Never underestimate the power of the internet. When teamed up around a single goal, internet users can make even the most unexpected things happen. Just ask writer Lloyd Devereux Richards, who saw his decade-old book Stone Maidens become an Amazon bestseller thanks to TikTok.
During a recent visit to her parent’s house, Marguerite Richards asked her 74-year-old father Lloyd how his book was doing. He released it in 2012 after 14 years of writing, and she was curious whether it picked up any steam. Unfortunately, Lloyd didn’t have any good news to share.
Knowing how hard her father worked on the book and how captivating it was, Marguerite decided to try and give it some exposure on social media. She made a quick video with her father’s approval and posted it on TikTok.
In the clip, Marguerite explained that Lloyd spent 14 years writing the book while working full-time and being a caring father at the same time.
“I’d love for him to get some sales. He doesn’t even know what TikTok is,” Marguerite wrote in the video.
And then something magical happened. The video blew up on TikTok, getting 45 million views in just 10 days. It also prompted TikTok users to give “Stone Maidens” a read, driving the sales up and making it one of the best-selling books on Amazon.
Marguerite later shared an update on social media, showing her father’s emotional reaction to the success of his book.
In a later chat with The Washington Post, Lloyd said that he still doesn’t know how many books he sold as he’ll receive the report about it next month. However, the sales numbers are not his main concern; he is just happy that people are reading his book and enjoying it.
“I don’t understand how that could translate into what’s happened with the book,” Lloyd added. “I’m grateful. I’m very happy. I just can’t believe it.”
