Keep Hope Alive Podcast
Keep Hope Alive through the power of knowing who you are as a person and expressing self-love. Life is a journey and with the blank pages we create our story. Keep Hope Alive is about the power of knowledge in today's world. ALL topics are welcomed.
Keep Hope Alive Podcast
Michelle Brown's Storytelling Journey: Embracing Love, Family, and Resilience
Join us for an intriguing journey with the gifted storyteller Michelle Brown, whose novel "Love Always" has captivated many. Michelle opens up about her innate passion for storytelling and the magnetic pull that writing has always had on her life. We connect over our shared experiences of being natural listeners, drawing in unexpected stories from strangers. Our conversation uncovers the profound joys and inevitable challenges of being a storyteller, while Michelle shares the spark of inspiration that fuels her writing journey.
Meet an enthusiastic elementary school librarian dedicated to igniting a love for reading among young children. We revel in the delight of seeing the world through a child's eyes and explore the dynamic activities that modern libraries now offer. As we navigate topics like Ontario weather and the nostalgic charm of card catalogs, we share laughter over generational quirks and the ever-evolving educational landscape. Our discussion also touches on personal tales from tackling DIY projects to cherishing simple moments with family.
Tune in as we celebrate cherished family bonds and the crucial role technology plays in maintaining these connections across distances. Reflecting on the impact of strong women in our lives, we delve into themes of self-love and resilience captured in Michelle's writing. Discover anxiety relief tools and exciting future plans, including the potential adaptation of "Love Always" into a screenplay. With heartfelt gratitude for our guests, we look forward to future collaborations and invite listeners to join us on this exciting journey.
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Love & Light - Keep Hope Alive
hello and welcome. To keep hope alive podcast boy, do we have a show for you today? I have michelle brown here with us, author of love always, and she has two other books that are just amazing, so we're going to dive into her journey. So welcome, I'm so glad you're here. Thank you so glad you're welcome I like your outfit. I gotta tell you that right away. You look pretty. I like the necklace and everything A little rose gold thing.
Speaker 2:I have a friend who sells Fifth Avenue jewelry, so I'm a little addicted.
Speaker 1:That is so cool. I decided, like I got this new one. I've seen it on Facebook, but it's the cross with the infinity symbol and I'm loving that too. But definitely, jewelry is always fun to show off, right? Yes?
Speaker 1:it is so but yeah, like, right before we get started, I got a question for you. You open to a question? Okay, absolutely, all right, perfect, perfect, perfect. So if you, let's say me and you got invited to go to a big event, like a wedding or something, and we were going into the ceremony part of it, and we're walking in and we see this saying we have to sign to let the couple know that we were present, what are they signing? The guest book? Yes, perfect.
Speaker 1:So one of our sponsors here at Keep Up Alive is Life on Record and what they do. This is so cool. I love this concept. They have a vintage rotary phone that the guests can pick up and leave a message and then right next to that they have a QR code. So if you didn't want to pick up and leave a message, and then right next to that they have a QR code, so if you didn't want to pick up the phone and leave the message there, you can use your own cell device and do it before or after or in the event, whenever you would want to leave that message. So all these messages get sent in and they're either burned on a 12-inch vinyl record or they can be added to like this keepsake. I call it the boom box. So, like for weddings, a year later you can sit back and listen to those messages and hear what your friends and family had to say. And then, other than that, you know I always talk about weddings, but these are good for reunions, birthday parties, anniversaries, big school events like prom, whatever it may be.
Speaker 1:I know I used Life on Record for my son's football game about two years ago. There was a really bad accident and one of the boys hurt his leg. They had the ambulance come in, everything. Parents were just. It was a nightmare. I even did a podcast called Hush on it and in that podcast I cried. That's the first time I did a crime podcast, but I used it for that. They were able to dial in and leave their messages. But the good thing is their plans start at $99. You get the phone number. You got to return the phone, but you get the number for one year. So to find out more information about them, please visit them at wwwlifeonrecordcom. All right, so the biggest question. My second question is going to be who is Miss Michelle Brown?
Speaker 2:Um, I think I'm a lot of things, um, and it changes day by day, you know, given depending on what's going on in my life, but I think, at the end of the day, probably what I ultimately am as a storyteller, I just feel like, even if I'm not writing, I feel like I still am telling stories and it's just something that I feel like I've just been born to do Like. Since a very young age, all I've ever wanted to be is a writer, is an author, and it just seems to be kind of in my DNA.
Speaker 1:See, I love that in the DNA. I think I can say that for interviewing, writing is. I tried it a few years ago. I'm proud of myself, but I was talking to a ghost writer and what I told him that I wanted to write back he was like whoa. Told him that I wanted to write back. He was like whoa, because it's kind of scary story, but he's just kind of like no. So I had to pray about it for many years and I decided today to start writing.
Speaker 1:So I mean, yeah, and it can turn into motivational speaking. There's a lot of good stuff that will go into that book to teach a world about spiritual journeys at least. But yeah, I see, as a writer, in you is the passion, is the glow you smile like this is what I was born to do and you can see that glow on you. So, and then storytelling too. I don't let me ask you with that when you go out to restaurants or wherever, do you hear other people talking at like we're not eavesdropping, but I can just hear them really good. I blame it on being pregnant and having two kids.
Speaker 1:My ears are sensitive and it kind of contributes into another story, right.
Speaker 2:I in our family we kind of joke because total strangers just come up to me and they just tell me the like, their entire life story. I'll be in a bank line, make absolutely no eye contact with somebody, and suddenly I'm hearing all about, you know, when they were 16 and the first time they drove a car and crashed into a tree or something you know and my, uh, my kids call it the curse, Um, and they've been blessed with it as well, where people will tell them things, but it's just, it's um. I think really what it is is somehow they just know that you're a good listener and if you're a good listener, people will give you that opportunity. So I joke that it's the curse, but I do quite like that. People share some of these things and just you know such a range of things that have been told over the years. So you know, file it away for your writing.
Speaker 1:I get the same thing. We're just alike in that way. I get a lot of stories from people I don't know and then I call this part the curse for karaoke. Of course, it's usually at a bar, but people will come in so sad and depressed. But I can pick up on somebody's energy being way too strong and there was only a couple of times that I've walked over and go let's talk. I don't know you, but I can feel your energy. My name is Nadine and he's like, wow, my name is Nadine and he's like, wow, he goes. I'm putting it out that much, I go. Well, it's a gift from God for me to pick up on that energy, I guess.
Speaker 1:But then I used to call it the curse why? Why is that affecting me? You know what is the purpose of going over there? So, but then I learned later on it was prayer. That was put into that as well. So, but yeah, the kids get that passed on. I know my son has it. I don't know that my daughter has it that much, but my son yeah. So with that, okay. So when you are not sitting there writing, what are you doing? Because that's your passion.
Speaker 2:I'm a teacher, librarian in an elementary school, ironically surrounded by books all day, and you know, creating that passion for reading and little people um, future customers, hopefully and uh, you know just that, um, that connection with with young people and um, that passion for learning and sharing that. Uh, you know their understanding and their. You know what they find interesting in a story and their perspective and their point of view on things and you know like they'll say things and you are just so flabbergasted by the, the directness of what they say a lot of times, but also the depth of what they actually understand. You know they never fail to shock and amaze in the most amazing, positive way.
Speaker 1:So you see, I think that's going to be one of my podcasts, because it's funny, you say it, I just witnessed it. I'm at my church choir and where we sit in the back room before we go out, there was a little boy there and he was so cute, like he was trying to tell me about some video game, and I forgot what I said and he goes. You don't know that. I was like, am I supposed to? I was like, so sorry, ask him questions. Have you seen Goonies? What's that? It's all different generation. I try my best. You know, as my granddaughter was born, I didn't know what Bluey is, or Miss Rachel, and I'm learning all about them. And I was like, well, is Blue's Clues still around? Like these are the things that I remember raising my kids up on. So, but definitely, yeah. So the kids, I'm sure you're reading, reading. Do you read the stories out loud to them?
Speaker 2:we do. We do a lot of read alouds, of course, um, I do a lot of um, uh, steam, so, like science and technology activities and stuff like that library has definitely evolved and changed over the years. Um, so we do a lot of uh, we call them centers, the kids call it games and playing. So, um, you can call it whatever they want, because they're learning really neat things and if they're loving it, enjoying it, they can call it playing if they want. That's fine with me, um, but uh, just, you know, engaging them and uh, watching them is just incredible. So that's a big part of my life and my day, and the rest of the time it's, you know, walking trails with the dogs. Or you know, trying to do a little DIY around my house. You know, buy a fixer-upper and, boy oh boy, you'll have to fix her up.
Speaker 1:That's always fun, yeah, I always. You know, I used to work in the home improvement industry and it's like how's your gutters? Because I remember, or roof you got shingles as a kid I would kick that ball up on the roof and watch it roll down. Or we had things stuck in the gutters because the shield I don't think it was really out yet. I'm sorry, guys, I gotta take a drink of my tea, but you know, those are the little things that I remember of doing and how to get that out there. But yeah, so family and dogs and beautiful trails. You're from Ontario, correct? Yeah?
Speaker 2:so I'm from a little area north of Toronto, about an hour-ish north of Toronto. Right now, as we're speaking, we're getting about 40 centimeters of snow, about 20 inches of snow. It's not as cold as it has been, but it needs to be a little bit warmer actually for us to get a lot of snow. Ironically, so when it's super, super cold it's awful, but it's usually bright blue sky, so at least it's pretty. It's a little bit gray, but there's a ton of snow coming down.
Speaker 1:You could send me a picture.
Speaker 2:I love blue skies and snow.
Speaker 1:I don't like gray skies for some reason, and it was so funny. A couple of weeks ago we had just a little bit of snow and the gray skies. My son loves it. He's like I'm going to move to Seattle one day. I was like I will never go there. I'm not following you, son, because that is depressing. But when the sun came out I was like, oh, it's beautiful. And I was like is it beautiful? Because it's just melting to me, which is amazing.
Speaker 2:So yeah, it is. It is very beautiful when it's sunny out, but right now, as everybody well, the schools are even closed today, which is very, very rare. Our buses get canceled, not like super often, but often as of late, but it's very, very unusual for us to have schools closed.
Speaker 1:I I think in my career, I think it's been twice or maybe three times okay, closed because yeah, gotcha, gotcha, yeah, so you gotta love those snow days. As a teacher, I my son he he's in seventh grade and he'll come in. Oh, it's like a four-day weekend. I was like what, because I wasn't paying. He's in seventh grade and he'll come in. Oh, it's like a four-day weekend. I was like what, because I wasn't paying attention. He's like and I think it's just because it's President's Day or something, maybe it's, I don't know, maybe I got the days wrong, but he was talking about a longer weekend and we're possibly getting wintery mix, and he's like life is good. And I go well, let's go back to this long weekend. Why do they need that? He?
Speaker 2:goes. I don't care mom as long as they want to have some time to do exercise.
Speaker 1:So let me ask you I want to go back into my childhood. Is the card catalog still out? No, Do they get rid?
Speaker 2:of that? No, so some of my books do actually still have it in the back and anytime a student finds one of those, they are just like they think that they've found you know some sort of treasure from an ancient land or something and I explain. I take some stop and take some time to explain to students how they used to work, because the little card inside still has stamps on it and you could see the date on them that they were last. But everything's in a computer now. It's all scanned and uh, yeah, whoa, yeah that has changed.
Speaker 1:I need to get to the library. I'll probably be so lost and confused how do I do this and that you know? So, um, but yeah, definitely, and it's. It's neat because I do interview a lot of authors on Keep Hope Alive. But every time I walk into a Barnes Noble I'm like I wonder if their book is here too, because I know it's on Amazon and stuff like that. But I love the journals and I noticed you have what is a gratitude journal that you did.
Speaker 2:Can you tell?
Speaker 1:me a little bit.
Speaker 2:So the gratitude journal, the take that I have on it is it's not just about gratitude, it's also about self care. So, gratitude towards yourself as well, because I think that that's one of the things that we kind of miss out on is oh, I'm drinking lots of water and I'm exercising, but am I, am I taking care of my inside as well? My, you know my, my heart as well. Right, just being on that, that positive peace and self love, peace and definitely, definitely like we need to eat well and exercise and, you know, stay hydrated and all those things. But we need to make sure that we are also focusing on our mindset in life and making sure that, you know, we, we add that aspect to things because you know what you put out to the world is what comes back to you tenfold right. And so if you, if you're just sort of, you know, even indirectly, you're not feeling great about things and you're kind of snarky and miserable all the time and you're wondering, well, why is everybody snarky and miserable with me? Oh, you know, it's kind of reflective, right. So, yeah, it's, it's just really good to, you know, get in that practice of each day kind of thinking to yourself, you know like what was great in my life today, and it doesn't have to be a massive thing.
Speaker 2:I always talk about glimmers. It was something I heard about a few years ago and it's not about giant shining joy, happiness balls right in the sky or whatever, about all these little simple things. You know, like I'm sitting here and I can see the snow falling outside and you know part of my brain is like there's gonna be 40 centimeters of that stuff. That's like oh. But then I can also hear in the background my neighbor's snowblower going and I know that he's doing my driveway and that just, you know, that just brings me such joy to know that I have these wonderful people around me. And yeah, and then tomorrow when the sun comes out, that snow is going to have a little shimmer on it. It's going to be pretty. So, out of that, 40 centimeters of snow, you know you have that community that you feel that when you all come together, and you know that beauty once it kind of settles down again.
Speaker 1:So yeah, oh, that's amazing.
Speaker 2:That's nice that your neighbor is helping you out too. With that I have lovely neighbors.
Speaker 1:I'm very lucky, you see. Yeah, I was just writing and you know I told you in the book, but I was reflecting on New Jersey's weather and growing up there that you could really see all the seasons and I was so in tuned with each season that it's a story itself. But definitely there's so much potential, like I think you being snowed in I'd be like cup of coffee or hot chocolate laid down with my computer. Just start writing away because it is fun, it's very fun, I love it so, and I'm just trying to make the best book without using any AI. Help, yeah it's.
Speaker 2:It's a long process. Um, next book that I'm writing, I'm I'm doing a little bit of a little more outlining than I did the first time, because when there was so much research that I had to do because it's it's based on true events, so I wanted to make sure I had things very accurate and very, you know, as authentic as I could yeah, tying them to my, my grandparents and stories that I told from them, and I needed to make sure that things actually lined up the way that they were supposed to. So most of my, my prep was in that research piece, and this next one isn't really based on, uh, so much true events, as it is, um, personally anyway, um, um, you know places and things like that. So, um, it's a little bit more of a darker romance. So it's just a different process. So I've really had to focus on who are the characters so that I can really create that piece to me in my own head. I need to be able to see it to be able to write it.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, and I actually, oh, my book. It's just like I was crying as I was typing it out this morning. I will admit that because I'm a very honest person. It's a very hard book that is based on true things that happened and I don't think opening all that up is easy for me to do. When everything happened to me, I was just like do not open this again, like do not even talk about it. But then I was like you know what I want to be heard, because you know I just want to. So when typing that out today, just you know, it made me feel good that I was taking some of that and getting it out of my heart and soul and putting it on paper and it felt like a little way I could see past that pain that I had to go through.
Speaker 2:So some ownership and control over it, right, so you decide what narrative is going to go and how it's going to be impactful to you and to others down the road, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, exactly, and I just I found a lot of joy and happiness today, even though the tears came out. It was just the best feeling, though, and now I'm kind of like, ooh, let the doggies wake me up again really early so I can start typing. Let the doggies wake me up again really early so I can start typing.
Speaker 2:And mine, I, you know my, my main character is my grandmother's character. It's based on her, it's based on my grandparents and how they met and fell in love during the war and he was Canadian soldier and she was a British soldier, and so on the surface level it's, it's a beautiful love story. But when you, when you dig a little deeper to it, it really is about my grandmother and what an incredibly strong and resilient person she was. You know, like just the just the idea of surviving war. She lived in London, like London like it was decimated during the war, and to survive that and thrive in that and just have the attitude of you know, you worry about what you can control and what if you can't control, then let it go. And it was such, a such a concept to me as a kid, like, oh, you know, like okay, and very hard when you're a young, immature person to let it go. You're like, no, I don't want to let it go, I'm going to hold onto this and be miserable about it. Yeah, yeah, older, just how much wisdom and how much strength it actually takes to to let things go but also, um, to push through.
Speaker 2:And you know to survive those kinds of events, to be a woman in that time period, you know women back then in Canada, women weren't even allowed to have a bank account on their own until 1972. You needed your husband or your father's permission to have a bank account. You couldn't have a mortgage, all of these things. And so you know, to be a woman in that time period and you know like we take so much for granted now and it was that's not that long ago that, yeah, types of things that were that existed for women, right. So women were expected to stay home. You didn't need to to work because your, your husband, worked, and things like that.
Speaker 2:If you had a child, it was very hard to get a job. My mom, when she had me, she had to go back to work. My dad wasn't around, so she had to go back to work when I was very, very little like three weeks I think and you know like the strength of that, but then having that community of strong women because my mom, my grandmother, took care of me when I was little to be able to have that, to have that community of women to rely on as well, and to show that strength, is such a like. I can't believe that I was given such a gift to be raised in that kind of a home and that kind of a family with so many loving people. You know my aunts and uncles just very, very tight knit group of people that you know always had your back, even if they were burying you in the snow up to your neck when you're little.
Speaker 1:I wasn't made to that part. I live with my mom right now and it's so funny because I'm grateful my kids get to be around her, and then I'm happy that my granddaughter gets to spend time with the great grandma too, because sometimes that's very rare, you know it really is, Especially with people living so far apart.
Speaker 2:Now, right, Like, we have these opportunities to travel for work and things like that, but it also means then we're not as nearby to family force, you know, to have that relationship. You know, when my children were little, my mom lived out in British Columbia, which is the other side of Canada. When my children were little, my mom lived out in British Columbia, which is the other side of Canada. But we just made a very like we made a conscious effort to make sure that she, you know, even when they were babies, she talked to them on the phone, so they knew right. So when she did come to visit they they had this really wonderful relationship with her right away and that that stayed right. So, um, yeah, hard, but it's not. It's not that it's not doable, it just takes more effort, Right?
Speaker 1:Exactly. Yeah, I know my daughter's going to be moving out, I think pretty soon, and they're going to be about four to five hours away. But I was like, oh, am I going to have a hard time with this. I can't keep her here. She's an adult, you know.
Speaker 2:But I was like my granddaughter.
Speaker 1:I want to see her, but that's where I'm going to have to start making that conscious effort and I was like, okay, there's FaceTime, we'll be able to do that. If she misses me, she can watch a podcast.
Speaker 2:Do a zoom call definitely makes it so much easier now for us to have those connections. That's one of the really great things about technology. Um yeah, it's the ability to actually see and connect.
Speaker 1:So yes, it's so important too. I love it. So I, I loved, um, I, I before we. I can't believe I'm telling you this, but that technology part. I was talking to somebody for like two weeks and we're deciding to meet this Saturday, but it was like two days ago. He hit the button and it said FaceTime call or something. And I'm like whoa, he wants to see what I look like. I'm okay because I have my makeup on and everything, so I accept it. And it was funny because I only saw what he saw. He didn't have it turned around on him. I was like you can see me, but I'm looking at this other stuff. Where are you? But it was so interesting when that camera turned around, it was just like whoa, I felt shy for some reason, blushing. I was just like this is the guy I've been talking to and he just has this amazing smile.
Speaker 2:You're truly out in the open now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, it's going to make it easier to meet him in person, I can tell you that. So I am happy with how technology plays a part in that. So, yeah, makes it safe and fun. The other book there was one more that you wrote. I know there was three. Which one am I?
Speaker 2:missing. It's also a gratitude journal. It's a little sassier, it's a little less PG and it has some sweary affirmations and things like that in it and some coloring.
Speaker 1:Oh, I know what book I was thinking of.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, yes, it's a little more mature, um, but uh, it's, it's just sassy and fun. It kind of matches my personality a little bit more than okay, a little, a little, uh, more sedate, but uh. But there's some coloring pages in there and things like that as well and different little activities and ways to reflect on on your day in your week just to keep you back into that, into that, you know, state of of happiness with yourself, yeah, attitude and awareness that you know you do control your own narrative, you do control how you feel about your life and you make the choices. Sometimes they're really hard and it takes a while for things to come together, sometimes a lot longer than maybe you you want them to be. But if you are focused and you're pointed in the right direction, you're going to get there.
Speaker 1:And you're pointed in the right direction.
Speaker 2:You're going to get there. So you know that's that's. You know those two journals were a big part of me being able to work through having the confidence to actually write the novel Love Always, because it was such a personal story. You know it is my grandparents and it is, you know, so deeply connected to who I am in my childhood because I was so, so close to my grandparents and you know, having been told earlier on that, you know it wasn't very good, but it'll be a nice little souvenir memento. And I made the mistake of listening to that. And, you know, through that journey of of the, you know, of kind of pointing myself in the right direction and building that faith in myself again, I was able to push through and write the story and connect my thoughts and and just you know, become that strong person that had been modeled for me, right. So I had these strong women in my life and now I realized, oh right, you are one too. So that's a big part of where love always came from is, you know, the?
Speaker 2:title is that you know, again, it goes to that, that surface piece of a love story. But there's just that extra of you know love isn't always easy and it's not a lot of bumps, and you know. You know, you know kissing frogs along the way and you know you have to have that love and that patience and that resilience in yourself and decide what you are and aren't going to push through and things that you will put up with and won't put up with and all those boundaries and things like that. But at the end of the day, you know you need to decide is it love always? You know, because at the you know you need to always love yourself and be true to yourself. And if the person in your life, if you can find a way to to put that together as well, well, that's, that's a beautiful thing. Well, that's, that's a beautiful thing. So and that was my grandparents, you know no-transcript.
Speaker 1:See, yeah, having that strength and understanding and everything. I know there is a reel that talks about a man knows that a woman has been broken but he still cares and wants to help her get through that pain. And it's something I never mentioned to anybody, I just know I love that reel. But the person I met, he sent that reel over to me and I was like, whoa, this is a good sign, we'll see. I haven't gone into much of my whole life with him because I want to wait and meet him in person, but just to see that made me feel good and understand and everything. So, talking about feeling good, really quick I got to do another quick commercial.
Speaker 1:But have you ever heard of nap bands? Mine says hope, oh, I like that, I love that. And then I yeah, they come in all different colors these words hope, peace, love, faith. They're called mantra words for these bracelets and the elastic on the back you just take and you thump and it will send a signal to the brain. It does help with anxiety, depression. I will throw in their PTSD because I'm telling you I use mine every time I go to the hospital and they have to find a vein because they never find it. So my prayer is let there be hope, and I'm praying and loving. But you know, I tried to cover all the mantra parts in one, but that's what I use it the most. I've had mine for a year and a half and I love it. So they've done studies on it and there is just something about it. Also I heard with these snap bands is it can help with sleep process. I don't know, I don't know why, but it has helped me so definitely. Have you ever seen them?
Speaker 2:We, I actually have seen them on students at school, so children, nowadays there's so much anxiety and I don't like to say I don't like it when somebody says I have anxiety because it sounds like that's who they are. Yeah, I talk about it with students. I talk about how we feel anxious and then it gives us more control over that emotion. But I've seen children with them. So you know, and they, they find that it's. You know, it's just a like a little piece of mind for them, right, that it's there like a little. Yeah, align us with this blanket kind of idea. It's, it's just a little.
Speaker 1:I love that. Yeah, it is a comfort zone. It is I I call it a sensory item too. Yeah, so, because you know all those little pop things that they use or the squishy uh toys that they feel. It's the same thing snap bands and it just gives you that comfort and peace. I love it.
Speaker 1:I know they did not have the word faith, and here's the thing with Keep Hope Alive. You can get the word faith now. If you put in the code KHA, they will give you that mantra word and it comes in every color and everything. But you can find more information at their website at wwwsnapbandscom. Let me spell that out because it is different. It is S N, a, p, p, b, a, n-z, so that's how you spell Snapfans. Go visit them. All proceeds will go to different charities and organizations that help with. You know different people that help with the anxiety and all that fun stuff. So I'm very proud to be working with them and everything, and I think there's going to be a part on my website. I'm going to be starting to sell these too. So, yay, I'm excited about it, but definitely. So let me go in. I want to see do you have any plans for 2025, going into 26?. Is there any other books coming or podcasts?
Speaker 2:So I am working on my next novel, um, and it's a bit of a dark romance, stalker romance. Um, also working with a screenplay writer to turn love always into a script, and it's being shopped out for a movie version.
Speaker 1:Yay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we're working on that and we've had a little bit of interest here and there from local talent, so that was very exciting and so hopefully that leads to pretty exciting big things in the not so distant future.
Speaker 1:So yeah, you put it up there in the light and it will happen. That's my three positive vibes only so I know I've talked to one of the podcasters that I interviewed um last year in 24 and just watching his journey and everything, it's so transformal. It is just a wonderful thing to see how, over the year time, people have changed, and that is something I will be contacting you in 26 going hey, do you want to come back on?
Speaker 2:Where are you with that book? Where are you with that movie?
Speaker 1:That's about the pop out Love always.
Speaker 2:you know I do um I was gonna ask you is love always on like audible? Can you listen to it? It's not on audible yet we're actually in the midst of doing that. I'm uh interviewing voice actors for that. Um, no, I'm kidding so that, yes, I'm working on that, uh, but it is on Kobo and Kindle, so there is a book version as well, and it's in hardcover and paperback. So I know some people are paperbacks they are.
Speaker 2:They're hardcore hardcover. That's all they'll do, and if they're paperback, they're paperback. So we, uh, we have one for everybody.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, hopefully by summer. That's awesome and remember it's on the storefront. On the website you can go and find her book and get it right away so you can read it. So, but definitely that was amazing. So if people wanted to reach out to you, what's the best way? Your socials, your email, website.
Speaker 2:My socials are pretty much all exactly the same. It's Michelle Brown Author. So if you're looking for me on TikTok or Instagram, that's my handle on there. My website is michellebrownauthorca and the Facebook is also Michelle Brown author, so try to kind of keep it all the same. And the book is on Amazon, as I said, and you can also get it in your local bookstore. So, as I said, and you can also get it in your local bookstores. So it's listed through a company that the private and the independent stores they go through, cause I, I love to shop in my little local bookstores, you know.
Speaker 2:There's just something about when you go in and you feel like you've fallen through a portal to another place or something. I don't know, but I just I love, I love, you know, supporting our local businesses and you know it's a, it's a lovely thing. So if you have a favorite bookstore, you can go in there and ask them to bring it in for you, because they absolutely can as well.
Speaker 1:Okay, that is so cool because I know that's Barnes Noble for me. I love going in there. So, oh my gosh, I'm so excited for you and just the whole outcome. And please, listeners, go check out her stuff. I looked at your website today too and I was blown away. I was like A, it's a really cool website. I was like it looks really good. And then I was just like looking at the Amazon and seeing the reviews for your book and I was like all right, she's awesome and amazing. But I knew that first, talking to you, that we were going to have a great interview on you as a person and what you have wrote and what you're doing with your life and everything. So I just I really enjoyed having you on and I'm praying that that can transform into something really really good, really really good.
Speaker 1:I know I want to backtrack really quick because I had another guest speaker that was on the podcast. It was like season one or two, nadia Vey. But she kind of had the same title. You weren't saying, but if you take these initials, friends, you hood, could. She had keep, so could keep, yeah, so, but that I made me think about that going man, she needs to meet nadia fay. I have a list of people and then getting the movies out and getting that promotion. Terence, I'm gonna. I'm going to say his name wrong. I know it starts with a C. He has a new show out with Ice-T and they put it out. It started February 2nd or 3rd, but they interviewed all these gangsters around the area, yeah, and it's turned into a whole show now. So I was just overwhelmed going okay, you know, when people tell you I'm going to do this with my life and I'm going to get there and I mean I'm trying to do that for myself, because I do believe that this show, keep Hope Alive, can be throughout the world and help so many people just by being heard. So those are my goals for 2025.
Speaker 1:Here we go Now. Wherever you guys find your podcasts, you can definitely find Keep Hope Alive podcasts. Our website is wwwkeephopealivepodcastcom. There is a leave a voicemail button. If you wanted to leave a message for us, you can, and I promise I'll give her that message as well and we'll get those answered for you.
Speaker 1:And then, on top of that, we have our new membership going on our website. You can now sign up. You are going to get the best of the best of what our interviews, the people I interviewed, their special promos and discounts and featured stuff. You're going to see scenes you've never seen through doing a podcast with me. I guess I'm kind of corny and blooper-ish, who knows, but I'm going to put it out there, so it is so worth it to sign up. You will be a part of the VIP group and that is a private group, so we hope you will subscribe and then also look for our stuff, share it, get it out there. If you would like to be a guest, we are accepting all new guests for the podcast and there's so much more to come in 2025. But I wanted to say thank you to you for coming on and being a guest and I can't wait to bring you back. I just I'm so excited.
Speaker 2:I can't wait to get there, the next level of the journey.
Speaker 1:Exactly, exactly, and enjoy the snow. I will. I will send you a photo. Yeah, I'm counting on that and I'll post it on the VIP group there you go, so sign up guys, if you want to see that beautiful snow, then I'm at it. All right, guys, until our next show. Thank you for watching and love and light Bye-bye.
