Rhiza Edge have opened a fabulous new short story competition and I’m thrilled to be co-editing the resulting anthology with Bethany Loveridge.
‘Hidden Creatures‘ will gather together weird and wild stories featuring cryptids of every kind. We’re open to stories of fantasy, horror, sci fi, action, and crime. With a focus on cryptids / cryptozoology we invite exciting stories that embrace folklore, mystery, speculation…and all the shadowy places in between.
The competition is open until September with full details in the link below, including T&C’s and prizes. We’re looking forward to reading your creative take on this expansive (and fabulously fun) theme!
Literally Hilarious brings together family-oriented stories for the junior fiction market with a percentage of proceeds going to the amazing Indigenous Literacy Foundation who work with remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities across Australia
This project is supported by so many visionary folks and wonderful authors and illustrators. Special thanks and shout outs to: Daisy Lane Seeds, Debra Tidball, Rose Ahearn, Adam Wallace, Jeremy Kalbstein and Romi Sharp. #justwriteforkidsaustralia
Flipis my new young adult novel, releasing on 4th September with Wombat Book’s sister press Rhiza Edge, as part of their awesome new ‘Rhiza Shorts’ list – bite-sized novels for reluctant or non-confident teen readers designed with minimal words for maximum impact.
I was stunned this week to learn Flip had received an early Kirkus review. Kirkus are notoriously brutal, so I was almost too scared to open it. I was so relieved to find it wasn’t just positive, it had earned a ‘Kirkus star’, meaning it’s been recognised in the top 10% in its readership.
Here’s an excerpt: “Realistic, well-written dialogue … exploration of rich and meaningful themes related to family losses, grief, and compassion. … A thoughtful, optimistic, and highly engaging novel with a strong sense of place and robust characterization.’ but you can read the full review here.
Flip will have an official launch at Antipodes Bookstore on Sunday 4th October, so save the date if you’d like to come along. I’ll be launching alongside the fabulous Coral Vass, who is releasing a title in the Rhiza Shorts list, and the wonderful Andrea Rowe is going to put on her MC hat! Watch this space for all the details <3
The Residency comes with extremely generous prizes thanks to the ongoing sponsorship of Community Bank Southern Peninsula. In an environment where the Arts are being increasingly devalued, support from Bendigo Bank is appreciated more than ever.
My thanks also go to judge award-winning author Nicole Hayes who no doubt had a difficult task. Judging literary comps is a lot of work and deliberation, especially when there’s many quality entries to consider and reflect upon.
Part of the prize is also a gift voucher towards my very own writing retreat at Dundas by the Sea. I can’t wait to write more words within their welcoming walls!
Biggest huzzahs to all who entered, with special congrats to Runner Up, Sarah Halfpenny, and Highly Commended, Carly Foster and Dawn Markowitsch. Such talent!
And of course, thanks to the amazing organisation and committee who drive this fabulous Residency prize, Peninsula Writers’ Club – their commitment to sharing and celebrating the stories of your members is so appreciated.
If you would like to read Blue Elephant, you’ll find it in the link here. I have had people messaging me telling me I made them cry with my speculative take on the ‘black dog’, so sorry (not sorry) if I make you cry too. I hope that means I’ve made you feel something, which, as a writer, I guess is all we can really hope for xx
I’m excited to be back at Clunes this year! If you’re an aspiring author of children’s fiction, and gaining an understanding of how to navigate the path to publication is on your 2025 bucket list, head to Clunes Booktown Festival and make that tick!
Alongside award-winning authors Andrea Rowe and Emma Bowd, I’m co-facilitating a workshop that delivers insights into the different (and unique) routes to trade publication. We’ll be covering all KidLit readerships from board books, picture books, junior fiction, middle grade through to young adult works.
You’ll benefit from our shared experiences of navigating publishing pathways – from slush submissions to pitching, marketing, and networking, offering an honest and educational ‘peek behind the curtain’ of submissions and acceptance.
We’re going to have a whole lot of fun along the way, and you’ll ramp up the equipment in your writer’s toolkit with an in-house exercise that will change the way you think about yourself as a writer, and take home resources you’ll turn and return to as you look to the future with a professional and positive mindset.
Signed books will be available all weekend from the wonderful Readings who have been a proud part of Melbourne’s literary landscape since the first store opened in Carlton in 1969.
Come for the day, or stay for the whole weekend! Clunes Booktown Festival is the most wonderful way to indulge your love of books browsing the extensive array of independent booksellers while attending author talks, panels and workshops, all set against a town straight out of a story setting: historic Clunes set in a valley surrounded by extinct volcanoes where echoes of our Gold Rush days can be heard down it’s architecturally-exciting streets!
The cat’s out of the bag! My new junior fiction novel, ‘Skippy Blackfeet’ is heading to Melbourne for a Sunday, March 16 launch at Readings Kids, Carlton Bookstore, and I’m feline super excited!
Readings have been such pawsome supporters of my work, and I’m thrilled to have them as my launch host. I’m doubly thrilled that the meowvelous Andrea Rowe Writer, another wonderful supporter of my work and a paw-sitive champion of children’s literature, will once again be my launch top cat!
An engaging junior fiction novel by Australian author, Rebecca Fraser
That’s enough cat puns from me! Bookings are open now for RSVPS. I’ll have more launch information in the New Year, but in the meantime, pounce onto those calendars, and save the date.
I’m super excited to be part of the inaugural Western Port Writes Literary Festival. The Festival will run from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 September 2024 and celebrates creativity and the art of story.
The program will feature everything from author panels, in-conversations, interviews and readings to collaborative community events.
My middle grade novel ‘Sea Glass’ has made the shortlist for the 2023 Reading’s Children’s Prize. I’m not only completely overjoyed by this news, I’m also completely blown away, honoured, and humbled, to find myself in such esteemed company.
Now in its 10th year, The Readings Children’s Prize is presented to the best contribution to Australian children’s literature from an emerging author. This is a bit of a bucket list moment for me, as I’ve followed the Prize for years, and, well *sniff*
Congratulations to the amazing authors on the shortlist. My biggest thanks to Readings, and of course to my publisher Wombat Books. #LoveOzMG
It’s Book Launch time! The official launch of ‘Sea Glass’ is being hosted by gorgeous Antipodes Bookshop & Gallery in Sorrento. I’ll be in conversation with my fabulous friend and KidLit superstar Andrea Rowe. Come and join us at 2pm on April 1.
Bookings via this linkor scan the code https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/book-launch-sea-glass-by-rebecca-fraser-tickets-576673013507
Big thanks to Ken from Reading with a Chance of Tacos for having me on the latest episode of his awesome podcast in which we chat about my writing process and inspiration for my forthcoming middle grade novel ‘Sea Glass’.
I kick in around the 18 minute mark, but make sure you tune in to Hayley the Librarian before that – she’s got terrific insights into current KidLit reading trends.
