Social media’s transformative power is undeniable, as demonstrated by UK author Vicky Ball, whose life changed overnight. Ball, 48, had sold just two books at an event in Chelmsford, Essex, but her heartfelt gratitude post on X (formerly Twitter) unexpectedly went viral, catapulting her to the top of Amazon’s bestseller charts.
“Sold two books,” she wrote, sharing a picture of herself with her novels. Her books include ‘Powerless’, a gripping mystery about a missing girl who returns home, and ‘Abandoned’, which explores the dark secrets of an alcoholic mother.
Sold 2 books 😁😁 https://t.co/sNEaeEtnYb
— Vicky (@VickyBall3) December 3, 2024
Viral success took ‘Powerless’ into Amazon’s top charts in teen and young adult fiction. Speaking with the BBC, Ball—who is currently at the University of Essex —was very modest: “I sold two books, which I was really happy about because sometimes I have book events where I don’t sell any, really.”.
Recalling the viral post’s surprising reach, Ball said, “So, I just posted it on X and thought nothing of it and left it. But then a few days later I woke up and checked my phone and it was going a bit crazy.”
Ball, who found her love for writing during the lockdown period, wrote her first novel entirely in the period and has received a small publishing deal. “I was totally shocked really and it all came as a bit of a shock – I was just stunned and couldn’t believe it,” she says.
The post received over 24.8 million views. Many people left comments showing support. One of the users said, “It’s a beginning. And timing is everything! Congratulations! Another user expressed interest and asked, “Which one should I read first? I wanna try it, looks interesting.” Ball replied, “I would start with ‘Powerless’. They are not related but it’s a good place to start.”
A third commenter added, “That’s two more than most people have ever sold. Congrats!”
From an event from selling two books to viral fame, Vicky Ball’s journey is pretty amazing for social media.
