Writer's Life - On Vacation

If you've noticed, then you know that I've been gone for a short while. I was on a personal retreat in Vancouver. I had big plans, I was going to get my write-on, finish up book four of the Black Depths series, Twisted Currents. And then it all went wrong....


First, I was sick on the plane. To the point where I almost passed out. Then I felt better momentarily but couldn't drink any coffee for two days (and I had plans to drink multiple cups every day to fuel my word counts). Then, I finally begin to feel better, manage to consume some delicious coffee from the wonderful coffee shops in Vancouver like Bel Cafe and 49th Parallel, and also a burrito (I blame the burrito), and I get sick again!

I got approximately 25% of Twisted Currents done, 75% short of my goal and as I go back to my day job last week, I'm going to be pulling some long, late nights to get back on schedule. Which sucks. Brutally. But I'm going to get it done. I find coffee and donuts that are just as delicious in my hometown of Saskatoon, and if I sharpen my knife, I'm sure I can carve out some writing time time.

Next time, I'm going to make sure I'm healthy for vacation!



J. E. Hunter is the author of the Black Depths Series. Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch, and Black Depths, the first two books of the series can be found on Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. The third book, Dark Shores, was released April 1, 2016. The fourth and last book of the Black Depths series, Twisted Currents, will be released in the fall of 2016.

Tuesday Writing Prompt

(On Wednesday)

Sit under the tree. Write about the peacefulness of this place. What does the moss feel like?

Tuesday Writing Prompt

Write a myth for these red bananas. You can start:
1) Once upon a time...
2) There was once...
3) At the dawn of the world...

What I'm Reading: Crown of Midnight

YA Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

I stayed up late this weekend to finish the second book in Maas' Throne of Glass Series. I really enjoy reading this series. The heroine is very anti-hero, and the books are more dark and gory than a lot of fantasy out there. But I will caution that that might not be for everyone. The second book of the series really deepened the plot line, and there were a lot of little details and more history of the world than there was in the first book. I already went out and bought the third book before I'd even finished the second one, which is a good thing since it ends on a cliff hanger.

Definitely not the place to start a series, so if you're contemplating it, I would start on book one. It's just as good.

4.5/5 Stars.

Other Book Reviews:

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan
Wasting Away by Theodora O. Agyman-Anane
Undertow by Michael Buckley 

The Shannara Chronicles 

The Selection by Kiera Cass 
The Elite by Kiera Cass
The One by Kiera Cass

The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury 

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella 

Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider 

J. E. Hunter is the author of the Black Depths Series. Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch, and Black Depths, the first two books of the series can be found on Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. The third book, Dark Shores, was released April 1, 2016. The fourth and last book of the Black Depths series, Twisted Currents, will be released in the fall of 2016.

Putting Together a Boxed Set

This is a first in my self-publishing experience: putting together a boxed set. I've finally done it, but so far only for Kindle. The first three books of my Young Adult Fantastical Black Depths Series are all smooshed together, for one nice and easy transaction. I used the three, current ebook covers for the boxed set cover, but plan on changing this once I get the final artwork. You can see it in the Amazon store by clicking on the artwork below.

Like all KDP uploads, this one was just as easy. I put all of the files together, created a table of contents at the beginning, took out some of the back matter, and voila, a new release.

I'm going to be honest, I was hoping that putting together a boxed set would generate more sales, but so far it hasn't. So, was it worth it? It really didn't take that much work, so I'll say yes. The audience will come, eventually.

Tuesday Writing Prompt

Behind the (description) door (waited/lay/was/existed) ____________.

What I'm Reading: The One

YA Book and Audiobook Review The One by Kiera Cass

I read this immediately after reading The Elite. The only copy I could find at the library was the audiobook.

I hated the audiobook of The One. I started listening to it, and just couldn't do it. The reader made every voice breathy and drawn out. People didn't speak like I thought they wouldn't, and some people and lines just sounded downright ridiculous. But I really wanted to read the story, so I bought The Selection Collection for my Kobo.

I just could not stop reading. I needed to know the ending (even though I was sure I knew it). This book wasn't as good as The Selection and The Elite, I think because of the end. Just the last couple chapters or so. I thought it could have been so much better than it was. Way more drama, way more terror, or love or romance or something. I guess that the best way to describe it is that it just sort of fell flat for me. I still liked it. The ending was okay. But I'd only give this book 4/5, maybe even 3/5.

I was hoping that the book to be released this year, The Crown by Kiera Cass, was going to be about the aftermath, and a continuation of America's story, but was disappointed to see that it's not. I thought the series was just getting interesting when it ended. Maybe that's me. Kiera Cass writes a great romance but for me to really love a series, I need more than just the plot line about love.

Maybe next time.  What did you think?


Other Book Reviews:

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan
Wasting Away by Theodora O. Agyman-Anane
Undertow by Michael Buckley 

The Shannara Chronicles 

The Selection by Kiera Cass 
The Elite by Kiera Cass
The One by Kiera Cass

The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury 

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella 

Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider 

J. E. Hunter is the author of the Black Depths Series. Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch, and Black Depths, the first two books of the series can be found on Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. The third book, Dark Shores, was released April 1, 2016. The fourth and last book of the Black Depths series, Twisted Currents, will be released in the fall of 2016.

Black Depths on Smashwords

Black Depths Book Three Released!

April 1st marked the release of Dark Shores, book three of my YA Fantasy series, Black Depths.

It's available for download on Amazon, Smashwords, and should be up on the other sites soon.

Go. Buy. Read. Enjoy!