Zena Shapter

@zenashapter.bsky.social

146 Followers 50 Following

I write from a castle in a flying city hidden by a thundercloud. Award-winning SFF author. Writing mentor. Editor. Inclusivity. Pop culture. Nature.

I had a wonderful time at the Manly Writers Festival yesterday, with writers coming from all over Sydney just to see me – from Parramatta to The Shire, Balmain, all across the Northern Beaches, an entire group of Sydney Speculative Scribes even made the effort. And there’s more fun to be had at the festival today, so come on down, and don’t miss out!
We authors have to draw our readers along the exciting trails we want them to follow, inciting their curiosity with glimpses of what’s to come. We have to carve rock-solid histories for our worlds, clearly depicting our characters, as well as the creatures around them. Once they’re chiselled in place and doing interesting things, we then need to offer readers insight into the human condition – even if it’s just a handprint on a wall that says we were once here, among these trees, breathing this air and doing our interesting things. We need to offer readers hope, of course, and some beauty. But then our readers must climb, and climb, up the steps of drama and adventure, and into discovery, noting all the changes shifting subtly around them. At first it might all look the same, but there will be danger lurking – like a snake that silently slithers across the track in search of its wants and needs. Then, at the end, a memorable perspective of course needs to resonate…
Happy New Year, everyone! No matter where you are in the world, no matter what you’re doing, just remember: every year has the potential to be better than the year before - all we have to do is keep learning, keep trying, and stay kind. Happy 2026!
Happy Holidays, everyone! It is time for some me time. Maybe read a book. Maybe listen to some podcasts. Maybe watch some YouTube. And to that aim, over on my blog there is now a list of recent podcast and YouTube interviews with me, giving insights into my creative life and experiences, some stories about being creative, some tips and tricks about being creative yourself, and of course some information on my writing. All you have to do is pop over there, check it out, and enjoy!
Harry Hartog at the ANU is so light and bright, two levels high, with wondrous imaginative décor that makes you want to sit and read a snippet before you buy. And now, signed copies of ‘When Dark Waters Burn’ await to entice you into the dangerous yet thrilling World of Palude, so crowded with carnivorous trees and giant water-ants you might wonder how you’ll escape, yet it’s as full of words and whimsy as the store’s tagline promises.
The @paperchainbookstore in Manuka is beyond welcoming! The doors swish open like a hug, offering up so many wondrous imaginations. Including the dangerous yet thrilling World of Palude… I popped in to sign some copies of ‘When Dark Waters Burn’, and had such a grand table for the honour, with an entourage of smiling onlookers too. Now the World of Palude awaits – an emotional read that doesn’t let go! Enjoy it now at Paperchain!
Last night was the CBCA’s ‘Talk About Teens’ panel, and it was an evening full of confirmations and revelations! The panel came up with so many suggestions to get more teens reading, such as: • More novellas, graphic novels and short stories so time-poor teens can still read • More books for 16yrs+, as 16yr olds just aren’t interested in books suitable for 12yr olds • Less books acclaimed by adults • More books recommended by other 16-18yr olds • Less gatekeeping snobbery about genre • More access to a greater variety of genre • Less books with cultural, political or teaching agendas • Less ‘representational’ characters, just characters whose experiences resonate • Annotating books with dated comments to enable reader interactions • More support from parents And • More genre-tasting, book celebration and author events in schools and libraries for senior students Thank you to everyone for coming along, and please share what we learnt with the world, to get more teens reading!
What happens on a writers’ retreat? Well you start off with good intentions – a laptop with a view helps. But then the distractions come along. Big white noisy distractions, that love to show off right in front of your view! Other writers seem able to get words down. But then those big white distractions conveniently disappear for them! But still, words do get written, rainbows herald the evenings, writers exchange stories and go for walks in nature, food treats are consumed, and home-time always comes too soon.
Dymocks Belconnen is up a beautiful curving staircase that opens up onto a fresh space of books and worlds waiting to capture your imagination, including the World of Palude. Signed copies of ‘When Dark Roots Hunt’ and ‘When Dark Waters Burn’ are both now on the shelves. I hope you enjoy the fantastical adventures that await!
Canberra’s @bookpassionbelconnen is in the sophisticated yet barn-like Fresh Food Markets, just down from the Belconnen’s town centre. Its mossy green arcs not only offer readers books, but also a wall of puzzles – and now my latest release ‘When Dark Waters Burn’! I’ve signed a few copies for you, so get yourself down there, enjoy the fantastical adventures that await, just watch out for the carnivorous trees and giant water-ants inside!
Back at @DymocksRouseHill today, to celebrate the 3rd reprint of When Dark Roots Hunt, which was a 2024 #DitmarAward Finalist alongside the incredible Garth Nix. Find out why by swinging past your local store, picking up a copy, and reading all about my giant death-trees and snappy water-ants! And, for anyone who’s been waiting – it’s now back on the shelves!
What an amazing day at the CBCA’s "Lunch with the Stars" – so many wonderful school kids got to meet so many wonderful authors, and I was lucky enough to be among them! Between us, we have such incredible stories to share, and who better to share them with than readers! A highlight of the day was meeting and talking with our very own group of students – which for me was some amazingly mature and engaging young readers of Queenwood. We all drew baby bowerbirds together, thanks to Aura Parker. And there were lots of laughs from Nathan Luff’s author talk. Of course the truest star of the day was story itself – mankind’s greatest adventure! What a privilege to be a creator of them.
A short recap of the CBCA’s 80th anniversary in New South Wales yesterday… After settling into a very bookish theatre at the State Library, we were greeted by current CBCA president Paul MacDonald, state governor Margaret Beazley, and State Librarian Dr Butler-Bowdon. It was the literary legends who then brought the stage to life with their stories, then of course there was cake. A fascinating array of CBCA memorabilia was followed by snacks and a catch up, for which there wasn’t nearly enough time. But we all left with a cookie!
Sometimes when we writers are stuck on a scene, it can help to write in a different environment, such as a park or a library… Or a #chocolateshop! What is this? It is a #chocolate café! …I’d love to know a little bit more about this cake? Yes, I’ll just go and get my wife! She’ll tell you everything. So there are layers of chocolate meringue, chocolate mousse, and then chocolate glaze on top. And the cake, there’s some history to it too? So the cake was created by Portuguese chef, Carlos Braz Lopes, and the cake was created for him to sell at his restaurant, in 1987. All 100% pure ingredients. And from that the name came, The Best Chocolate Cake in the World! To make the real hot chocolate, we use cacao paste. Cacao paste is the base of any chocolate. So there’s nothing added to it, and that’s what we do to make our hot chocolate. Now I’d better get back to writing! Just like The Best Chocolate Cake, writing always needs layers!
So, carnivorous trees. Taller than giant redwoods, with roots that can swirl up from the shallows and stab you or anything else that passes. They want to eat you! Their swamplands stretch as far as the eye can see. Across the entire world! This planet is theirs, and you’re but a snack. How would you survive here? How would you adapt to live among such terrors? What else will you discover when you enter the world of Palude?