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Richards’ unexpected journey from part-time author to TikTok sensation has earned him global attention, with the 74-year-old telling The Washington Post he is “very happy” and “just can’t believe it”. In an interview with the BBC, he said, “the last week has been a whirlwind experience ... truly mind-blowing.”
Following the social media explosion, Richards re-emerged on TikTok to celebrate his success over a chocolate milkshake. “These last couple of days... I just can’t understand it. I feel blessed,” he said.
The success of Stone Maidens is the latest example of how TikTok is transforming the publishing landscape, with the hashtag #BookTok helping unearth little-known authors.
#BookTok is essentially the digital equivalent of a real-life book club, where users post videos about their favourite authors and book picks.
The author celebrated his overnight success in the only way that made sense: a chocolate milkshake.Credit:TikTok
In recent years, US author Colleen Hoover saw her young adult novel It Ends With Us – first published in 2016 – become a global bestseller after being embraced by #BookTok. The book has now sold more than 4 million copies worldwide; attracted a movie deal; and led to a sequel, It Starts With Us. The two books are currently second and third on The New York Times bestseller list.
It remains to be seen whether Richards will emulate the achievements of Hoover. But if the reviews are anything to go by, he just might.
Stone Maidens currently has mostly positive reviews on Amazon (88 per cent of users have given it five stars), with readers calling it a “brilliant suspenseful thriller” that is “so deserving of recognition”.
Interestingly, Richards’ author bio on the Amazon seller page has been updated to list him as a “TikTok sensation”.
Unsurprisingly, with Richards looking to capitalise on his newfound profile, there is now a sequel in the works. However, it could be another long wait for fans.
The 74-year-old recently summed up his reaction to the overnight success on TikTok saying, “I’m ready for a nap”.
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