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Moral Vignette Books

Stories about Kindness. Books that Inspire Self-Awareness.

An Except from Chapter 7 of the Willow’s Tree Gift: The Old Ewe with the Copper Bell
November 17, 2018March 15, 2019 Storyteller

An Except from Chapter 7 of the Willow’s Tree Gift: The Old Ewe with the Copper Bell

Featured Books

Bells clanged. The doll was in a pen that fenced hundreds of sheep, all with bells. The sheepdog sat just beyond the fence and watched

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An Excerpt Willow Tree’s Gift, Chapter 3: The Tabby Cat with the Blue Scarf
November 16, 2018March 15, 2019 Storyteller

An Excerpt Willow Tree’s Gift, Chapter 3: The Tabby Cat with the Blue Scarf

Featured Books

“Ouch!” The little mouse doll squeaked. The cat’s fangs bit into his cloth head. The cat dropped him. The doll rolled in the dirt. He

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Willow Tree’s Gift, Now in Hardcover and Color!
September 1, 2018March 15, 2019 Storyteller

Willow Tree’s Gift, Now in Hardcover and Color!

Featured Books

You can now enjoy the Little Mouse Doll’s adventure into kindness with the hardcover book from Barnes and Noble! Enjoy the 20 full-color illustrations of

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Chapter 1, Episode 2: The Sorcerer and the Giant
June 26, 2018March 15, 2019 Storyteller

Chapter 1, Episode 2: The Sorcerer and the Giant

The Bold Series

Our adventures continue with some foul plotting afoot. Enjoy!

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Chapter 1, Episode 1: A Fearless and Bold Night
April 28, 2018March 15, 2019 Storyteller

Chapter 1, Episode 1: A Fearless and Bold Night

The Bold Series

Introducing a new web series that shares heroic stories from a fantastical land of good and evil, magic and mayhem. Please welcome our champions, Dame

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New Friends, New Stories
March 30, 2018March 15, 2019 Storyteller

New Friends, New Stories

Laugh and Think Stories

Found these finger puppets in Charleston, South Carolina at the Town Center. They were nestled among the many wooden tables of traders and artists that

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Wondrous Imagination
February 28, 2018March 15, 2019 Storyteller

Wondrous Imagination

Inspirational Vignettes

We are born from wondrous imagination. Our ink-scratched doodles are sprawled on a blank paper, and emerge from the never-were to suddenly arrive. We are

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One of the Best Reviewed Books in December 2017 by IndieReader
January 4, 2018March 16, 2019 Storyteller

One of the Best Reviewed Books in December 2017 by IndieReader

Featured Books

Check out Willow Tree’s Gift, one of IndieReader’s best reviewed books of December 2017!

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Willow Tree’s Gift is IndieReader Approved!
December 13, 2017March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Willow Tree’s Gift is IndieReader Approved!

Featured Books

Willow Tree’s Gift, by Sebastian A. Barnes has been reviewed by IndieReader! IndieReader is a powerful community for independently published authors to promote and share

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Kindness Prologue
August 11, 2017March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Kindness Prologue

Featured Books

The Willow Tree’s Gift is a story about kindness. This topic is personal to me, and I learned through my research on kindness in history,

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Willow Tree’s Gift, Chapter Two: Wonder
July 14, 2017March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Willow Tree’s Gift, Chapter Two: Wonder

Featured Books

An excerpt from Willow Tree’s Gift, Chapter Two: Wonder. In this chapter you are introduced to the novel’s protagonist. Enjoy… His button eyes came to

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Novel: Willow Tree’s Gift, Available End of July!
July 11, 2017March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Novel: Willow Tree’s Gift, Available End of July!

Featured Books

I am pleased to announce a project that has been sixteen months in the making: the upcoming release of my next novel, “Willow Tree’s Gift.”

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Imagine what it’s like…
July 5, 2017March 15, 2019 Storyteller

Imagine what it’s like…

Inspirational Vignettes

…to watch a sunset, and know it’s your last. Would you curse it, as you would a life-ending disease, detesting the flaring colors across the

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What is it about a storm…
June 30, 2017March 15, 2019 Storyteller

What is it about a storm…

Inspirational Vignettes

…that comforts. I like sunny days and the outdoors. But I like how I’m cozy in my quilts before I awake and greet the day

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My cat thinks he is a dog…
June 26, 2017March 15, 2019 Storyteller

My cat thinks he is a dog…

Laugh and Think Stories

…he knows there is a difference between a dog and a cat. And he knows what makes him what he is: sharp claws, soft fur,

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Curious Contradiction
November 22, 2016March 15, 2019 Storyteller

Curious Contradiction

Laugh and Think Stories

By Chris Douglas Those moments when someone needs you to put your actions where your principles are, and you can think of a thousand reasons

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#PrivilegeIsReal
November 15, 2016March 15, 2019 Storyteller

#PrivilegeIsReal

Inspirational Vignettes

by Ariel and Sebastian Barnes My youngest sister lives in New York City. I occasionally visit her, and it was one fall morning while we

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Kindness and Cruelty
March 22, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Kindness and Cruelty

Winter of Kindness Essays

During the 90 days of our Winter of Kindness we explored nearly 200 concepts of kindness and cruelty. We asked ourselves daring and even scary

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Words of Kindness
March 21, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Words of Kindness

Winter of Kindness Essays

90 Days. 90 Entries. Nearly 200 ideas of kindness and cruelty shared. Over 50,000 words. These are the most commonly used concepts during winter of

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First Day of Spring
March 20, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

First Day of Spring

Winter of Kindness Essays

Our winter of kindness has ended, and today is the first day of spring. Look outside, what do you see? For most of the world

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Our Last Ritual of Kindness
March 19, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Our Last Ritual of Kindness

Winter of Kindness Essays

So, how has kindness inspired us this week? This week we explored “what if” questions of how we ought to live. We asked, what if

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What If We Were Fearless
March 18, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

What If We Were Fearless

Winter of Kindness Essays

We all have fears. We fear creatures that can harm us. We fear forces that can crush us. We fear people who can abuse us.

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What If We Lived Forever
March 17, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

What If We Lived Forever

Winter of Kindness Essays

Time is the ultimate limited resource. We can always grow more food. We can always build more things. We can always earn more money. As

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What If We Were Wise
March 16, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

What If We Were Wise

Winter of Kindness Essays

There is an inherit mindfulness in wisdom…the quality of having good judgment…to reflect on our experiences and anticipate the impact of our actions. If we

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What If We Were Good
March 15, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

What If We Were Good

Winter of Kindness Essays

Where is a safe place you can go? Think about a place where you are not alone, but alone with friends or family. These are

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What If Something Came From Nothing
March 14, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

What If Something Came From Nothing

Winter of Kindness Essays

Why are we here? Where did all things…that make up us…that make up the universe…come from? Can something come from nothing? These are big questions

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Our Twelfth Ritual of Kindness
March 13, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Our Twelfth Ritual of Kindness

Winter of Kindness Essays

Each week we started our kindness rituals with the question: how has kindness inspired us this week? But this week we didn’t explore kindness…we explored

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Evil Intent
March 12, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Evil Intent

Winter of Kindness Essays

Cruelty is the result of blind behavior or malicious manners that erodes good will and fosters suffering. This week we explored how we are sometimes

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Faux Immortal
March 11, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Faux Immortal

Winter of Kindness Essays

When we avoid risk we believe pain is not necessary. We try to prevent what is inevitable by grasping at as many happy moments as

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Risk Avoidance
March 10, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Risk Avoidance

Winter of Kindness Essays

It is courageous to live our best life now. Our minds must be disciplined because we become what we think. Our aspirations must be focused

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When we are Indifferent
March 9, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

When we are Indifferent

Winter of Kindness Essays

We have been taught opposites create a balance, and therefore cancel each other when they collide. We have been taught if we bring hate into

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When We Are Unkind
March 8, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

When We Are Unkind

Winter of Kindness Essays

All of us, even the most conscious, are sometimes unkind. At our best we count our needs and desires as important as others. But ultimately

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Cruelty
March 7, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Cruelty

Winter of Kindness Essays

Without light there is darkness. A bright light casts away the veil, the hazy, the cloak and the gloom. Even faint light gives us clear

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Our Eleventh Ritual of Kindness
March 6, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Our Eleventh Ritual of Kindness

Winter of Kindness Essays

So, how has kindness inspired us this week? This week we shared a few perspectives from my friends, family and colleagues. They are people who

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Leadership from the Dirt
March 5, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Leadership from the Dirt

Winter of Kindness Essays

Trenton Cycholl, my mentor and friend, is an innovative technology leader for a multi-billion dollar business. His personal style is values driven, fostering respect, humility,

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The First Lesson
March 4, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

The First Lesson

Winter of Kindness Essays

Today, my brother, Thomas Barnes, an honorably discharged marine, a telecommunications consultant and a second-year law student at the University of Baltimore shares the power

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Killing Yourself with Kindness
March 3, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Killing Yourself with Kindness

Winter of Kindness Essays

Today, my sister, Ariel Barnes, shares insights on kindness. She is a freelance writer, and has success as an online satirical advice columnist. She is

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Eating Crow
March 2, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Eating Crow

Winter of Kindness Essays

Today, a long time friend, Chris Douglas, shares a fable of kindness. As an international traveller and trader, he has had the unique perspective to

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What Kindness Means to Me
March 1, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

What Kindness Means to Me

Winter of Kindness Essays

Today, my friend and colleague, Amy Haworth, shares what kindness means to her. As a mother and mentor, professional and philosopher, she braves the unknown

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How You Are Remembered
February 29, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

How You Are Remembered

Winter of Kindness Essays

This week, to offer new voices and a different perspective, guest writers will contribute to Winter of Kindness. I have reached out to my friends

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Our Tenth Ritual of Kindness
February 28, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Our Tenth Ritual of Kindness

Winter of Kindness Essays

So, how has kindness inspired us this week? This week we explored archetypes. They are “themes…or patterns in our lives…that represent behaviors that influence us

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Lovers and Fighters
February 27, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Lovers and Fighters

Winter of Kindness Essays

Are you a lover or a fighter? If you believe this is asking if we choose forgiveness and acceptance, temperance and grace when facing adversity,

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The Gentleman and the Scoundrel
February 26, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

The Gentleman and the Scoundrel

Winter of Kindness Essays

I believe men and women can be anything they want. We discussed this when we explored the chivalric code weeks ago. I wrote… Gender roles

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Working Kindly
February 25, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Working Kindly

Winter of Kindness Essays

Is work just…work? It can be, if you let it. Consider how much time we spend earning our living. Wouldn’t it be an awful waste

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Lessons from Animals
February 24, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Lessons from Animals

Winter of Kindness Essays

As a child my favorite book series was “Redwall “ by Brian Jacques. It was a tale about woodland animals living in harmony in a

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Angels and Demons
February 23, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Angels and Demons

Winter of Kindness Essays

This Winter of Kindness has given us a few themes…empowerment, acting with intent and mindfulness. We also discussed identity. Our identity is defined by what

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Wind, Water, Fire and Earth
February 22, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Wind, Water, Fire and Earth

Winter of Kindness Essays

Weeks ago we talked about how we can be the heroes of our stories. Just like the stories we see in movies, or read in

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Our Ninth Ritual of Kindness
February 21, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Our Ninth Ritual of Kindness

Winter of Kindness Essays

So, how has kindness inspired us this week? This was “Random Acts of Kindness” week and we explored the organizations and things people do to

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Self-Kindness
February 20, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Self-Kindness

Winter of Kindness Essays

Yesterday we explored how kindness is taught to others. Sometimes the most impactful lessons are the ones we teach ourselves, and that is why it

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Teaching Kindness
February 19, 2016March 16, 2019 Storyteller

Teaching Kindness

Winter of Kindness Essays

This week I’ve had an opportunity to learn about some of the people who rally with the organizations that aspire kindness. Their causes were all

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Buy Books

  • Willow Tree’s Gift: A Book about Kindness
  • Storyteller’s Rose: A Book about Purpose
  • Contact Moral Vignette Books

About the Author

Sebastian Barnes is a Strategist by day, writer by night. He believes the written word can transform the world. And the most influential stories are those about community, kindness, and the magic that unites all of us. Please explore his selection of essays and excerpts - and support by buying a book! Enjoy!

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Categories

  • Featured Books (8)
  • Inspirational Vignettes (17)
  • Laugh and Think Stories (5)
  • The Bold Series (2)
  • Winter of Kindness Essays (93)
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