Rebecca Fraser's Blog, page 6

Ever feel like a duck on a pond? 2019 was my ‘Duck on a Pond’ year…

This year I feel like I’ve been the proverbial duck on the pond. On the surface everything has looked pretty calm, but beneath the water my feet have been churning a mile a minute. Like many people, as another a year draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on my output and achievements and weighing up if they match the vision I held at the start of the year.

While at times I’ve felt I haven’t been doing much in the way of personal or professional development, perhaps the surface-level static belies the legwork beneath. 2019 might not have been the greatest when it comes to tangible ‘writerly wins’, but success comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s the time you invest back into yourself, your craft, and your networks that can pay dividends downstream. That’s why I’m calling 2019 my ‘Duck on a Pond’ year.

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‘Beautiful Pond’ by Ayla Bouvette

I went through my diary this week and it seems, in spite of my inner critic telling me otherwise, I’ve actually been up to duckloads! If you’re reflecting on your 2019 and feel you haven’t met your own standards, chances are you’ve possibly (if you’re anything like

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Jasper and Darcy (aka The Damn Cats)

me) set yourself a nigh impossible target of productivity and achievement while trying to juggle a semblance of work-life-family balance … and feed the damn cats!

Keep on ducking, and don’t be so hard on yourself. Writing can already be an emotionally tough gig, without the stress of meeting your own high standards. Whatever you’ve done this year, it is enough. And so are you

New Book Contract Signed with IFWG Publishing Australia

Apart from reading short fiction, writing it is one of my greatest joys. For the most part, I write the sort of stories I love to read: Twisty speculative tales that leave the reader feeling enchanted or unsettled. Weird fiction that transcends and overlaps genre. Darkly fantastic tales that explore ‘what if’ scenarios, and stories forged from disturbia, that make you want to look over your shoulder or under your bed.

It therefore gives me great delight to announce I’ve signed a contract with IFWG Publishing Australia to publish a collection of my short fiction and poetry. Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract will be hitting all good physical and digital bookstores in late 2020.[image error]

IFWG Publishing Australia specialises in speculative fiction (sci fi, fantasy, horror, and all the glorious sub genres in between) along with children’s titles through to young adult novels. IFWG published my junior teen fantasy adventure Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean last year, and I’m very happy to be back among their wonderful catalogue of award-winning titles and authors.

One of those award-winning authors, Steven Paulsen, whose fabulous Shadows on the Wall won the Australian Shadows Award for best horror collection last year, will be introducing my collection, and I’m very grateful for his generous support.

I’ll keep you all posted on news about Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract as the production process unfolds. In the meantime, here’s the blurb to give you a taste of what’s inside:

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 robotic housemaid with a sinister agenda. A dirty ex-cop with a dirtier secret. An unscrupulous mayor’s solution to rid his 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 her original and 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

 

I’ll keep you all posted! In the meantime: Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days.

Rebecca

‘Beautiful Storm’ is beautifully launched…

On Sunday I had the real pleasure of attending the launch of ‘Beautiful Storm’, a coffee table book capturing the art in nature’s fury, by celebrated Mornington Peninsula-based photographer, Yanni Dellaportas.

‘Beautiful Storm’ is filled with an exclusive collection of breathtaking weather photography; the mesmerising images bringing the viewer directly into the eye of the storm.

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Some time ago, Yanni put the call out to the Mornington Peninsula literary community to submit poems to compliment the stunning images.  I was thrilled to have one of my poems Storm Song selected to share the glossy pages with other evocative works from emerging and established poets and authors. The result is a beautifully-produced coffee table-style book, and a triumph of visual storytelling.

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Yanni Dellaportas signing my copy of ‘Beautiful Storm’

My heartiest congratulations to Yanni – the man behind the lens, and the passion behind the idea – ‘Beautiful Storm’ is a real gift to the world, and I’m very proud to be a part of it. It’s not every day you get to see your work appear in a coffee table book!

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With good friend and President of Peninsula Writers’ Club, Andrea Rowe.

You can get your own copy of ‘Beautiful Storm’ from Farrell’s Bookshop and Antipodes Bookstore and Gallery. With Christmas just around the corner, they make beautiful gifts, and all profits are being donated to ongoing cancer research.

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days.

My poem ‘Local Knowledge’ selected for Midnight Echo Issue 14

Last month I was thrilled to learn my poem Local Knowledge had been selected by multi award-winning guest editor, Deb Sheldon, to appear in Issue 14 of Midnight Echo.

The theme for Issue 14 is “things are not as they seem.” Deb interviewed me about the  the inspirational bedrock for Local Knowledge, so I’ll post the link to the interview once it’s released.



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I’m very pleased my poem has found such a respectable home, and I’m sharing the table of contents with authors I admire and respect. The full lineup is here:

– The Grey Witch by Chris Mason (short story)

– Local Knowledge by Rebecca Fraser (poem)

– Heartbeat by Liz Simrajh (short story)

– Death is an Empty Mirror by Erol Engin (short story)

– Alive! by Gregory Long (flash)

– Sea of Blood by Brian M. Quinn (artwork)

– Keep Them Close by Renee De Visser (AHWA Short Story Competition winner 2018)

– The Nymph by Hari Navarro (AHWA Flash Fiction Competition winner 2018)

– Cymon by Denny E. Marshall (artwork)

– The Wind Chimes by Ian J. Middleton (flash)

– A Tale of the Ainu by Robyn O’Sullivan (short story)

– Red-Eye by Tabatha Wood (short story)

– The Netherwhere Line by Matthew Morrison (novelette)

The awesome cover art and design is by Greg Chapman

Midnight Echo Issue 14, the magazine of the Australasian Horror Writers Association,  will be published later this year, so brace yourself for some of the best in genre from writers from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands.

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days

Drabble Dabbles – Micro Words, Macro Fun!

I’ve had a lot of fun dabbling in drabbles recently. For those unfamiliar with the term, a drabble  is a story told in exactly 100 words.  No more, no less! Sounds simple in theory, but producing a high impact tale within a very tight word count can be a challenge … but also a lot of fun.

With the rise in popularity of very short fiction (step aside flash, I’m talking micro), markets for drabbles are currently plentiful. If you want to try your hand at penning your own drabbles, the opportunities are out there embracing fun themes that provide plenty of scope for creative freedom.

My drabble dabbling has lead to publication in several anthologies this year already, with Family Secret appearing in Curses and Cauldrons – An Anthology of Witchcraft Microfiction by Blood Song Books (you can grab a copy of this bumper book of bite-sized beauties here).

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Due for release later this year is Guilty Pleasures and Other Dark Delights, another terrific anthology from Things in The Well Publications celebrating the erotic side of horror with drabbles and double-drabbles contributed by some truly fabulous authors (including a reprint by none other than Ramsey Campbell)!  You’ll find two of my drabbles:  The Scent of Roses, and The Bus Ride included within its silken sheets! I’ll share the cover and link to this darkly saucy anthology when it’s available.

If you’re looking for a break from longer fiction, why not try your hand at drabbles? They’re a great way to flex your creative muscle, work on your brevity, challenge yourself, and – most importantly – they’re great fun!

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days …

Rebecca

Issue 250 of AntipodeanSF is live! You’ll find one of my stories in it too…

AntipodeanSF, helmed by Ion (Nuke) Newcombe, is an Australian speculative fiction institution. Fueled by Ion’s commitment and devotion to showcase the many diverse voices of the antipodean speculative fiction community, AntiSF, Australia’s longest running speculative fiction magazine, has acted as a publishing platform for so many since 1998.

When Nuke put the call out for contributions for his landmark 250th Issue, I heeded it with enthusiasm. Having been published in AntiSF as far back as 2009, and again in 2014, I know I’m one of many who are grateful for Ion’s tireless efforts.

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Issue 250 celebrates AntiSF’s massive milestone with a huge issue containing over fifty flash and short stories from previous contributors. You’ll find my fantasy piece, ‘Once Upon a Moonlit Clearing’ in there as well.

The issue will be live online for three months, and a print anthology is also forthcoming.

Take a bow, Nuke. And congratulations on this landmark achievement.

Your upside-down spec fic community salutes you!

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days.

Beck

Trickster’s Treats 3 – Now Open For Submissions

At the rate this year is flying, it will soon be Halloween again, which means another great edition of Trickster’s Treats, the annual charity horror anthology of flash and short fiction brought to you by the most un-horrible person in horror, Steve Dillon of Things in the Well Publications.

Following the success of the first two volumes, Trickster’s Treats3 is now open for submissions. This year’s theme, the Seven Deadly Sins, is a veritable writer’s playground!

Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Sloth – the Seven Deadly Sins. What’s your temptation? Trickster’s Treats 3 is seeking disturbingly delicious stories of darkness showcasing each of the sins. You’ll find full submission details here.

Like any great charitable cause, Trickster’s Treats 3 is going to be a collaborative effort, steered by like minded people. The edition will be in great hands with Co-editors Lee Murray, and  Marie O’Regan, and I’m thrilled to be filling a submissions editor role along with six other sub editors: Tracie McBride, Noel Osualdini, Claire Fitzpatrick, William Marchese, and Kev Harrison.[image error]

Greg Chapman has done a sterling job with the cover, and the Trickster’s house is looking creepier than ever!

The sin I’m reading for is Gluttony. I’m really excited about the different ways writers will choose to interpret and explore this theme.  All submissions are treated to the anonymity process, and will be read ‘blind’.

As always, Steve Dillon has chosen a very  worthwhile cause for proceeds of Trickster’s Treats 3. This year, charity: water is the deserving recipient. With one in ten people lacking access to clean water around the world, charity: water is on a mission to partner with local organisations globally to provide long-lasting water and sanitation services.

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Trickster’s Treats 3 is horror for a great cause, and I’m very proud to be part of it. Looking forward to reading your submissions…

 

Happy writing, happy reading, happy days …

Beck

What I Read In 2018 …

If you’ve been following along for a while, you’ll know every January I give a wrap of books I read in the previous year. Some years the list is extensive; other years embarrassingly short. 2018’s reading list of thirty-one books falls somewhere in the middle.  I wish I had more time to devote to reading these days, but you know … life!

On reflection, my reading list for 2018 is again quite eclectic. It appears I read more fiction for younger readers than usual. I’ve been working on a couple of manuscripts for children, as well as a grittier young adult sci fi, so perhaps that’s been the catalyst. I note fifty percent of the list is made up of female authors, and sixty per cent is made up of Australian and New Zealand authors. There is so much talent in the spheres of Australasian writing, across all genres.

As I mentioned last year, I read more forensically now than ever before, and some titles gripped me more than others. Enjoyment from reading will always be a matter of taste though (as it should be), so these aren’t reviews as such, more a few indulgent observations.

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The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey.  Reading about a couple of prankster fourth graders with my Grade 4 son was a lot of fun. Thomas enjoyed the interactive parts of the book and I found Principal Krupp hilarious.
The Hawkline Monster by Richard Brautigan. This is my second reading of The Hawkline Monster, and I will never lose this book again! It grabs genre by the collar, gives it a good shake, then throws it down a winding staircase. Gothic western with a crazy plot successfully carried by two extremely likeable rogues. I found this cult classic in a second hand bookstore years ago, read it, loved it, and then lost it … probably lent to a friend at some stage, or sold in a garage sale. Either way, I mourned its loss. I found it again this year … but the story of how I did is almost as incredible as the book, and best saved for another time.
How to Bee by Bren MacDibble. There’s a reason this book has picked up a swag of awards. It’s middle grade fiction done right – clever, thought provoking, a highly original premise carried by a protagonist you can really cheer for. Your heart will explode. Bren’s got a new book out this year, The Dog Runner, which sounds ace. I’ll be getting my mitts on it when it’s released via Allen & Unwin.
The Clonestone by Ali Smith. This is the second book in The Ginomees Trilogy – a delightfully whimsical series about adventuring garden gnomes. This one picks up where the first left off, and you can’t help but feel for Noname as he faces some very difficult challenges, both internally and externally. Kiwi scribe, Ali Smith, has created a world younger readers will want to turn and return to.
Engine of Lies by Barbara Howe Another talented Kiwi author. This is the second book in the Reforging Series, and picks up where The Locksmith finished. If you love strong female protagonists, intelligent writing, and epic fantasy, this one’s for you. You will need to read The Locksmith first in order to get acquainted with the complex worldbuilding, and political history.
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr Gorgeous and enduring fantasy adventure starring a plucky and resourceful eleven-year-old girl in an “I wish that was me” setting. Who wouldn’t want a marine iguana as a best friend after meeting Fred?
Welcome to Orphancorp by Marlee Jane Ward This punchy dystopian novella is a short, gritty read that makes you want to flip tables and start your own rebellion. I would have liked to have known more about the ‘hows and whys’ of Orphancorp’s inception, so will seek out the next instalment to learn more in due course.
The Hidden City by David Bowles The Garza Twins are back in the next instalment of the highly popular series from Mexican-American author, David Bowles. This was my introduction to Bowles’ writing, and it’s awesome to read about diverse young characters immersed in adventures set within their own culture and mythology. Educational and entertaining.
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney  Have I mentioned I love an unreliable narrator before? Have I also mentioned I love a good psychological thriller? If you love both of these too, then add Sometimes I Lie to your ‘to be read’ pile. (And then please contact me and let me know exactly what happened at the end)?!
Captain Underpants and The Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies From Outer Space by Dav Pilkey Another fun-filled read with the boy. The title says it all, really. What’s not to like? Thomas particularly enjoyed the ‘flip-o-rama’ pages.
The Book Club by Alan Baxter A read-in-one-sitting offering – starts out with an intriguing mystery that hints at marital problems, then takes a sharp turn into the unknown. Deftly executed nod to cosmic horror.
The Twits by Roald Dahl A Dahl classic. Thomas and I were hysterical over Mr and Mrs Twit’s pranks on each other.
Faerie Apocalypse by Jason Franks A refreshingly different, uniquely-delivered, multi-faceted romp of a read. It’s quite unlike anything you’ve read before with a scope that – to be executed successfully – takes a writer of considerable talent. Special mention goes to the character of the magus: he is utterly, nastily, fabulous!
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime by Mark Haddon A good read but, for me, quite an emotional one. Told through the POV of an autistic boy, Christopher, the challenging part for me revolved around the breakdown and confusion surrounding the parental relationship. I did find myself skipping the mathematical equations and illustrations that accompanied the narrative. I have very little understanding of numbers, so subsequently little enjoyment. (I do realise they were not there for my enjoyment).
Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean by Rebecca Fraser  This might seem as a weird inclusion to my 2018 reading list … a book that I authored. However, with dyslexia and dysgraphia, reading for the boy is challenging, frustrating, and devoid of joy. Thomas loves being read to though, so I wanted him to hear Curtis for the first time. He is particularly tickled that the book is dedicated to him

Give the Gift of Adventure This Christmas with ‘Curtis Creed & the Lore of the Ocean’

Books make the ideal Christmas gift. From picture books to biographies, crime thrillers to  cook books, there’s a book to appeal to every reader of every age of every taste. Books are economical, educational, and entertaining, and, as Stephen King once said, books are a uniquely portable magic.

If you’re looking for a great Christmas gift or stocking filler for friends or family, you simply can’t go past a good read…

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It’s been approximately six months since Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean was launched through IFWG Publishing Australia. Since then, Curtis Creed has been surfing into the hearts and minds of readers of all ages, everywhere around the world, garnering consistent five star reviews on Goodreads and Amazon.

Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean is a fast paced fantasy adventure story for the whole family. It would particularly appeal to 10+ year readers who enjoy thrills and [image error]suspense, and characters they can really cheer for, not to mention a cool cover that screams “what’s that behind you?!”  With a surfing/coastal backdrop, it’s the perfect beach read for summer.

If you want to give the gift of adventure this Christmas, Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean is available from all good bookstores, or with the click of a mouse at Amazon, delivered direct to your door.

So what’s Curtis Creed all about?

I’m glad you asked …

In the coastal Queensland town of Midnight Cove, thirteen-year-old Curtis Creed’s world is falling apart.  Once a talented upcoming surfer, he cannot bring himself to return to the ocean.  His inability to overcome his fear earns him the ridicule of his older brother, Dylan. Worse, his family is struggling to cope with the loss of their father in a rock fishing accident.

The summer holiday looks long and lonely for Curtis until he meets Navaya, a mysterious sea dweller he rescues from fishing line in a rock pool.

[image error]When Curtis agrees to help Navaya find the Moami, the key to an undersea cavern hiding her people’s most precious secrets, he embarks on a dangerous quest that sees him join forces with awkward but brilliant new girl in town, Morgan.

Will Curtis be able to overcome his fears to return the Moami to its rightful owners before Navaya’s enemies succeed in their deadly mission? Was his father’s death really an accident? And what exactly is the lore of the ocean?

And where can I buy Curtis Creed again?  

Check with your local independent bookstore, or you can  purchase in paperback or eBook direct from Amazon direct to your door or digital device.

With less than four weeks ’til Christmas, there’s never been a better time to start making a list, and checking it twice…

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days

Rebecca

Breach – Issue #9 is live and kicking (hard)!

Issue #9 of Breach is out now. The online magazine that showcases New Zealand and Australian authors and artists, features sci fi, horror and dark fantasy in all its short and twisted forms.

Issue #9 features my poem ‘The Middle of the Night’ – an ode to that disturbing halfway house between sleep and wakefulness, where the frayed seams between reality and dark fantasy start to overlap.[image error]

If you like the sound of cyberpunk dystopias, nightmare arborists and a dark take on a classic fairy tale, you’ll be sure to enjoy the other contributions to this issue of Breach, edited by Peter Kirk.  I’m sharing the table of contents with Lazarus Gray, Piper Mejia, Melanie Harding-Shaw, Tony Wi, Hari Navarro, and Ronnie Smart. That cool cover art is by Oliver Hayes.

You can get your claws on a copy via Amazon here Smashwords here, or iTunes here.

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days