Dark Retellings & Happily Ever Afters: K E Barden’s Fairytale Rise

Indie author K E Barden wrote her first draft entirely on her mobile phone. That’s not just commitment, it’s creative grit at its best.A seasoned storyteller in the realm of fairytale retellings, Barden has spent years weaving magic into her stories. With a successful series re-release behind her, she’s turned every setback into storytelling gold. Proof that resilience and imagination make a powerful combination.Barden’s ‘Finding Ever After’ series is already three books in, with book four and five scheduled to be released 2026. The series is an exploration into commonly familiar fairytales with a dark, YA twist to them. It is also an exploration into how far one would go to find their ‘happily ever after’.The momentum doesn’t stop there. Barden’s indie journey is on an impressive trajectory. She was recently invited to pitch the ‘Finding Ever After’ series for a film/TV adaptation. It’s a bold reminder that indie authors aren’t just keeping up, rather, they’re redefining an industry once ruled by traditional publishing.Timestamps00:00 Introduction02:01 K E Barden's background 07:51 Writing routine 16:14 What K E Barden's writing process looks like 21:39 Hardest vs. Most Enjoyable part of writing31:37 The Finding Ever After Series38:16 Publishing Timeline for Finding Ever After Series 45:39 Latest publication: Book 3, A Glass Darkly56:31 Future for K E BardenK E Barden’s Links* Instagram* Amazon* Goodreads* Facebook* Tiktok* Threads* Newsletter Sign upMG Hunt’s Links* Instagram* Linktree* Threads* Goodreads* Tiktok* Facebook* WebsiteFollow Indie Author Life on Instagram!Thanks for reading Indie Author Life! Subscribe for free to receive new posts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mghunt.substack.com