The news these days is often depressing at worst and frustrating at best. It’s easy to let it get us down. Never fear… The News Blender has you covered. Once a week we feature Something Good and, in return, all you have to do is tell us something good that has happened to you this week, something you are thankful for, a joke, a cute animal story, an inspiring tale of heroics, a Random Act of Kindness… SOMETHING good.
Today’s something good is a random act of kindness that had a huge impact on the recipient’s life.
Jerrad Swearenjin was shopping at a Fort Worth Kroger and noticed a dejected looking author who was having a book signing in the store, according to the Dallas Observer. Shawn Warner had long aspired to be an author and had finally pursued that dream. His young adult novel, Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor, a story about a teenage girl who solved her parents’ murder with the help of a ghost with multiple personalities that haunts the mansion of her new guardians, had been published and Shawn’s task was to sign and, try to sell, books.
Noticing that the author seemed “super defeated” when he first walked past him, Jerrad decided to stop by Shawn’s table. Jerrad happens to have a following on TikTok and took a quick video of Shawn explaining the premise of his book. Jerrad bought one copy and then a second signed book to give away to a lucky follower.
In the day after Jerrad posted the video, it gained three million views and book sales of Shawn’s Leigh Howard story quickly increased. The video went viral on Facebook and Twitter as well and by last Wednesday skyrocketed to number one on Amazon Best Sellers, where it remains in the top spot. It knocked Mark Levin’s book into second place. The mystery novel has a score of 4.9 on Goodreads and has racked up hundreds of five-star ratings on Amazon.
@internetfamouslol I was just shopping when i noticed this man trying to promote his new book. I honestly dont even read books nowadays. But something just told me to get a couple. #booksoftiktok #booktok #newauthor #showlovenothate #fyp #newbook #murdermystery #murdermysterybook #bookgiveaway ♬ original sound – Red
Shawn was blown away with this massive outpouring of kindness and is trying to navigate this newfound success. He created his own TikTok channel to express his gratitude and keep in touch with his new fans. He said, “I want to thank everybody for the love and kindness on the video that Jarrad posted. It was totally unexpected. I’m still in shock. I don’t even know what to say about it.”
@shawnwwrites I have no words aside from Thank You supporting Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor! @internetfamouslol, @giwarnertamuedu. #booktok #booksoftiktok #newauthor #newtotok #yabooks ♬ original sound – Shawn
Shawn joins other struggling authors who have been featured on Tell Me Something Good. Lloyd Richards’ daughter’s little video about his epic journey to write Stone Maiden and Chelsea Banning’s discouraged tweet about her Of Crowns and Legends book signing come to mind. All three captured lightning in a bottle thanks to the kindness of strangers. It just goes to show that a tiny, almost effortless act of kindness can transform a person’s life. That is certainly something good!
Now it’s your turn… Tell me something good.
