Growing up in Saskatoon, winter provided me with a lot of time to read indoors. I became interested in creative writing as a child, and that interest never passed, even when I went to the University of Saskatchewan to obtain a degree in geological engineering.
I continued to pursue my interest in both reading and writing fiction for young adults after university, eventually beginning to write my book, Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch, during National Novel Writing Month in 2009.
Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch, by J. E. (Jennie) Hunter.
While I’m a prairie girl, Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch is set in British Columbia. I fell in love with the rocky coast, misty water and the green foliage when I first saw the ocean at the age of 18. Even after travelling around the world to exotic locations like Egypt, Peru, and Costa Rica, the Canadian Pacific coast remains at the top of my list as the most beautiful place in the world.
J. E. (Jennie) Hunter
My book, Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch, is a coming-of-age adventure. The cedar forest of coastal British Columbia was a natural setting for the tale of 16-year-old Nessa, who’s struggling to find her identity after discovering her sea-witch heritage following the death of her father.
When Nessa’s power emerges, she’s sent to live on an isolated island near Tofino, B.C., where she begins to learn about the magical world of Neptunians. Nessa makes friends with mermaids, pirates, selkies and other creatures from mythology (another fascination of mine).
Things aren’t as idyllic on the island as Nessa was led to believe, and soon she’s not only struggling with school, love and friendship, but for her own safety.
Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch is aimed at young adult readers, but as an adventurous story, adults and teens alike will find entertainment and enjoyment reading about magic, friendship and nature.
Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch is the first book in the Black Depths series, the second of which, Broken Tide, will be released Nov. 30. Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch can be found at McNally Robinson, in the Young Adult section. The book is also available online at all major ebook retailers, including iBook, Kindle and Kobo. The paperback edition can be ordered from Amazon. You can follow me on Twitter @byjehunter or read my blog at byjehunter.blogspot.ca.
