You Have Not Because You Ask Not by Heather Blanton

Jesus said you have not because you ask not. What’s that have to do with writing?

Heather Blanton

Recently, I held a virtual launch party for my newest novel, A Promise in Defiance. We gave away everything from earrings to coffee. Fun stuff and my guests had a blast. I also debuted two book trailers and a video shout-out from a tv producer. None of it cost me a thing. Oh, and did I mention that my interview in USA Today’s "Happily Ever After" section came out the same day?

I got all this stuff because we merely asked.

If you have a platform of any reasonable size, you have something to offer advertisers, other authors, reporters, yes, even tv producers! Can you leave a review for a product? Would your readers leave a review? Will they talk about a product? Then your platform has intriguing possibilities.

I write Westerns. Call my stories Inspirational Westerns or Western Romance, but at the heart of each story, the guy in the white hat saves the day and rides off into the sunset with the girl. I love Westerns because of what they’ve meant to me over the years and those who've shared them with me. So, when I hear about a new Western coming out, I try to support it. That’s how I started my interaction with Rick Balentine, the creator and Executive Producer of the new Western TV show, Big Sky (http://www.bigskytvshow.com/). He “gets” what it means to write a traditional Western. Through a somewhat similar scenario, I met Mark Richard, formerly the Executive Producer at AMC’s Western, Hell on Wheels. Over the course of a couple of years, he and I have become good friends.

So I asked a friend of mine who is an aspiring actress if she would record a few lines from a script I wrote. She did a great trailer for me, costumes and all! You can check it out here. And David McKnight, a reenactor at the Fort Worth Stockyards also did one, in full costume. (You can see it here.) I promised these two that I would get their videos to some important people. That’s all I can do, but it’s a step.

In the meantime, my assistant, the fabulous Pepper Potts—er, I mean, Diane Estrella, discovered a company called Little Black Gun (https://littleblackgun.com/) They sell jewelry made out of shell casings, and the casings have actually been fired! I reviewed a pair, happily. They gave me an extra pair to give away. I got a t-shirt from the Talking Shirt (https://thetalkingshirt.com/), for the same arrangement.

We gave away nearly a dozen items at the book launch. Tote bags, vitamins, books, posters, and the list goes on and. Diane also got me the interview with USA Today … by merely asking and offering up some legitimate sales numbers.

So the take away here is—

1. Follow your passion
2. Passion will lead to connections
3. Build your brand and that will make more connections viable
4. Ask your connections if you can work some trade
5. Be nice to and professional with everyone you meet
6. Shoot for the moon

Why not? With God, all things are possible.

About the Author

Heather Blanton is the independent bestselling author of several Christian Westerns, including the Romance in the Rockies series, which has sold over 40,000 copies. Intrigued by the concept of three good sisters stranded in a lawless Colorado mining town, a few notable Hollywood producers have requested the script for her first book in that series, A Lady in Defiance. Heather loves exploring the American West, especially ghost towns and museums. She has walked parts of the Oregon Trail, ridden horses through the Rockies, climbed to the top of Independence Rock, and even held an outlaw's note in her hand.

A Promise in Defiance

A Promise in Defiance
by Heather Blanton

CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES...EVEN FOR THE REDEEMED. When Charles McIntyre founded Defiance, he was more than happy to rule in hell rather than serve in heaven. But things have changed. Now, he has faith, a new wife...and a ten-year-old half-breed son. Infamous madam Delilah Goodnight wants to take it all away from him. How can he protect his kingdom and his loved ones from her schemes without falling back on his past? How does he fight evil if not with evil?

Logan Tillane carries a Bible in his hand, wears a gun on his hip, and fights for lost souls any way he can. Newly arrived in Defiance, he has trouble, though, telling saints from sinners. The challenge only worsens when Delilah flings open the doors to the scandalous Crystal Chandelier. She and the new preacher have opposite plans for the town. One wants to save it, one wants to lead it straight to hell.

For Tillane and McIntyre, finding redemption was a long, hard road. God's grace has washed away their sins, but the consequences remain and God will not be mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap...and the harvest is finally at hand.

Links
http://ladiesindefiance.com/
https://www.facebook.com/authorheatherblanton/
https://twitter.com/heatherfblanton
https://www.pinterest.com/heatherfblanton/

I Should Be Committed By Heather Blanton

I've been impressed by indie author Heather Blanton and how well her books appear to do on Amazon, so I asked her to share with us a little about her experience. -- Sandy

Heather: I have been amazingly blessed in my writing career. Now, a little over three years after self-publishing my first book, I find it’s time to take stock. Here’s what I think I’ve done right, and here’s what I’ve done wrong.

If you are not familiar with me, I self-published my first book, A Lady in Defiance, in 2012. My goal was to sell 200 copies for my Relay for Life team. ALID wound up selling over 8000 copies that year! God is good, right? Absolutely!

I write full-time now and have released four books in the last three-plus years. All have hit various best-seller lists at Amazon, average 4.76 stars, and have at least a hundred reviews (some much more, except for my newest release).

So here are the things I do right.

First and foremost, I never stop learning. A Lady in Defiance came from a story I carried in my heart for a long time, but it was born with a problem: the middle sagged. I know this because veteran editor David Webb told me so. He told me how to fix it, and shared some action steps I follow to this day:

• I read every craft book I can get my hands on.

• I attend the wonderful Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference at least every other year.

• I dissect successful authors’ books cover to cover.

• I’m an outliner now, too.

Second, I shoot for turning out a quality product. I hire three editors now for every book. I find each has a special gift. Once I’ve made their changes, I send the book out to my beta readers. I strongly suggest you find readers who will be honest. The ones who will question and challenge the story will make your book better!

Speaking of readers, the third most important thing I do is love on my facebook tribe. I really engage on there. However, I don’t’ accept every friend request. I’m looking for people who are likeminded. I am a Conservative Christian. I joke that I’m the Phil Robertson of Christian fiction. The friends I have are awesome! They buy my books, share my posts, tell me their dreams, and defend me when I get a bad review!

So, what have I done wrong? Why am I not a household name yet?

Well, assuming that's God’s plan for me, I don’t post often enough to my blog or social media forums. I’ve never done a blog tour. I don’t enter contests. I’m not in bookstores. I don’t spend a lot of time networking with other authors. I probably don’t buy enough ads. I am a marketing sloth.

If I’m writing for the Lord—if I believe my stories can impact people for Christ—then shouldn’t I be working harder to get my stories out there? I’ve recently become convicted of this after a reviewer said my book “awakened” her sleeping faith.

Writing for the Lord is a calling. Prov 16:3 reminds us that if we commit to the Lord whatever we do, He will establish our plans.

So, I’ll work harder at marketing. I’ll develop a real marketing plan. I’m hiring a virtual assistant. I might even consider finding an agent again. Wherever the Lord leads. But I must keep my focus on Him.

What about you? Have you committed your writing to God? 

~~~~~

I believe Christian fiction should be messy and gritty, because the human condition is ... and God
loves us anyway. 

I started writing when I was five and grew up on a steady diet of Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and John Wayne Westerns. My most fond memories are of sitting next to my daddy, munching on popcorn, and watching Lucas McCain unload that Winchester! 

My job is finally something I don’t want to vacation from. 

I live with my husband and two adventurous boys on a farm outside Raleigh, NC. They enjoy riding practically anything with four legs or two wheels, and being outdoors.