Rebecca Slater
Rebecca (she/they) has over 12 years’ experience in the books and publishing industry across Australia and the UK. Through her roles at organisations such as Allen & Unwin, Left Bank Literary and the Stella Prize, she has worked with many of Australia’s leading authors.
Rebecca is an experienced rights-seller, with international scouting experience in the UK, and holds a Masters in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Oxford.
In 2021, she co-founded the Open Book: Australian Publishing Internship, which seeks to foster cultural diversity in the publishing industry. She also works with Australia Reads building recreational reading rates in Australia, and was recently selected as one of Creative Australia’s Creative Leaders for the literature sector.
She is an active member of the emerging writers community, and has volunteered with the National Young Writers Festival, Sydney Story Factory and Overland Literary Journal, among others.
Rebecca is passionate about championing work by women and non-binary writers, First Nations storytellers, and the LGBTQI+ community.
She lives and works in Naarm on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Peoples of the Kulin Nation.
Books I love…
I’m drawn to weird, spooky and deeply atmospheric novels in the vein of Evie Wyld, Han Kang, Carmen Maria Machado, Shirley Jackson, Donna Tartt, and Claire Keegan.
I love books that make you feel but also bring levity and humour to hard subjects, with some of my all-time favourite novels including The Gathering by Anne Enright, Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt, All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews and Edinburgh by Alexander Chee.
I love funny and complex queer love stories – books that make us laugh, turn us on and celebrate difference.
I love work that is uniquely Australian and brings to life the diverse experiences of our people and places. In particular, I’m interested in the work of First Nations storytellers, and writers from marginalised backgrounds, in whatever form their stories take.
In non-fiction, I’m interested in writing that grapples with the present moment in all its complexity and absurdity, and offers us insights into the way through.
Above all, though, I want a good story! Whether it’s a superbly plotted crime novel, a heart-warming rom-com or a deeply researched non-fiction work – I’m looking for writing that entertains, inspires, and connects with readers in meaningful ways.