Allen Levi, a former lawyer and musician from Alabama, has achieved global bestseller status with his debut novel, 'Theo of Golden'. The book, written just shy of his 70th birthday, has sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.
Initially self-published three years ago at the encouragement of friends, 'Theo of Golden' has now reached the top of The New York Times ranking and holds the number one spot on Amazon's US fiction charts. In the UK, the novel is currently ranked 17th on the Amazon bestseller list.
The novel tells the story of an elderly man named Theo who buys 92 pencil portraits and embarks on a mission to return them to their subjects. Levi's niece, Aron Ritchie, helped him self-publish and implement a grassroots marketing strategy that involved reaching out to local church groups, libraries, bookstores, and book clubs.
Sales dramatically increased after major publishers took notice, with Atria, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, securing the US rights and Fontana Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, acquiring the British rights. Oprah Winfrey has interviewed Levi on her YouTube show, and Katie Couric selected the novel for her book club.