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Zena Shapter

Goodreads Author

Born

in Southampton, The United Kingdom

Website

https://zenashapter.com/

Twitter

ZenaShapter

Genre

Science Fiction & Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Adult & Teen Fiction

Influences

https://zenashapter.com/faq/ ...more

Member Since

June 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/zenashapter

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Zena Shapter is a multi-award-winning author of science fiction, fantasy, speculative, and contemporary fiction, conjuring journeys into the beyond and unusual. She loves movies, frogs, chocolate, potatoes, and living with family among Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches. She’s travelled all around the world, visiting close to 50 countries, which inspire her to create worlds of her own.

Her published titles include the science fantasy YA novels ‘When Dark Roots Hunt’ (MidnightSun, 2023; Finalist ‘Best Novel’ 2024 Ditmar Award) and ‘When Dark Waters Burn’ (MidnightSun, 2025), the science fiction adult novel ‘Towards White’ (IFWG 2017), the science fiction children’s book ‘Into Tordon’ (co-author, MidnightSun 2016), and various children’s and Zena Shapter is a multi-award-winning author of science fiction, fantasy, speculative, and contemporary fiction, conjuring journeys into the beyond and unusual. She loves movies, frogs, chocolate, potatoes, and living with family among Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches. She’s travelled all around the world, visiting close to 50 countries, which inspire her to create worlds of her own.

Her published titles include the science fantasy YA novels ‘When Dark Roots Hunt’ (MidnightSun, 2023; Finalist ‘Best Novel’ 2024 Ditmar Award) and ‘When Dark Waters Burn’ (MidnightSun, 2025), the science fiction adult novel ‘Towards White’ (IFWG 2017), the science fiction children’s book ‘Into Tordon’ (co-author, MidnightSun 2016), and various children’s and YA novels to raise money for The Kids’ Cancer Project.

Zena has been called a “writer with a need for adventure” (Midnight Echo magazine), “one of Australia’s most exciting and inventive writers” (CBCA Notable author Pip Harry), a “master of immersive worlds” (Tawny Frogmouth Magazine), who creates “the kind of excitement and suspense and pure pleasure that made me want to become a writer” (Lillian Csernica, Tangent Online), “dark fantasy at its blood-soaked finest” (Australasian Horror Writers’ Association), “cold and brutal” stories (Tor.com) “that deserve to be read many times” (Glen Miles Short Story Prize).

She’s won over a dozen national writing competitions, including the Australasian Horror Writers’ Association Award for Short Fiction (twice: “Darker” and “The Museum of Disease”), the Glen Miles Short Story Prize (“Champions”) and a Ditmar Award for Best New Talent. Her short stories have appeared in over 50 magazines and anthologies around the world, including the Hugo-nominated ‘Sci Phi Journal’, ‘Midnight Echo’ and their Australian Shadows Awarded ‘best’ anthology, ‘Dark Recesses Press’, ‘Manawaker Studios’, ‘Etherea Magazine’, ‘SFS Stories’, ‘Untitled’, ‘Antipodean SF’, anthologies by B-Cubed Press, Deadset Press, Award-Winning Australian Writing (twice), and many more.

With her BA (Hons) in English Literature, Zena enjoys working as a writing mentor and editor, inspiring writers to develop their craft. She has judged the Mosman Literary Awards, the Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition, Manly West Short Story Competition, Australasian Horror Writers’ Association Short Fiction Award, Ghostly Stringybark Award, Seven Deadly Sins Stringybark Award, and BezerkaCon Writing Award.

She’s also founded and led community creativity projects such as the ‘Art & Words Project’, a range of short story anthologies, and the award-winning Northern Beaches Writers’ Group. She has spoken on council-led panels about the importance of creativity, talked about writing at countless festivals, libraries and schools, and taught creative writing since 1991, teaching at: Writing NSW, the Society of Women Writers NSW, the Fellowship of Australian Writers, Mosman Community College, Northern Beaches Community College, Sydney’s Freecon, Conflux, Natcon, Carers Australia NSW, the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild, Mosman Council, the Northern Beaches Council, and more.

Zena believes that stories are our best invention. Find her online via @ZenaShapter and zenashapter.com ...more

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Combine Editions
Zena Shapter’s books

Average rating: 4.35 · 194 ratings · 53 reviews · 31 distinct works

	When Dark Roots Hunt 3.71 avg rating — 14 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Towards White 3.91 avg rating — 11 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Visit from the Duchess and other award-winning stories from the Stringybark Speculative Fiction Award by Zena Shapter (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Zena Shapter (Goodreads Author) 4.63 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Fearsome Engine 4.83 avg rating — 6 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Noise On An Island by Zena Shapter (Goodreads Author), Northern Beaches Writers' Group (Creator) 4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	When Dark Waters Burn 4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Dolphin for Naia by Zena Shapter (Goodreads Author) (editor), Northern Beaches Writers' Group (Creator) 4.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Scribbles in the Dark really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rider & the Hummingbird 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Saltwater 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2019	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Zena Shapter's Blog

The Great Silence of #AuthorLife!

April has been a month of highs for me. Some months go by with little to no news – just words on the page. Which is heaven, of course. The gentle tap, tap, tapping on my keyboard. The act of imagining and creating something meaningful or resonant. The polishing of initial thoughts into ones that gleam or sparkle. I love it!

But there’s also a lot of waiting in the book industry. I call it The G

Zena is Currently Reading

Zena Shapter is currently reading

CEA Greatest Anthology Written

by Adam Leggett (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Nov 12, 2018 03:17PM

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Zena Shapter wrote a new blog post The Great Silence of #AuthorLife! April has been a month of highs for me. Some months go by with little to no news – just words on the page. Which is heaven, of course. The gentle tap Read more of this blog post »
Apr 30, 2026 12:52AM · like
Zena Shapter rated a book it was amazing When Dark Waters Burn by Zena Shapter (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 10, 2025 06:50PM · like
Zena Shapter rated a book it was amazing When Dark Waters Burn by Zena Shapter (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 05, 2025 12:52AM · like
Zena Shapter rated a book it was amazing VILLAIN OR HERO?: Stories to make you wonder which... by Zena Shapter (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Zena Shapter rated a book it was amazing Of Beasts & Butterflies by Zena Shapter (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Zena Shapter rated a book it was amazing [untitled] issue 8 by Alison Achter	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Zena Shapter rated a book it was amazing Wit & Whimsy: Volume 2 by A.M. Burns (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Zena Shapter rated a book it was amazing Oz is Burning by Phyllis Irene Radford	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 05, 2025 12:52AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Oz is Burning by Phyllis Irene Radford. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Oz is Burning by Phyllis Irene Radford <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Zena Shapter rated a book it was amazing Wandering Stars: The Best of the Zodiac Series by Austin P. Sheehan (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Zena Shapter rated a book it was amazing SFS Stories Issue #4: Five Sci-Fi Flash Fiction Stories About Deception by Rod Castor	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Zena’s Quotes

“While an author is yet living we estimate his powers by his worst performance, and when he is dead we rate them by his best.”
― Dr Samuel Johnson

tags: humour, literature, writing

4 likes

“The business of the novelist is not to relate great events, but to make small ones interesting.”
― Arthur Schopenhauer, The Works of Schopenhauer: The Wisdom of Life and Other Essays

tags: literary-theory, writing-craft

92 likes