Dude From Vermont is Now a Best-Selling Author 10 Years After His Book Was Released

Writing a book is such an impressive feat all on its own. Even if you never share the finished product with another human being, the fact that you had enough self-discipline to start and finish writing a book is something most people don't accomplish in their lifetime. I am putting out into the universe that writing a book is on my bucket list! This way, I can be held accountable. But this isn't about me, this about Lloyd Devereux Richards from Vermont.

Lloyd has lived a very full and interesting life. He has traveled extensively through Europe, Africa, and Central America. The majority of his career was spent practicing law in Montpelier, Vermont, where he and his wife raised three children. In between working and being a dad, he would spend nights and weekends working on his passion project, a book called Stone Maidens. This book was 14 years in the making and came out in 2012. It sold a few copies here and there, but nothing crazy.

Now in 2023, over a decade later, Lloyd's mystery/thriller is #1 on Amazon's books bestseller list in both Canada and the U.S., beating out several powerhouses, including Prince Harry's Spare. Take that, Prince Harry!

So, how the heck did this happen? One word: TikTok! Lloyds daughter Marguerite released this 12 second video into the world, and their lives are forever changed:

The video got over 44 million views and impacted book sales in a massive way.

Marguerite said:

"I feel really lucky because I had friends who didn't have dads. And not only did I have a dad; I had a really supportive, kind, sensitive dad who made me feel loved. That's what drove me to do this. He took care of me and I want to take care of him."

That is so darn sweet.