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=0

I come on around 13:18 minutes from the start.

And now for today’s literary device:

S is for Subtext

Subtext 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 Reading

I’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-promo

Dawn 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