Shawn Warner with his book, now a best-seller due to a viral TikTok.Photo:Shawn Warner/TikTok
Shawn Warner/TikTok
A man from Texas who published his first book became a best-selling author overnight after a video of him selling his new book at a local store went viral earlier this week.
Swearenjin wrote on the TikTok, “This new author seemed super defeated when I first walked past him. So before I left the store, I decided to go back.”
Warner, 58, a former army veteran and engineer, said he decided to pursue his “childhood dream” of becoming a writer despite naysayers telling him throughout his life, “you can’t make a living out of doing that,”according to his website. He published his first bookLeigh Howard And The Ghosts Of Simmons-Pierce Manorin November, 2022
In the video, the author could be seen discussing the premise of the book, which he said is about a “girl who teams up with a ghost with multiple personalities to solve the mystery of her parents’ murder.”
“I just wanted to show a stranger some kindness,” Swearenjin wrote as Warner further chatted with the guy about the book. “I imagined all the times I worked so hard and never got any recognition.”
Warner’s face could be seen gradually brightening up in the video as the man told him that he was interested in his books and was happy to “support a local author.”
“I’m gonna gift it and see we can get you a little love on there,” he said, to which Warner joked, “Okay, I won’t say no.”
Swearenjinposted a follow upTikTok a day later revealing that Warner’s first book, which had just two reviews on Amazon before the video, had amassed nearly 200 reviews and that Warner had become a “number one best-selling author on Amazon.”
Warnerposted a videoto his TikTok addressing what happened. “I wanted to thank everybody for the love and kindness for the video that [Swearenjin] posted. It was totally unexpected. I’m in shock… I don’t even know what to say at the moment.”
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In a separate TikTok announcing that his book would be coming out on hardcover and would become an audiobook, he got emotional discussing his outpouring of love and support from people around the world for his first book.
“You know when [Swearenjin] came up and talked to me, I was just so eager to talk to anybody at that point because there was a lull in my sales. And it was just an amazing thing that happened after that and it’s all on you for your kindness and generosity. Thank you,” he said while tearing up.
“I set out to write books that are fun to read. What’s happened has been beyond my imagination,” hecaptioned the video. “I’m so grateful.”
source: people.com
