After her dad’s book spent years barely selling, Marguerite Richard turned to social media for help. but she never expected the incredible response she got from so many kind strangers who wanted to support her father. Check out this video about a truly inspiring story behind a book and its crazy increase in sales!
Marguerite Richards, 40, shows her father, 74-year-old Lloyd Devereux Richards, the TikTok video that she made and posted on February 8 about her dad's novel entitled Stone Maidens.
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Lloyd spent 14 years writing the thriller, squeezing in writing time between his career as an attorney and parenting three kids.
Marguerite, comfortable using social media, wanted to share her admiration for her father's endeavors, and the response they got was more than either could have imagined!
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@stonemaidens It's a beautifully written thriller on Amazon 🥹❤️ #stonemaidens #booktok #authorsoftiktok #thrillerbooks #books ♬ original sound – e
Marguerite's video shows her father's attic office and writing space, where he finished crafting the sequel to Stone Maidens last year. Father and daughter live near one another in Vermont. And Marguerite shows clips of the cover of Lloyd's book, which was published in 2012 by Thomas & Mercer.
Captions state that he'd worked on his novel for 14 years before seeing it published, and while his book has not garnered many sales, Lloyd is very happy. Marguerite added that she'd love for him to have some sales but that he knows nothing about TikTok!
With assistance from Marguerite, Lloyd reads the comments that are popping up like crazy on the TikTok video she's created. It's astounding! One commenter wrote, "Just ordered the book from Norway, can't wait to read it!" Viewers offered "lovely," and supportive comments and Lloyd was moved to tears. After reading comments and offering thanks all morning, Lloyd laughs and says he's ready for a nap. But that was only the beginning!
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Marguerite's video had been viewed 200 times by the time she went to bed on February 8, 700 times by the next morning, and 1 million by later that day. Her dad's book was selling, and she hadn't even shared the video with him! And life has been busy for the two ever since.
Dad’s Book Goes Viral
Marguerite began making follow-up videos for interested viewers, and their journey is recorded on TikTok. Within a week, Marguerite's first video had been viewed 42 million times! By February 14, Mr. Richards's book had become a #1 Best Seller on Amazon! And, within two weeks of the first post, 65,000 copies of Stone Maidens were sold!
Lloyd's book is a thriller about a forensic anthropologist with the FBI in Chicago. She is investigating the murders of several women in Southern Indiana and suspects that they are victims of a serial killer. Having been a law student at Indiana University, Lloyd drew upon his knowledge of cases he'd studied while there.
There are nearly 1,600 ratings of Stone Maidens on Amazon, and they are quite positive! Though it's not certain whether we'll see Lloyd's second book published, he said, "My agent is impressed."
We are, too! Way to go Marguerite and Lloyd!
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"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." James 1:12
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