What if you do it all properly?

Writing the novel is not enough, say the experts. You have to get it edited properly, and actually DO the suggested rewrites. You have to get the formatting right, and you should really pay good money for decent cover art. These things, those experts say, are the foundation of a good novel.

Of course, the story itself needs to be the very best it can be, the most exciting, interesting, gripping, real-character-filled rollercoaster of a story ever. That goes almost without saying.

But say, just for the sake of argument, that you have all that.

Do you get to hit the big time?

Many people say yes. They say you get the right combination of brilliant product, and the good reviews, and the word of mouth, and the celebrity endorsement, and the world is your mollusc.

Which is why I want to know why you, out there, are not buying everything written by S.A. Hunt.

(Well, not you, the person over there. I understand, you only read Harlequins, and the guy off to the left who sticks to non-fiction… That’s fine. You guys take a break while the rest of us chat, ok?)

S.A. Hunt has done everything right. He wrote a great book, The Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree, and while he was still putting it together he was engaging with people on Social Media. I remember him posting some possible covers for the book. He’s done promotions and giveaways and had beta readers and discussions and he’s done guest posts on blogs. Better still, he wrote the second and third books in the series that begins with “The Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree”, known as “The Outlaw King” series. I took advantage of a promotion that got me both the first and second books for a reduced price, and I went ahead and bought the third at regular price because I was so caught up in the story. I’m eagerly awaiting the fourth installment right now, because Mr Hunt doesn’t stand still – he’s started another series in a different genre with “Malus Domestica”. Intrigued by the amazing artwork on the cover, and knowing I already liked his style, I bought this book too and read it over three nights.

S.A. Hunt is doing everything right – he even has an agent. But he hasn’t been featured on Oprah’s book club, or made it onto the New York Times bestseller lists. Why not?

I honestly don’t know. My guess is that it’s only a matter of time, which is an object lesson for any authors out there who have thrown their heart and soul into their first book and are waiting for the gravy train to pull into the station, but just imagine what it’s like for S.A. Hunt himself, as he works on Outlaw King book 4 and Malus Domestica 2.

The next time you’re talking to someone about books or reading, mention S.A.Hunt. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to say you were part of the reason he made it to the top?