Caroline Sciriha's Blog, page 10
December 20, 2022
The ABC of Epic Fantasy: Objects
O is for Objects
One of the fun aspects of epic fantasy—and other types of fantasy too—is the use of magical objects as part of the plot. Magical rings (that might need to be destroyed 
), invisibility cloaks, dragon’s eggs, wands or staffs, the list is endless. The object is often used as a helpful or desirable tool which the protagonist either owns or is in search of. These objects could appear at the start of the plot and act as the instrument which gives the protagonists their magical powers or enhances what is already innate. Therefore, sometimes, these objects act as MacGuffins, serving to trigger the plot.
In the Hyllethan Gifts series, the loss of the three magical statuettes acts as a MacGuffin, triggering the quest to retrieve them, but the statuettes also serve to trigger and enhance the protagonist’s innate abilities.
Have some magical objects become too much of a cliché in epic fantasy?
If you don’t wish to miss any of my ABC of Epic Fantasy posts, please Follow me on Instagram or through my blog: carolinesciriha.wordpress.com
Dawn of Purple and Grey and Days of Wind and Snow (Hyllethan Gifts series, books 1 &2) are free through Kindle Unlimited.
#epicfantasy #epicfantasybooks #epicfantasynovels #epicfantasyseries #epicfantasybookseries #epicfantasyadventure
December 16, 2022
The ABC of Epic Fantasy: Names
N is for Names
Names for characters, towns, cities, countries and deities. The list is endless. Fantasy is probably the genre where one meets most made-up names. Names help to create a particular vibe and hint at the culture of the world.
In my Hyllethan Gifts series, I deliberately played with the voiceless consonants (ch, f, k, p, s, sh, t, th) and liquid consonants (l, r) to make up the Hyllethan names because I wanted to associate Hylletha with serenity and gentleness. This gave rise to the names Hylletha, Theis and Shael, among others.
Of course, there are Hyllethan names that do not follow this ‘rule’, as in Dracon’s name – but there is a reason why these names aren’t as ‘soft’ as others.
When reading, does the choice of a character’s name affect whether you are drawn—or not—to the person?
If you don’t wish to miss any of my ABC of Epic Fantasy posts, please Follow me on Instagram or through my blog: carolinesciriha.wordpress.com
Dawn of Purple and Grey and Days of Wind and Snow (Hyllethan Gifts series, books 1 &2) are free through Kindle Unlimited.
#epicfantasy #epicfantasybooks #epicfantasynovels #epicfantasyseries #epicfantasybookseries #epicfantasyadventure #indieauthor #indieauthorsunite #indieauthorsdiscord #indiefantasy #indieauthorsofinstagram #fantasybookstagram #fantasyauthorsofinstagram
December 10, 2022
It’s here!
At last I get to hold book #2 – Days of Wind and Snow 
December 9, 2022
S is for Simile, too
Simile is probably the first literary device we’re taught at school. Similes are figures of speech in which two different objects or ideas are compared by using the words like or as.
As a writer, when creating similes I have to keep in mind the experiences of the characters and the world they live in. If the story is set in a medieval setting, creating a comparison with electronic devices, for example, would be laughable. Similarly, if the persona has a particular set of experiences, such as if for example she’s lived all her life on a farm, it makes more sense that her similes would involve comparisons involving the natural world, animals and seasons. In the Hyllethan series, the protagonist lives close to the sea, therefore this is reflected in her similes. For example, when reflecting about the loss of another member of her family, Shael thinks, “The family was slipping away from her like sand from the beach.”
It’s also important that the comparison makes sense, in that the reader can perceive the similarity between the two aspects. A vague similarity would dilute the enjoyment of the story.
Here are a few other similes taken from Dawn of Purple and Grey and Days of Wind and Snow.
“Ma had cuddled and shushed her when she had sobbed that she wanted hair like Jana’s, straight like water falling over a cliff, the colour of ripe blackberries on a sunny day.”
“The dragon on which Yawra had flown from Dragonia was standing at the edge of the beach licking one of its claws, its night-black scales and wings gleaming like rippling water under moonlight.”
“The walk along the colonnaded corridor which spiralled her tower like a marble vine stem, seemed never-ending.”
To read on, please go to http://carolinesciriha.substack.com
December 6, 2022
The ABC of Epic Fantasy: Magic
M is for Magic
What’s fantasy without some magic-wielder solving or creating problems? Magic systems in fantasy are often categorised as either hard or soft, terms coined apparently by Brandon Sanderson.
Hard magic systems are systems which have a clear set of rules. Rules help create tension as readers are aware of its limitations. In fact, in a satisfying storyline, magic cannot be the quick problem-solver of all obstacles and crises the protagonist faces. Moreover, hard magic often comes at a severe cost to the wielder (for example in the Hyllethan Gifts series, using the Gift of Touch exhausts the protagonist so she is unable to function or use her gifts for some hours afterwards; the gifts’ magic also acts like a parasite, destroying the wielder’s strength and ageing them). Ideally, it is characteristics like quick-thinking, resourcefulness and bravery which lead to the protagonists solving their problems.
Soft magic systems, on the other hand, don’t have a clearly presented set of rules. Gandalf’s magic is an example of soft magic, as we don’t know his limitations or the limitations of his magic (does he have any?) or the circumstances needed to perform that magic. Nor do we see any costs to that magic, yet books with soft magic systems can still be thoroughly enjoyable because conflict and tension would be created in other ways.
Ideally, for a satisfying storyline, the protagonist’s magical abilities are shackled in some way (by rules or limited knowledge for example) while the antagonist’s potential for magic is not clear and is made to seem far superior to the antagonist’s.
Which magical system do you enjoy reading about most?
If you don’t wish to miss any of my ABC of Epic Fantasy posts, please Follow me on Instagram or my blog: carolinesciriha.wordpress.com
Dawn of Purple and Grey and Days of Wind and Snow (Hyllethan Gifts series, books 1 &2) are free through Kindle Unlimited.
#epicfantasy #epicfantasybooks #epicfantasynovels #epicfantasyseries #epicfantasybookseries #epicfantasyadventure
November 30, 2022
The ABC of Epic Fantasy: Languages
L is for Languages
Perhaps because I’m a language teacher by profession, made-up fantasy languages fascinate me. There’s something about the sound of the language that throws light on the kind of culture the speaker comes from. A soft sounding language with several voiceless and liquid consonants implies a calm and positive culture, while a guttural language with several voiced consonants seems to imply an aggressive or vivacious attitude.
Made-up words are also used to create a spell-like vibe. In the Hyllethan Gifts series, I’ve made up words both to convey the Hyllethans’ ‘foreignness’ and to reflect ‘spell-words’. Do you enjoy reading made-up words and phrases?
Dawn of Purple and Grey and Days of Wind and Snow (Hyllethan Gifts series, books 1 &2) are free through Kindle Unlimited.
If you don’t wish to miss any of my ABC of Epic Fantasy posts, please Follow me on Instagram or my blog: carolinesciriha.wordpress.com
#epicfantasy #epicfantasybooks #epicfantasynovels #epicfantasyseries #epicfantasybookseries #epicfantasyadventure
November 25, 2022
S is for Subtext, and launch of Days of Wind and Snow
What a week it’s been! Days of Wind and Snow (Hyllethan Gifts #2) is finally out in the world. I’m relieved and happy about that.
And since it’s Black Friday week, if anyone’s wanted to read book #1 Dawn of Purple and Grey, the ebook version is free this weekend, from Amazon. Hurry and grab a copy! Any engagement is welcome as it will boost it’s rating!
The launch day of Days of Wind and Snow also coincided (coincidentally) with a clip of me talking about Dawn of Purple and Grey, which appeared on YouTube. Here’s the link:
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/1I1gbtTb0K0?start=1030s&rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0I come on around 13:18 minutes from the start.
And now for today’s literary device:
S is for SubtextSubtext refers to what isn’t explicitly stated but what is implied. It could be a message or theme but also could hint at a character’s attitude or underlying emotional state.
Subtext therefore engages the readers in understanding the text. It is up to them to join the dots, so to speak.
Subtext is especially present in dialogue. As in life, there is often a world of difference between what is being said and what is being implied.
Ernest Hemingway coined a term for this way of writing, calling it the Iceberg Theory. He believed meaning should be found below the superficial surface of what is written, just as the greater part of an iceberg is found below the surface of the water.
On ReadingI’ve finished reading Dawn by Octavia Butler. I liked it but more about it in the next newsletter as this issue is already longer than usual
And finally…
Some embarrassing self-promoDawn of Purple and Grey, book 1 in the Hyllethan Gifts series is available from Amazon as a paperback and as an ebook, as well as from Barnes and Noble and Books Depository. Days of Wind and Snow, book 2 is currently only available as an ebook from Amazon. The paperback should be available within the coming days.
But there are plenty of ways you can help me out that don’t require buying any of the books. For example, you could:
Add the book to your Wish list or mark it as to-read on Goodreads.
Leave a review on Goodreads or on Amazon. Seriously, leave a review somewhere. They’re worth their weight in gold.
Talk about the book on social media (you can @ me).
Tell your friend or relative who reads SF/F about it.
Every little bit helps!
Here’s the book cover, blurb, and the Goodreads link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63376875-days-of-wind-and-snow?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=d3QI0R8qjT&rank=1 Days of Wind and Snow
Three thrones. Two power-hungry mages. One girl standing in their way.
Exiled in Hylletha, sixteen-year-old Shael longs to return to the land of her birth but her brother Iysel, the new, terrifying mage-king of the Inner Lands, wants her dead. Shael’s very existence threatens Iysel’s right to the throne since she is the holder of the magical Gift of Touch, which is traditionally held by the monarch.
To ensure peace, Theis, the young man Shael loves, goes to Iysel’s court to negotiate the reunification of Hylletha and the Inner Lands under one ruler. But when Shael’s young foster brother is abducted and held prisoner in the Inner Lands, Shael has only her limited knowledge of spellcraft to help her stay out of Iysel’s reach, rescue her foster brother and make sure Theis doesn’t bear the brunt of Iysel’s rage.
Complicating matters further, Iysel has won the unexpected support of their wily cousin—the son of the king of a neighbouring land and an extraordinary mage—who has his own reasons for wanting to get hold of Shael.
The stability of the three realms lies in the balance. Faced by intrigue and betrayal from all sides, Shael must choose between protecting the lives of those she loves or taking up her role as princess and heir to the thrones to safeguard the welfare of the people.
Till next time,
Caroline
S is for Substack, and launch of Days of Wind and Snow
What a week it’s been! Days of Wind and Snow (Hyllethan Gifts #2) is finally out in the world. I’m relieved and happy about that.
And since it’s Black Friday week, if anyone’s wanted to read book #1 Dawn of Purple and Grey, the ebook version is free this weekend, from Amazon. Hurry and grab a copy! Any engagement is welcome as it will boost it’s rating!
The launch day of Days of Wind and Snow also coincided (coincidentally) with a clip of me talking about Dawn of Purple and Grey, which appeared on YouTube. Here’s the link:
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/1I1gbtTb0K0?start=1030s&rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0I come on around 13:18 minutes from the start.
And now for today’s literary device:
S is for SubtextSubtext refers to what isn’t explicitly stated but what is implied. It could be a message or theme but also could hint at a character’s attitude or underlying emotional state.
Subtext therefore engages the readers in understanding the text. It is up to them to join the dots, so to speak.
Subtext is especially present in dialogue. As in life, there is often a world of difference between what is being said and what is being implied.
Ernest Hemingway coined a term for this way of writing, calling it the Iceberg Theory. He believed meaning should be found below the superficial surface of what is written, just as the greater part of an iceberg is found below the surface of the water.
On ReadingI’ve finished reading Dawn by Octavia Butler. I liked it but more about it in the next newsletter as this issue is already longer than usual
And finally…
Some embarrassing self-promoDawn of Purple and Grey, book 1 in the Hyllethan Gifts series is available from Amazon as a paperback and as an ebook, as well as from Barnes and Noble and Books Depository. Days of Wind and Snow, book 2 is currently only available as an ebook from Amazon. The paperback should be available within the coming days.
But there are plenty of ways you can help me out that don’t require buying any of the books. For example, you could:
Add the book to your Wish list or mark it as to-read on Goodreads.
Leave a review on Goodreads or on Amazon. Seriously, leave a review somewhere. They’re worth their weight in gold.
Talk about the book on social media (you can @ me).
Tell your friend or relative who reads SF/F about it.
Every little bit helps!
Here’s the book cover, blurb, and the Goodreads link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63376875-days-of-wind-and-snow?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=d3QI0R8qjT&rank=1 Days of Wind and Snow
Three thrones. Two power-hungry mages. One girl standing in their way.
Exiled in Hylletha, sixteen-year-old Shael longs to return to the land of her birth but her brother Iysel, the new, terrifying mage-king of the Inner Lands, wants her dead. Shael’s very existence threatens Iysel’s right to the throne since she is the holder of the magical Gift of Touch, which is traditionally held by the monarch.
To ensure peace, Theis, the young man Shael loves, goes to Iysel’s court to negotiate the reunification of Hylletha and the Inner Lands under one ruler. But when Shael’s young foster brother is abducted and held prisoner in the Inner Lands, Shael has only her limited knowledge of spellcraft to help her stay out of Iysel’s reach, rescue her foster brother and make sure Theis doesn’t bear the brunt of Iysel’s rage.
Complicating matters further, Iysel has won the unexpected support of their wily cousin—the son of the king of a neighbouring land and an extraordinary mage—who has his own reasons for wanting to get hold of Shael.
The stability of the three realms lies in the balance. Faced by intrigue and betrayal from all sides, Shael must choose between protecting the lives of those she loves or taking up her role as princess and heir to the thrones to safeguard the welfare of the people.
Till next time,
Caroline
November 23, 2022
The ABC of Epic Fantasy: Kingdoms
What is it about kingdoms that makes this aspect of worldbuilding such a staple of epic fantasy? Kings and queens (often as antagonistic forces), and princesses and princes (often the heroes of the piece) abound in these stories. I’m ‘guilty’ of this trope. In the Hyllethan Gifts series, Hylletha is ruled by a Prince Regent, as the former queen and her heir were murdered, while neighbouring Dragonia is ruled by a king. The struggle to gain control of the thrones underlies the action of both Dawn of Purple and Grey (book 1) and Days of Wind and Snow (book 2). Perhaps it’s our love of fairy tales, glamour and elegance that attract us to this trope. Or maybe something altogether different. Any thoughts?
Dawn of Purple and Grey and Days of Wind and Snow are free through Kindle Unlimited.
#epicfantasy #epicfantasybooks #epicfantasynovels #epicfantasyseries #epicfantasybookseries #epicfantasyadventure #indieauthor #indieauthorsunite #indieauthorsdiscord #indiefantasy #indieauthorsofinstagram #fantasybookstagram #fantasyauthorsofinstagram
