Inspy Romance

Inspy Romance—Fall in Love With a Good Book

The Power of a Single Kind Act…plus #Giveaway

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I’m getting ready to write the second draft of the next book in my Abundance series. At this stage, one of the things I look at in particular is whether or not my hero and heroine are likable.

In fiction, one way to make a character more likable is to have them do something kind early in the book. In a romance this may show that the hero, who perhaps comes across as gruff, is actually a good guy. Or that the heroine, who may seem irritable or mopey or otherwise someone we might not want to spend three hundred pages with, is really someone we want to get to know.

It works with secondary characters too.

For instance, in my book Love at Sunset Lake, I have a secondary character, Abby, who runs an antique shop. When Abby first appears in the story, she’s paid someone twenty dollars for an old, beat-up recliner that is in no way an antique. She bought the chair simply because the seller needed the money. This little bit of information takes up less than a page in the story. It wasn’t planned. Abby just appeared in my mind as a really nice person, the friend that the heroine of Love at Sunset Lake needed to meet. However, I think that kindness Abby shows when we first meet her is what makes her a favorite character to some of my readers and what made me want to write her story in a later book, Love and Roses.

In fiction, there is so much power in one kind act. Which brings me to a real-life story I want to share, a story about a rosebush.

Fifteen years ago, when our kids were little, my husband took them to a local garden center to buy a maple tree for our front yard. The garden center is a pop-up place, a tent that’s only there in the summer. This day, late in August, was near the end of the season. Soon the garden center would disappear until next year.

About an hour after they left, my family came back with a small maple tree, which is now about twenty-five feet tall. They also came back with a pink rosebush the owner had given them for free.

I studied advertising in school. I understand that the freebie was good marketing, a perfect example of giving the customer more than they expected, like when a baker throws in an extra roll when you order a dozen. I also imagine that, since the center was about to shut down, if the owner hadn’t given my husband the rosebush, it would have been thrown away.

The heart of the story, though, in my mind, is that when the owner gave that rosebush to my husband—a man who was clearly shopping when the trees were on sale, a man unlikely to ever spend a lot of money at the garden center—the owner probably knew it wasn’t marketing that would pay off later in big profits.

Instead it was a kind act that has blessed our family for years. That pink rosebush has bloomed and bloomed and bloomed, all summer, every summer, without fail, often despite benign neglect. It has made the front of the house more beautiful and given countless blossoms that my daughter and I put in little vases inside.

And the garden center owner has no idea.

I imagine you don’t know how much your kind deeds have meant to people either. The little text you sent a friend who’s been sick. The hug you gave someone at the grocery store. The time you spent listening to someone who was going through a hard time. The person you prayed for, then told them you were remembering them. Any one of those small things you’ve done may have had repercussions far beyond what you could imagine, for the person you helped and for the people around them.

Just like in fiction, one small act of kindness can have a lot of power.

If you’re like me, you sometimes think of a kind thing you could do, only to find that the phone rings, the urgent presses in, and the day slips away. The kind act never quite happens.

Today, if one of those inspirations for kindness hits, I encourage you to act on it. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. It might even be giving something you were going to throw away to just the right person.

You will feel blessed. And who knows? That one small act might bring fifteen years of blessings to someone else.

What about you? Have you ever been the blessed with a special act of kindness? Or do you have an inspiration for a kind act you could do today? Something that might feel small to you but seem big to someone else? If so, please share in the comments.

In honor of that rosebush, I’m giving away a free copy of my book, Love and Roses (one Kindle copy, available worldwide). In this story, Abby, the owner of the antique store, finds love. If you’d like to be included in the drawing, please comment by Friday evening, June 28, 2019. One commenter on this post will be chosen at random, notified by email, and announced in a Sunday edition.

*Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.*

 

Sally Bayless (24 Posts)

Sally Bayless writes contemporary Christian romance that features compelling characters, real-world problems, and uplifting endings filled with the power of love. She lives in the beautiful hills of Appalachian Ohio and has two grown children. When not working on her next book, she enjoys reading, watching BBC television with her husband, doing Bible studies, kayaking, and shopping for cute shoes. For updates on her writing and a free insider’s guide to her books, subscribe to her newsletter by clicking the newsletter icon below or visiting http://bit.ly/NewsfromSally.


Comments

  1. LOL….I’m currently reading Love at Sunset Lake. How nice to know that Abby is getting her own book.

    I enjoy providing random acts of kindness to others, not expecting anything in return. My husband and I have been going to the local beach lately to watch the sunset. A lot of tourists go, attempting to take selfies of their families. We make it a point to offer to take their pictures and they are always very appreciative to have us do so. Simple, but meaningful.

  2. What a beautiful story, Sally! I have been blessed by so many random acts if kindness in my life I could.never keep count ❤️

    I always try to pay it forward and hope I have been a small blessing in others lives as well.

  3. Love this idea, Sally – thank you! I’ve needed to add something to one of my characters to give her that sense of reader sympathy, and this reminder of realistic, practical kindness is just what is needed. Looking forward to reading Love and Roses!

  5. Hi Sally! Thanks for your inspiring blog. Paying it forward whether in a check out line or in traffic can be a blessing for the giver and the receiver. Living in a beach resort town in SW Michigan with an iconic historic lighthouse, I as Susan Bates, offer to take photos for tourists. Last week meet an appreciative family from San Diego, California. Thanks for sharing and happy writing.

  6. Yes, I have been a recipient of many deeds of kindness. When my sister died a friend from work brought me a car that spoke so much about my sister. She had never met my sister but the card was a reminder of how Cod moves. It brought tears to her eyes when I told her what she did. Her kindness benefited both of us.

  7. Hi Susan,

    Taking those family photos is a real gift! We have a framed enlargement of a family beach shot taken by a stranger in our family room and have often used photos taken by strangers as our Christmas card photos. You really are blessing people! Such a kind thing to do!

    Sally

  11. Hi Renate,

    As the mom and family photographer, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate kind strangers who take family photos. It is such a wonderful thing to have the whole family in the picture, even me! And my family is much more cooperative posing for a stranger so the pictures turn out better!

    Thanks for stopping by today. Waving at you from down here in Ohio!

    Sally

  12. Sonnetta,

    I am so sorry that you lost your sister, but what a lovely story about how kindness spreads and how God sends us comfort.

    Thank you for sharing,

    Sally

  13. Hi Sally! Hope you are staying dry and safe. We were in Dayton on the 15th. Visited the National Museum of the United States Air Force. So much history in one place. At our hotel was a couple whose house was severely damaged by the Memorial Day tornado. Also said prayers for all the farmers whose fields are flooded and it seems to rain almost daily. Lake Michigan is at an all record high. Stay safe.

  14. Thanks so much for the reminder of how we can touch other if even in just a small way. Both of these stories sound delightful and I look forward to reading them some time. God bless you as you bless others through your stories and remind us that even simple acts of kindness can bless others as well as ourselves.

  16. This book sounds wonderful!! My kindness story didn’t happen to me, but to my Mom while we were grocery shopping one day. We were standing in line waiting for the cashier to get to our purchases, when a complete stranger walked up to my Mom and gave her a rose. She’d just bought it, and said that she wondered who she should give it to, when she saw my Mom smile at something, and decided to give it to her. My Mom was so surprised, kinda shocked actually, that someone she didn’t know would do that. It made both of our day.

  17. We lost our son back in October 2018. We are from Indiana, but he was from Illinois where his services were. One of the girls I worked with drove all that way just to be with us for the funeral then the next week she brought by a beautiful picture frame and a Christmas ornament with always remembered 2018 that had his picture in it. She will never know how much all of this means to a hurting grieving mom. It is something to keep him with us always.

  19. Thank you for reminding us of our duty of showing the love of a loving Father. Too often I forget that a simple smile or a word can truly impact a person’s life. Again thank you for your words. May The Lord continue to use you.

  23. Dear Pam,

    I am so very sorry to learn that you lost your son last year.

    Your story about your friend from work is really touching. What an incredibly kind thing for her to do and so fitting as a way to help you hold your memories of him close.

    We are especially blessed by those who are with us when we grieve.

    Blessings,

    Sally

  24. Nice to here that you have benefited from people like me. I never considered the possibility that those pictures might wind up on a wall or as a Christmas card.
    On a side note – a lot of times the photographer is excluding themselves from the picture in order to capture the scenic beauty a selfie cannot provide. We help everyone get in it.
    We have learned the best angles and lightning based on trial and error that they don’t think about.

  28. That tree is lovely. And I can tell that, that little rose bush brought a lot of happiness. I grew up with a mom who modeled doing little acts of kindness to others. So it came naturally for me. I have modeled this for our two children and they do the same. Just today at the grocery store the lady in front of me in line was having trouble bending over into her basket. So I stepped up and talking to her, I pulled things out of the basket and handed them to her. This way she can still feel like she is doing her thing and feeling independent. I love this kind of thing to do for others.

  29. Aww, Sally, that is so sweet of you to say! If I may mention – this week will be the post on the blog for Love at Sunset Lake!

  33. Hi Merrillee,

    You’re right, letting someone go ahead of you in line can sometimes be a lifesaver for them. And isn’t the power of a smile amazing? :) :) :)

    Sally

  35. There are several things that have happened to bless me but this winter I had someone give me a load of wood. I was looking at having to buy some this year and money is very tight. I have had some loads previous that were free but not fully dried and not the best burning wood. This load is well and truly dry, and doesn’t need splitting and can go straight into the fire. This is a huge blessing and the wood itself because its dry burns well and longer. I am hoping it will last the whole winter.

  36. Hi Sally, Great post! I love the phrase “paying it forward.” You never know when the slightest thoughtfulness will brighten someone’s day.

  37. Lovely post, Sally :) The world would be a better place if everyone took the time to be kind. It’s the little, thoughtful things that can make the biggest difference. Thanks for sharing with us. :)

  38. What a kindness, truly a gift that warms the heart! I bet it raises your spirits every time you feed the fire, not just because of the gift, but because it is so uplifting to know people are kind. Thank you for sharing–and I hope it lasts the whole winter too!

    Sally

  41. Hi Sally! Sorry I’m late to the party! Lovely post! And you’re right. Abby is a favourite character!!
    Cheers, Sue

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