just say my relationship with coffee has moved to the next level. While the past few months have been fast and furious, I’m pleased to say they’ve also been fruitful and fun. Amid the work-life-family balance there’s been a few literary landmarks to keep my creative compass pointed in the right direction.

Firstly, one of my short stories The AVM Initiative was chosen for the 2021 Microflix Film Awards, where filmmakers are invited to select from a number of texts to adapt into a short film. I would love to see The AVM Initiative (a story written years ago, but now unsettlingly topical), so if you’re a filmmaker up for a cool competition, you can read my entry, along with the other selected texts here.

I was pleased to have my poem Sonnet for a Scarecrow included in the inaugural issue of Curiouser Magazine, a new bi-annual literary journal specialising in speculative prose and poetry.

If you love the fantastical, the horrific, the experimental, and the incantatory, I dare say you’d enjoy Curiouser Magazine. It’s a gorgeous production, and a welcome new addition to the literary landscape.

With the recent release and launch of my short story collection Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract, I’ve been having some fun with the promotional side of writing life.

It was awesome to chat with Colorado-based Jason Henderson for an episode of his Castle of Horror Podcast. You can listen here.

I’ve also been enjoying a blitz of blog touring and was fortunate to be hosted by the lovely Nikky Lee. You can read her “10 Questions With Rebecca Fraser” post here.

Thanks also go to the lovely Maureen Flynn who welcomed me to her blog with an interview that covers everything from story inspiration, writing styles, to what’s next on the writing horizon. you can read it here.

I also featured on Don Anelli’s totally awesome series showcasing Women in Horror for Don’s World of Exploitation and Horror. You’ll find that interview here.

Thanks to all for your time and great questions!

It was a pleasure to attend the Launch of ‘Stories at the End of the Line’, a project driven by Frankston Arts Centre during Melbourne’s ‘pandemic lockdown year’. This community anthology is a little piece of history! Contributions range from raw accounts of ‘life in lockdown’, to wry observations, fictional fantasies, lyrical laments, and narratives filled with heart, humanity, hope, and humour. I was pleased my poem The Butterfly Effect made the cut. I thought it might have been a little too dark…but hey, they were dark times!

With some of the members of Peninsula Writers’ Club who also contributed to the anthology.

‘Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies’ is now officially launched!

This anthology published by IFWG Publishing Australia, and edited by the multi-award-winning Deb Sheldon, contains some of the darkest Australian fiction from a superb line-up of authors.

I’m very proud to have my gothic psychological horror story Beneath the Cliffs of Darknoon Bay included in the table of contents. If you like your reads visceral, frightening, and unforgettable….this anthology is for you!

As part of the promotions, I contributed to a series of author interviews exploring the inspiration behind each story for Ginger Nuts of Horror. You can read all about the story behind my story here.

The next Little Stories, Big Ideas competition is now in full swing!

Secondary school students across Australia are invited to interpret this term’s theme ‘Acceptance’ in any literary style they like….in under 100-words! Entry is free, and there are some terrific prizes to be won!

Little Stories, Big Ideas is a collaborative project between me and founder and fellow friend and author, Joe Novella. It is our shared vision the competition will become a popular platform for today’s youth to express their literary voices, using contemporary issues and themes as a springboard to allow their imagination to leap in any direction it chooses. We believe kids have a lot to say about the world they live in, and we aim to celebrate, share and support the voice of Generation Next through micro fiction.

If you have a budding young writer in high school, why not encourage them to enter? You’ll find all the details here.

And last, but not least, my debut short story collection Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract (IWG Publishing Australia) is now officially lurking in your favourite physical and online bookstores!

I’ve been genuinely overwhelmed by the positive reviews that have been coming in from respected genre publications and peers. I couldn’t be happier my stories are disturbing and distracting people in the best possible way. Here’s a little snapshot:

Darkness invades the everyday in a stunning set of short stories. Clare Rhoden, Aurealis Magazine.

What Fraser’s writing does brilliantly is pull you right into memories and experiences that are not your own, with scenes so richly detailed that you can almost feel the sand between your toes, the pull of the tide at your heels. Ben Walker, Kendall Reviews.

This collection has so many good stories in its pages. I want to write this review about all of them. Lizzy Walker, The Monster Librarian.

A good author can write twenty five completely different stories and yet keep their style impact. Rebecca Fraser has done just that in Coralesque. This is my first time reading her work and I am honestly in love. Chelsea Pittman, Horrorbound.

All in all, a fine collection by a talented writer. Mario Guslandi, SF Book Reviews.

I’ve also recently completed a middle grade novel, Sea Glass. Amazingly, for me, there’s not a speculative element in sight. Sea Glass is a contemporary, emotionally-rewarding Australian story that explores the relationship between cricket-mad Cailin and her estranged grandfather and how, despite difference and disaster, they reconnect over a shared enthusiasm for sea glass. I’m hopeful it will find a good home in the near future.

That’s all from me for now. Pass the coffee!

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days…

Rebecca

Huzzah! Two Books Are Launched…

Last Saturday at Frankston Library my short story collection Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract was officially launched alongside friend and fellow IFWG Publishing Australia author, Kathryn Hore’s suspense thriller, The Wildcard.

It was such a fun afternoon, filled with family, friends, and well wishers. There were themed cupcakes, plenty of bubbles, book sales and signings. We kicked off with an ‘in conversation’ FRANKTalk, followed by speeches, a reading, and general merriment.

There’s a lot of people to thank when you bring a book baby into the world, so I’m posting a copy of my speech here to leave a cyber footprint of my gratitude

I ’d like to give special thanks to Marnie and the team at Frankston Library. Marnie has one of the best jobs in the world, I reckon – interviewing authors for her FRANKTalk series of interviews and she has the versatility to make everyone feel comfortable – from writers like Kate and myself to the likes of  Sir General Peter Cosgrove.

While I write across several genres, this collection represents what I love best: dark, speculative fiction that unsettles and unnerves. The stories in Coralesque have been distilled from a period spanning approximately a decade, and represent a range of styles and sub genres. I feel most ‘myself’ writing the types of stories I love to read, so I hope you enjoy reading them too.

It takes a village to raise a child, and it certainly takes a good team to bring a book baby into the world. To this end, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Gerry Huntman for adding Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract to IFWG Publishing’s distinguished list of titles. While IFWG publish speculative and children’s literature for wide-ranging readerships, Gerry is one of the industry’s champions when it comes to supporting and representing Antipodean women in horror.

Naturally, my thanks and gratitude extend to the whole production team at IFWG Publishing, including my copy editor, Noel Osualdini (a talented author of dark fiction in his own right) whose thoughtful suggestions and eagle-eyed professionalism tightened screws to deliver an extra layer of polish to Coralesque. If you like your tales dark and weird – and I hope you do – you simply must check out Noel’s collection Train Wreck and other Stories, a superbly-crafted volume released by another fabulous Australian press, Things in the Well.

And to Steven Paulsen—that gifted gentleman of horror—thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous introduction to this collection. I am so incredibly humbled and honoured by your gracious and perceptive words. When I first read Steven’s introduction, I had mixed emotions: overwhelming gratitude closely followed by the realisation that Steve’s intro may well be the best writing in the book! No seriously, it actually is! Steve is also published through IFWG, and his Shadows Award winning collection “Shadows on the Wall” deserves a special place on every discerning bookcase.

To my friends and family, and my various dear writing communities – many of you are here today, who encourage and support me, I thank you too. Your contributions are as varied as they are valued.

To Kate, who I am so honoured to stand beside. You’re a great friend and such a talented author. Congratulations! I’m loving The Wildcard, and I can’t wait to read your next one…and your next one. Watch this girl, everyone! She’s destined for literary greatness. And she’s worked damned hard for it.

To Thomas and Steve. The unsung heroes of my writing life. Always there in so many ways – giving me time to write, even when I disappear for days at a time to focus on projects. Bringing me coffee…and wine. Cheering me on for the smallest of successes, and casting darkest aspersion on the countless rejection letters. Not just following my dreams, but believing in them. Believing in me. Steve actually asked me the other week. “When are you going to dedicate a book to me?” (Curtis Creed was dedicated to Thomas, and this one to my parents). The next one is for you, Steve. It needs to be a robust and multi-layered book to be worthy of your dedication, and I truly believe my current project can live up. I don’t want to do a David Rose and Patrick on you, but “you’re simply the best.”

Finally, you may have noticed this book is dedicated to my parents, who are here today as well, from Tasmania. To Mum and Dad, I could write a whole other book celebrating my gratitude for you, and the many ways you’ve helped me succeed in life. Instead, I’ll simply say my biggest thanks go to you – as I say in my dedication –  for absolutely everything.

Big thanks also go to Kathryn’s husband Mark for photographing the launch. I’ve included some highlights in this blog.

And of course, a big thank you to everyone who came to the launch, has purchased Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract, helped spread the word, or taken the time to leave a review. I greatly appreciate your support!

You can now find ‘Coralesque’ in a bookstore near you, sitting between Raymond A Feist and Neil Gaiman, if you don’t hardly mind!
Also available through your favourite online bookstores and retailers.

Until next time,

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days…
Rebecca

The Latest Dirt from the Writing Trenches…

This post is a little delayed due to the ‘Great Aussie Facebook Ban Kerfuffle’, but In Melbourne, Stage 4 Lockdown 3.0 is done and dusted. This time it didn’t feel too bad, I mean five days is nothing when you’re the undisputed lockdown champions of the world. Victoria has trained hard for this!

In between the home school shuffle, I had time to focus on the business side of #writinglife and took stock of where I’d been, and where I was going over the next few months.

Here’s a little overview of where I’ve been, with the latest publication news:

My short story Floor was picked up by Pendulum Papers for their February issue. It’s short and it’s brutal, and you can read it here.I was interviewed by Lee Murray, guest editor of Midnight Echo Issue #15. Lee asks the coolest questions about my included poem Keep Walking , among other topics such as the Reader’s Marie Kondo Challenge (Nooooo!) You can read my answers here.Speaking of interviews (and Lockdown), my friend and fellow author, Andrea Rowe put together a fabulous blog series called Coronatude: Chats with Strong Folk Doing Good Things while Melbourne was in the depths of its Stage 4 Lockdown 2.0 in 2020. It’s nice to think I may have contributed to the collective wellbeing of the community in some small way. If you’d like to know a little more about my life in lockdown (including the surprising thing that made me cry), you can read it here.Publication-wise, I was happy to have my short story Don’t Hate Me ‘Cause I’m Beautiful reprinted in The Were-Traveler’s themed issue: Women Destroy (Retro) Science Fiction. You can read my dark little tale about a robotic femme fatale for free here. My poem Serpentine appeared in Issue 4/Spring 2021 of Canadian speculative fiction journal Hexagon. The cover art for this issue is gorgeous! You’ll be able to read Serpentine for free here, from March 1. I also received my first review for my forthcoming short story collection Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract …and I couldn’t have been happier. Sending your work out for review can be daunting (okay, downright terrifying), so I was thrilled when Lizzy Walker at Monster Librarian closed her review, saying: “This collection makes me want to pick up more work by Fraser. There are so many stories that are short, yet provide some spine tingling, thought-provoking horror. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to read international horror.”      You can read Lizzy’s full review here.If that makes you want to pick up more of my work, pre-orders for Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract are still open until March 2015, with an official release date of April 15. You can pre-order here. Launch details coming soon!

Well, that’s all from the writing trenches for now. I’m concentrating on bigger projects this year, with a goal of two novel-length works completed to first draft stage. Unless the muse really bosses me around, my focus will be off short stories for a little while, but I do have a few contracted tales slated for publication later this year, so watch this space.

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days.

Rebecca

Exciting News! A LITTLE STORY about a BIG IDEA for a new creative writing competition for Australia’s youth…

Anyone who knows me, knows I’m a staunch advocate for inspiring and elevating the literary voices of young writers. When my friend, Joe Novella (the ultimate ‘ideas man’), approached me with an awesome new concept he was eager to evolve, I enthusiastically accepted his invitation to be involved.

The result, Little Stories, Big Ideas, a creative writing competition for aspiring young authors, is something we’re both incredibly excited about, and proud of!

Entries are open NOW for Term 1, with the theme of ‘2050’. you’ll find all the details on the website or check out the copy from the press release below.

Please share with your networks, schools, and libraries….and of course any kids who might like to flex their creative muscles with the opportunity to win some cool prizes!

PRESS RELEASE
A new writing competition is set to stir the imagination of budding young writers between the ages of 12-18 years, with the launch of Little Stories, Big Ideas, a quarterly micro fiction challenge where entrants write stories in 100-words or less, against themes topical and relevant to today’s youth.

Little Stories, Big Ideas is the brainchild of local author, Joe Novella, a keen advocate for the creative expression of young adults. As founder of the international Write From the Heart microfiction competition, Joe knows the formula for Little Stories, Big Ideas will be well received by kids, parents, and the secondary school community. “Australia has a wealth of talented kids of every ability, background, and demographic, who have strong opinions on the things that matter to them,” says Joe. “Little Stories, Big Ideas is the ideal platform for them to creatively explore and interpret important issues.”

Joe has partnered with local author and StoryCraft Creative Writing Workshop facilitator, Rebecca Fraser, to help deliver Little Stories, Big Ideas to the Mornington Peninsula and beyond. “I was thrilled when Joe approached me with his vision,” says Rebecca. “I work with many aspiring authors in this age range, and I’m continually impressed by their enthusiasm for new ways to approach writing. Little Stories, Big Ideas gives them the opportunity to flex their writing muscles and have their say, along with the chance to win some terrific prizes.”

Little Stories…big prizes!

To encourage participation and add to the competitive spirit, there are some terrific prizes on offer for winners and runners-up, donated by local businesses and organisations. “We’ve been blown away by their generosity,” says Joe. “Already, we’re able to offer $100 as part of the first prize, along with a fantastic prize pool offering memberships, gift vouchers, products, and services. We’re so appreciative of the community’s support of Little Stories, Big Ideas.”

Joe and Rebecca have officially launched Little Stories, Big Ideas for Term 1, with free submission and complete guidelines via their website. The competition will run four times per year to coincide with the school calendar. “Rebecca and I both believe kids have a lot to say about the world in which they live,” says Joe. “With Little Stories, Big Ideas we hope to inspire and encourage the next generation of storytellers.”

For more information about Little Stories, Big Ideas, visit www.littlestoriesbigideas.com.au

Thanks for your support, everyone.
Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days
Rebecca

‘Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract’ now available for preorders

Hello friends

I’m delighted to announce that my publisher IFWG Publishing Australia has pulled the trigger on preorders for my forthcoming collection of dark and weird tales, Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract.

Coraelsque is being officially released worldwide on 15th April, 2011, but preorders are open for paperback copies here,

eBook preorders will be facilitated by the various and usual online ebook stores, so if that’s your preferred format, simply head to your favourite digital bookseller.

While I write across several genres, this collection represents what I love best: dark, speculative fiction that unsettles and unnerves. The stories (and a smattering of poetry) in Coralesque have been distilled from a period spanning approximately a decade, and represent a range of styles and sub genres. I feel most ‘myself’ writing the types of stories I love to read, so I hope you enjoy reading them too.


Here’s what you can expect…

A surfer who becomes horrifyingly one with the sea. A new mother’s devastating search for belonging.  A stone gargoyle with a violent history.  A fisher boy who discovers the real cost of forbidden love. A farmer whose delight at drought-breaking rain quickly turns to terror. A hedonistic rock star who manifests double trouble. A young girls’ chilling quest for justice. A dirty ex-cop with a dirtier secret. An unscrupulous mayor’s solution to rid her city of the homeless …

These are just some of the characters you’ll meet in Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract, a collection of dark offerings comprising short stories alongside a smattering of flash and poetry.

Introduced by multi-award-winning author, Steven Paulsen, Rebecca Fraser’s collection brings together an eclectic mix of new work, along with previously published, award-nominated, and prize-winning fiction, embracing a diversity of styles from gothic to cyberpunk, to contemporary horror, fantasy, dystopia…and every dark cranny in between.

From the harsh terrain of the Outback, to the depths of the Pacific Ocean, the wilds of Tasmania,  dystopian futures, enchanted lands, and the familiarity of suburbia, Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract takes readers on a journey into unsettling, unforgiving, and unforgettable territory.

Thank you for your support. I hope the tales in Coralesque distract you in the best possible way!




Happy writing, happy reading and, as always, happy days.

Rebecca x

What I Read in 2020…

Do you keep a list of the books you’ve read each year? I started recording my thoughts on my annual reads some years ago, and at the start of every January I give a wrap of books I read in the previous year. Some years the list is extensive; other years embarrassingly short.

2020’s reading list of twenty-two books falls way short of what I would have liked to have read, especially as I spent so many months in Stage 4 lockdown in Melbourne. You’d think that would give me all the time in the world to kick back with unlimited books, but it simply wasn’t the case for this iso-bookworm. My reading mojo actually abandoned me for a while (I know, right?!), and I frequently found myself reading a page or two, then simply staring off into space, before re-reading the same page again.

Coronavirus aside, I still managed to do some kick ass reading. Earlier in the year I served on the judging panel for the Rocky Wood Award for Non Fiction and Criticism for the Australian Shadows Awards, and was privileged to read many outstanding essays, articles, and creative non-fiction showcasing horror and dark fiction from the finest writers in the Antipodes. You can view the results of the 2019 Shadows Awards here.

2020’s fiction list is made up of 73% female writers / 27% male (in the case of anthologies I have used the editor/s), with fourteen of the twenty-six penned by Australian authors.

Naturally, some titles gripped me more than others. My standout reads for the year were: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, and The Little Wave by Pip Harry. I don’t call myself a reviewer, as I can’t bring myself to say something negative about another’s work in a public domain, whether it is deserved critique or not. Besides, there are plenty more qualified than me to offer balanced reviews, so the following thoughts are merely my indulgent observations.  

The Institute by Stephen King

I adore Stephen King. I’ve adored him since my early teens, when I first picked up a copy of Graveyard Shift. Since then I’ve read pretty much everything he’s written. When you spend so long as King’s ‘constant reader’, you get to know his style intimately. I have to say, The Institute felt like a bit of a lazy offering. The layered shades of ‘vintage King’ characterisation were lacking, and  we’re asked to cheer and fear for a bunch of kids who…well…just don’t act like kids! That (and plot holes galore) aside, it was still a page turner with an interesting setup, and I’m glad The Institute was the book to kickstart my 2020.  (You will never hear me speak ill of The King!)

George’s Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl

My son has severe dyslexia. For him, reading and comprehension of what he’s read is a real chore, so we do it together. Our ‘go to’ guy is Roald Dahl. We laugh at the silly characters, and outlandish plots, and particularly enjoy Quentin Blake’s illustrations. In George’s Marvelous Medicinewe both loved the hilarious Grandma – she is one fabulously  nasty pastie!

Evil Eye by Joyce Carol Oates

Four novellas depicting love gone wrong. Each story presents deeply flawed characters navigating deeply flawed relationships…mostly culminating in terrible consequences. JCO really is masterful when it comes to nailing the ills of contemporary society. These stories reflect her diversity of style, and ability to say so much in so few words. Some carry more of a punch than others, as is the case with collections.

Begin. End. Begin – A #LoveOzYA Anthology

Edited by Danielle Binks, this is a great collection of stories showcasing some of the ‘names’ of contemporary Australian young adult fiction. I was pleasantly surprised the bulk of stories fell under the mantle of speculative fiction—just another reason to love YA, it cheerfully plays well across genre. Some terrific examples of strong voices to be found in Begin. End. Begin. I particularly enjoyed Alice Pung’s In a Heartbeat, and Danielle Binks’ own offering Last Night at the Mount Solemn Observatory had me smiling with the inclusion of the Tree of Life sculpture, a well-known landmark to anyone who travels the Peninsula Link regularly.

Theodora’s Gift by Ursula Dubosarsky

I love Ursula Dubosarsky’s beautiful prose and storytelling. If you’re a writer of literature for children, put her on your list. Her elegant prose, imagery, and symbolism is a welcome change of pace for kids seeking thoughtful stories underpinned by complex and diverse characters. Theodora’s Gift is a pretty weird offering though, and I was left a little confused as to what happened and why. It’s a sequel to The First Book of Samuel, which I haven’t read, so perhaps that’s what’s lacking for me contextually. Even so, a quick read, worth picking up for Dubosarsky’s beautiful way with words.

Burning Love and Bleeding Hearts – Anthology (Things in the Well Publications, Edited by Louise Zedda-Sampson and Chris Mason)

This robust collection of sixty ‘dark and dangerous tales’ ranges from hard hitting works of flash fiction, through to well-crafted story length works, complemented by a smattering of poetry.  With a lineup of authors as diverse as the contents, you’ll find genre heavyweights mixing it up with new and emerging authors, resulting in a pleasing mix of diversity, style, and interpretation of the theme. Editors, Louise Zedda-Sampson and Chris Mason, demonstrate their agility and proficiency in Burning Love and Bleeding Hearts – the anthology was produced as a fundraiser for victims of Australia’s bushfire crisis, and with a tight production schedule, they’ve managed to  produce a quality antho that’s raised over $2,000 and counting. (Disclaimer: I have a story Hermit 2.0 included in this anthology).

Drive, She Said by Tracie McBride(IFWG Publishing Australia)

Tracie is one heck of a polished writer, and Drive, She Said showcases her ability to direct that into dark fiction that explores the human condition admirably. This collection of eighteen short stories feature females as protagonists, in every shape and form, and every shade of grey. Among other strengths, what I liked most about this collection is Tracie’s fearless approach to writing about sex and sexuality—how it can weaken or empower—and the impact of desire upon character motivations. Favourites for me were ‘The Changing Tree’ and ‘Father Figure’.

One of Us is lying by Karen McManus(Delacorte Press)

What fun this turned out to be in the middle of coronavirus. I totally binge-read this book! Described as The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, I was expecting to be underwhelmed – not because of the description, just, well, there’s many ways it could go wrong. McManus takes the reader on a high school thriller, murder mystery, high drama, high stakes romp. The suspects being four high school kids (you know these kids. You’ve got your princess, nerd, junior crim, jock, and misfit), the setting, a detention room (right?), the victim, an unlikeable fellow student. Look, it’s tropey as all get out, I picked two of the plot twists earlier than I would have liked, and a little cutesy-cheesy in the romance stakes, but it’s good contemporary fun with well-rounded character arcs, and a teenage dirtbag or two on top.

Breaking News! Cover Reveal For My Short Story Collection…

I’m ridiculously excited to reveal the cover of my forthcoming short story collection to the world.

Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract is scheduled for worldwide release on 15th April 2021 through IFWG Publishing Australia. The book has been going through the production process over the last few months, and the cover art has just been finalised.

I couldn’t be happier with artist Greg Chapman’s design and execution of the cover, which ties in well with not only the title story, but provides a fitting sense of foreboding for the other tales contained within its dark and weird pages.

Ta da! Here it is:

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Isn’t she a ripper?

September turned out to be a Horror-bly good month!

I’ll admit I’ve been feeling a little down on myself of late. Despite seemingly having all the time in the world due to Stage Four restrictions in Melbourne, I haven’t written any new words for weeks now. Covid and me…let’s just say we’re not creatively compatible!

This month, however, I had three pieces of wonderful genre-related writing news land in my inbox, and it’s been a terrific boost to morale.

My poem ‘Keep Walking’ was accepted for publication in Issue 15 of Midnight Echo (released by AHWA). This issue, due for release in November, is guest-edited by multi-award-winning Lee Murray, and I’m sharing the table of contents with some wonderfully talented dark scribes from Australia and New Zealand.

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I also learned I’d been awarded a 2020 Ladies of Horror Fiction Writers Grant. My heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the generous sponsors and donors who have contributed to funding this year’s grants. Thank you for helping to celebrate and elevate women in horror. This was the second year LOHF have been running their international grant program, and they were able to offer ten grants this year, which demonstrates how well received and supported the initiative has been.

And finally, my story ‘Beneath the Cliffs of Darknoon Bay’ was selected to appear in Spawn: Weird Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies. My ambiguously unsettling gothic tale is set in 1836 in the Furneaux Island group at the height of Australia’s sealing industry. It will share pages with an amazing line-up of authors I’ve admired and respected for years. There was much Kermit arm flailing attached to this acceptance!  Look out for this anthology next year from IFWG Publishing (Australia). Edited by award-winning Australian author, Deborah Sheldon, it’s going to be quite the read!

I hope you’ve all had some good news come your way recently too, no matter what shape or form it takes. It’s the little rays of light that help chase away shadows.  Take care, everyone.

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days.

Rebecca