Rebecca Fraser's Blog, page 7

I’m heading down the NaNoWriMo rabbit hole this November. Want to join me?

You can’t edit what isn’t written. That’s why, this November I’m going down the NaNoWriMo rabbit hole to make some much-needed head way on my latest work in progress.

For the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, the annual, internet-based creative writing project that takes place during the month of November. [image error]Participants attempt to write a 50,000 word manuscript between November 1 and November 30.

Sounds crazy, right? It is! This is fast and furious first draft territory. Your ugly vomit draft where your only objective is to get the words down and tell yourself the story.

Writing at this pace can be challenging if, like me, you’re the type who finds allowing yourself the freedom to write ugly words hard. My writing style is a kind of edit-as-I-go, followed by major structural edit once the first draft manuscript is printed (and has sufficiently marinated for a period of at least six weeks).

Others will rejoice in the liberation of letting their fingers fly across the keyboard in a race against their normal schedule. So, schedule … how’s that going to work? I’m a morning writer. I’m just not productive after dark. So, I’ll be getting up early and smashing out an hour and a half before breakfast. That’s the plan anyway. I’ve purchased a kettle for the home office so I don’t wake the rest of the house, and am stocked with quality coffee. NaNo success is all about finding a routine and schedule that works for you, and carving out your writing time around it.

I’ll be working towards completion of my sci fi novel, Tawn – a genre-blending offering that falls under the ‘space western’ banner … a fun and creatively-awesome sub-genre of science fiction. Tawn is Book 1 of The Hypatia Chronicles, a trilogy that follows the [image error]story arc of seventeen-year-old rancher Cambrey Hartmann on the colonised planet of Tawn. I’ve done a fair bit of plotting for this book, so hopefully that will pay off come November 1st!

If you’ve been trying to find the ‘right time’ to make a start on your novel, or short story collection, or educational resource … or whatever, I invite you all to join me on the NaNoWriMo ride. I’ve already linked up with the fabulous Lou Greene as a writing buddy, so look me up under ‘Rebecca Fraser’ and add me as your writing buddy too. We’ll all cheer each other along.

 

Good luck, everyone, and don’t be too hard on yourself if you fall off the wagon. I’m a three time NaNoWriMo dropout – balancing work, family, life, and your creative projects can be difficult at the best of times, and you’re about to jump feet first into a pressure cooker! And try not to worry about the roughness of your words as you belt them out. That’s what second (and third and fourth) drafts are for!

And remember:  You can’t edit what isn’t written

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days…

Rebecca

Horror for a great cause. Grab a copy of ‘Trickster’s Treats #2’ to read my latest story and help Women’s Community Shelters …

Halloween is just around the corner, which means it’s time for another great edition of Trickster’s Treats, the annual charity horror anthology of flash fiction brought to you by Steve Dillon of Things in the Well Publications.

I love horror. I love flash fiction. And I love donating to a worthy cause. Trickster’s Treats ticks all those boxes, and after contributing to last year’s inaugural edition, Trickster’s Treats #1,  it’s great to have a new dark little tale included in Trickster’s Treat’s #2.

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Trickster’s Treats #2 is jam packed with 34 bite-sized tales (and a poem) direct from the pumpkin patch, covering six different themes:  Halloween House / Pumpkin Head / Trick or Treat / Haunted Trees and Forests / Bob Apple / Fancy Dress.

I chose to write to the theme of  ‘Apple Bobbing’, and the result is a dark little offering titled Never Falls Far set amid the apple orchards of Tasmania’s Huon Valley.

I’m really happy to be sharing the Table of Contents with a fabulous bunch of writers, many of whom it’s a pleasure to call friends. Check it out:[image error]

 

Proceeds from Trickster’s Treats #2 are going to a very worthy cause. This year’s charity is Women’s Community Shelters who work to provide direct relief of suffering of disadvantaged and homeless Australian women by establishing new shelters in partnership with communities. We only need to pick up a newspaper or turn on the television to see the very real horrors faced by women across the country, so it’s wonderful to support a cause that is focused on women in crisis.

You can order Trickster’s Treats #2 in paperback of eBook edition here:

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/1723706108 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1723706108

 

 

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days …

Rebecca

Writing Retreat Rambles From a Cabin in the Woods

Last weekend I, along with five other horror / dark fantasy writer buddies, brought the ultimate horror trope to life when our three day writing retreat took us to … a cabin in the woods!

Ok, so perhaps it wasn’t quite a cabin (we were spoiled in deluxe spa lodge accommodation), but it was definitely in the woods. The towering Mountain Ash and lush tree ferns of Mount Dandenong made for a very dramatic setting, and added the perfect misty veil of atmosphere to our winter write-in.

 

 

 

We kick started the retreat with a Friday night ‘Christmas in July’ dinner at the Pig and Whistle Tavern at Olinda, complete with Santa hats. Terrifying looking bunch, aren’t we?

Book Launch Photos and Frivolity – Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean

On Saturday 16th June, my junior teen fantasy adventure ‘Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean’ was officially launched to a full house at Mornington Library.

It was wonderful to have so many family, friends, StoryCraft Creative Writing Workshop folk, and the general public turn up in droves to celebrate #curtiscreed   including two of my Gold Coast besties.   I was completely overwhelmed with the appearance of some surprise guests (I’m looking at you, Karl, Kerry and Bridget), who had travelled Secret Squirrel style from Queensland to share the day. #myheart

Here’s some pics of the Launch. How about that cake?!

Click to view slideshow.

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Special thanks to Rosebud Book Barn who facilitated sales on the day, and completely sold out of stock. Thank you to Andrea Rowe for being such a stellar MC. Thank you to my beloved minions: Mum, Dad, Steve, Thomas, Karl and Jo for your help and support, and for keeping me from turning into Bookzilla pre-launch

‘Hermit 2.0’ Highly Commended in the Somers Paper Nautilus 2018 Short Story Competition

Today I was pleased to learn that my story, Hermit 2.0, received a ‘Highly Commended’ in the fiction category of the Somers Paper Nautilus 2018 short story competition.

The theme for this year’s competition was ‘Shell’. I love using themes as a springboard to really think outside the square, so Hermit 2.0 evolved into a dark little slice of dystopian disturbia highlighting a shell of a very different kind.

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The judge for the fiction category this year was best-selling crime writer, Garry Disher (eeeep!) and more than anything I’m rapt he really liked my writing.  I was also pleased to see several friends included among the winners and honourable mentions (I’m looking at you Louise Zedda-Sampson, Liz Hicklin, and Clementine Rowe)!

Garry Disher made the following comments, “Good stories evoke a sense of place and character, hint at meanings below the surface (Ernest Hemingway’s iceberg analogy), and trace a shift, however subtle, in how the main characters live or understand their lives. That the winning and commended stories achieved this in only 500 words is a considerable achievement.”

The winning stories and highly commended stories will be published in coming editions of Somers Paper Nautilus, so I’ll share the link when it’s available.

You can check all the Winners, Highly Commended and Runners-Up here.

Big congratulations to everyone, and well done to all who entered. Big thanks to the judges, and of course Somers Paper Nautilus for running the competition. I’m looking forward to next year already!

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days.

Rebecca

 

Book Launch – Saturday 16th June

It’s here and it’s happening!  It’s almost time to launch this book baby into the literary world…

Surf on in to celebrate the launch of ‘Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean’ in the Moorooduc Function Room at Mornington Library on Saturday, 16th June from 2:00pm – 3:30pm.[image error]

You’re invited to join me and IFWG Publishing Australia for nibbles, cake, and a raised glass. ‘Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean’ will be available to purchase on the day with special thanks to Rosebud Bookbarn, so make sure you get your copy signed

Cover Reveal for ‘Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean’

Last week I was thrilled to receive the cover art and design from IFWG Publishing Australia for my new novel ‘Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean’.

The illustration and design is by talented UK artist Catherine Archer-Wills. It’s quite a nail-biting time waiting for cover art to come through. While you have input in the process, you never know quite what to expect, or how your story is going to be distilled and interpreted into a design that captures the action and essence of your story.  Catherine has done an amazing job, and I literally bounced in my chair when I first saw the artwork!

Below is the front cover, and the wraparound. I love the motion of the waves! What is that menacing creature looming from the depths behind Curtis? You’ll just have to read the story to find out …

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Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean: Front Cover

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Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean: Wraparound cover

 

So, what’s this junior teen fantasy adventure all about?

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.

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?

Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean will be released in Australia on 7th June 2018, with US distribution to follow. I hope you have as much fun reading it, as I had writing it.

Once again, a huge thank you to IFWG Publishing Australia for taking on ‘Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean’.

I’ll keep you posted of Book Launch details (Save the date – Saturday, 16th June), so watch this space!

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy days.

Rebecca

StoryCraft a finalist in two categories in the 2018 Peninsula Business Awards!

This week, I received the very exciting news that my little business, StoryCraft Creative Writing Workshops, has been named a finalist in two categories in the Peninsula Business Awards.

The Peninsula Business Awards supports and recognises small businesses across the Mornington Peninsula Shire and the Frankston Region. They celebrate the hard work business owners put in, and their contributions to the local community and the local economy.

StoryCraft Creative Writing Workshops is a finalist in two categories:  Best Education / Training Service and ‘Rising Star’ – Best New Business. I couldn’t be happier!

My little business was born from a dream to combine my passion for storytelling with my passion for inspiring and supporting writers of every age and ability, and it’s both satisfying and humbling to see it honoured in this way.[image error]

Believe in the beauty of your dreams, everyone. Woo Hoo! And thank you all from the bottom of my heart for supporting StoryCraft over the past twelve months. It’s been a heck of a journey 

My story ‘The Pedlar’ included in CSFG’s new anthology, A Hand of Knaves

I’m really pleased my first story sale of the year is to the CSFG for their upcoming anthology, A Hand of Knaves.  The theme is so much fun!

The central premise, as explained by CSFG in their submission call is:  “Rogues, thieves, pirates and ne’er-do-wells abound in speculative fiction. Sometimes heroic, sometimes villainous, often somewhere in between, rogues are as likely to steal one’s heart as one’s purse, and show little remorse while helping themselves to either.

So why do we love them? Because they’re imperfect, fallible, and even vulnerable under that carefully-maintained, world-weary exterior.

Rogues represent something we rarely see in our daily lives: ordinary people prepared to take on the “powers that be” by way of guile and subterfuge. But are they only in it for the loot, or are they – deep down – romantic at heart?”

The beautiful artwork for the anthology is by Shauna O’Meara.

My story, ‘The Pedlar’ is sharing the Table of Contents with some fabulous Aussie talent, and I can’t wait to read everyone’s stories. Below is the lineup for A Hand of Knaves:

Eugen Bacon, Ace Zone
Amy Brown, A Tale Of The Marriage Of Gawain
David Coleman, Immortal, Coiled
Tom Dullemond, The Killblaine Legacy
Maureen Flynn, Gardening Through the Danse Macabre
Rebecca Fraser, The Pedlar
Isobel Johnstone, The Apothecary’s Apprentice
Grace Maslin, A Question Of Identity
Chris McGrane, Trojan Thoughts
Claire McKenna, The One Who Walks The Permanent Way
Cassandra Page, The Best Heist Yet
CH Pearce, The Last Magicians of Sad Hill
Simon Petrie & Edwina Harvey, On the Consequences of Clinically-Inhibited Maturation in the Common Sydney Octopus
Louise Pieper, A Widow’s Worth
Robert Porteous, A Fair Wind Off Baracoa
Charlotte Sophia, Stardust
HK Stubbs, Lost Property
David Versace, A Moment’s Peace
Angus Yeates, Anchor Point

For more information about CSFG and their publications click here.

 

What I Read in 2017

I have two go-to sanity preservation activities: 1. Going for long walks.  2. Opening a book, escaping to new worlds and meeting new characters. In 2017 I didn’t get a chance to do either on an abundant scale, but overall it was a pretty damn fine year for reading and walking, and it looks like I’ve made it through with my sanity in check. (Disclaimer: There is still one day left of 2017).

On reflection, my reading list for 2017 is quite eclectic. I’m pleased to note seventy-five per cent of the list is made up of Australian and New Zealand authors. There is so much talent in the spheres of Australasian writing, across all genres.

I read more forensically these days than I ever have 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 like a few indulgent observations.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.  My first introduction to Liane Moriarty (read before viewing the TV adaptation). It was a holiday read, and I loved it – the characters, the secrets, the dialogue, the relatability. I live on a Peninsula and do the ‘school thing,’ although I’m happy to say my crew are a much more down to earth bunch. Liane Moriarty has a real talent for observational writing. She skillfully holds a mirror up to the everyday familiarity of life, and family and social dynamics, and translates what she sees into memorable characters, and intriguing plots.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I love Neil Gaiman’s writing – he is an incredible wordsmith who deserves every accolade bestowed upon him. While I have greatly enjoyed other of his work, I just couldn’t finish American Gods.  I made it through about three quarters and then … I don’t know. Ran out of steam? It wasn’t the writing; that was solid as ever. Perhaps I’ll pick it up again down the track. I know it is a book loved by many. I also know many of my spec fic community are shaking their heads at me right now!
Baby and a Backpack by Jane Cornelius. If you ever get a chance to meet Jane, you’ll instantly be attracted to her generous energy and zest for life. In Baby and a Backpack you feel like you’re given an insight into the history of this energy. It’s the true account of Jane’s quest for something more, as she travels the world alone, pretty near broke, and with her 12-week-old daughter to care for. Jane’s honest and open style makes for an easy read, and you’ll find yourself laughing – and crying with her – as she searches for the true meaning of home.
The Rejects by Ali Smith. A delightfully whimsical tale about a crate of garden gnomes, that find themselves alone and rejected – relegated to the rubbish heap due to their imperfections. This host of charming characters can’t be held down for long though. They take to the road for adventure, and to discover exactly what it means to be a gnome (or Ginomee, as they call themselves, reading from the side of their crate). A great one for younger readers with important (yet subtle) lessons woven into the narrative.
The Locksmith by Barbara Howe A talented Kiwi author who’s delivered a strong female protagonist wrapped up in an epic fantasy that brings together romance, war, political agenda, secrets, and a very becoming Fire Warlock (just don’t get him angry). This is the first book in the Reforging series. It steers into quite complex historical territory at times, but if you’re a fan of intelligent detailed worlds, quick-witted heroines, and skillful writing, this one’s definitely for you.
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough That ending. Oh, my Glob – that five star ending!!! ‘nuff said. #respect
Truly, Madly, Guilty by Liane Moriarty My second foray into Moriarty’s work. For me, another page turner. What I thought was going to happen in that suburban back yard turned out to be much worse than what had been foreshadowed. Again, great [image error]cast of characters.
The Bottoms by Joe Lansdale A very cool offering indeed. A little predictable from the get go, but the setting, era, and sub plots in this are enough to keep you turning pages until the end. Not to mention the way this book is deftly handled by Lansdale – a coming of age tale, narrated by an elderly protag. It works on a number of levels. Read it! Then read more of Lansdale!
Elementals: Stories of Fire & Ice by A S Byatt  A short collection of beautiful fairytale-esque writing. Some stories were easier to lose myself in; others were a bit of a struggle.
Jasper Jones by Craig Silver Jeffrey Lu is my new favourite literary character –  a scene stealer every time he pops up. I also enjoyed the beautiful imagery Silver used throughout. The story itself was a bit of a stretch in places … but so what? That’s the beauty of fiction