'Defeated' Author Becomes Best-Seller Overnight After Video Of Empty Book Signing Goes Viral

Credit: TikTok/ @internetfamouslol

An author has spoken out following the viral success of a video of his empty book signing that made him an overnight best-selling author on Amazon.

One day, a TikToker was out shopping when he observed author Shawn Warner trying to market his book in a store and seemed "super defeated" over the low turnout for his signing.

Unaware of how important that choice would be for Warner's career, the developer of the content chose to record their interaction with the author and then put it online.

Credit: Facebook

Social media may have murky, dark corners, but on occasion, very occasionally, it also has the capacity to do good.

Warner describes the book as his "debut novel" in the video, which was uploaded by Red, a.k.a. @internetfamouslol.

The author describes the story's protagonist as "a teenage girl who teams up with a ghost with multiple personalities to solve the mystery of her parent's murder."

Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor is the title of the book.

The TikToker purchased a second signed copy from Warner after explaining that he does "a bit of TikTok" and would love to "gift it" on the platform to help promote the book and its author. He noted that he doesn't "know this guy" and the video "isn't a sponsorship" - he "just wanted to show a stranger some kindness."

"I imagined all the times I worked so hard and never got any recognition," the TikToker notes.

Since then, the video of the encounter between the TikToker and Warner has amassed over 15 million views on the platform.

One user said: "Awe I’m gonna have to get this book. That’s so awesome that you took the time to promote him!!!"

"I met the same gentleman at my thrift book store a few weeks back. bought one and he signed it for me. super sweet guy just seemed so sad," another wrote.

A third commented: "EVERYONE BUY THIS BOOK!!!! Let’s get this guy some sales."

And everyone who promised to "get this guy some sales" undoubtedly succeeded, as Warner rose to the top of Amazon's best-selling authors list in just 24 hours and is still there as of this writing.

Warner praised "everyone for the love and the kindness" after the TikTok video gained widespread attention.

In a video posted to his @shawnwwrites TikTok account, he said: "It was totally unexpected. I'm in shock. I don't even know what to say about it at the moment, I'm trying to wrap my head around it.”

"[...] Thank you again for all the kindness."