No one showed up at a new author's book signing. Then she got messages of support from Margaret Atwood and Stephen King.

Best-selling authors rallied around a new novelist after she shared that she was "upset and embarrassed" at the low turnout to one of her book signings.

On Sunday, author Chelsea Banning tweeted her frustration at only two people showing up to the signing for her debut fantasy novel "Of Crowns and Legends" after a few dozen people RSVP'd to the event. 

"Only 2 people came to my author signing yesterday, so I was pretty bummed about it. Especially as 37 people responded "going" to the event. Kind of upset, honestly, and a little embarrassed," she tweeted. 

The tweet garnered responses from some of the world's biggest authors who offered her moral support by sharing similar stories from early in their careers. 

"The Handmaids Tale" author Margaret Atwood was one of the first to chime in, sharing a time she was confused for being a store worker at one of her signings. 

"Join the club. I did a signing to which Nobody came, except a guy who wanted to buy some Scotch tape and thought I was the help. :)," she tweeted. 

English author Neil Gaiman also responded to Banning, tweeting about a signing where not even one person showed up. 

"Terry Pratchett and I did a signing in Manhattan for Good Omens that nobody came to at all. So you are two up on us," he tweeted. 

Even author Stephen King shared a similar experience, recounting a time when just one interesting customer showed up. 

"At my first SALEM'S LOT signing, I had one customer. A fat kid who said, "Hey bud, do you know where there's some Nazi books?" he tweeted. 

Since her now-viral tweet, Banning said that she has sold nearly 500 digital copies of her book, the first in a trilogy about the children of King Arthur. 

"Reporting 474 digital copies of my book sold so far in the last couple days. YOU ARE ALL SO AMAZING THANK YOU SO MUCH," she tweeted on Tuesday. 

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• Books