58: What If the Life You’re Waiting For Is Already Happening? | Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh – Badass Books and Besties
There are moments that change you—quietly, slowly, all at once. For me, one of those moments was holding my debut novel, Perpetually 24, in my hands for the very first time. After years of dreaming, doubting, journaling, and healing… I’m finally able to say it: I’m a published author. And wow, just typing that still makes me emotional.
In this week’s episode of the Badass Books and Besties podcast, I opened up about what it really took to bring this book to life—not just the plot points and Trello boards, but the truth behind the fiction. The heartbreaks I lived through. The healing I didn’t know was happening. The parts of myself I tucked into the pages of Aria Rose’s story.
So in this blog post, I want to take you even deeper into that journey. Whether you’re a writer, a dreamer, or someone who’s outgrown the version of yourself you once were… this is for you.
How Perpetually 24 Was Born
Like many stories, it started in pieces.
There were late-night journal entries. Voice memos from heartbreak hotel. Scribbled thoughts during my college years. Love letters from an ex I was still untangling myself from. And somewhere in the middle of it all, this voice started to form. Her name was Aria Rose, and she had something to say.
At first, I didn’t know what kind of story I was telling. I just knew I had to tell it. I pulled together the fragments—Trello boards, scenes written out of order…and eventually, something clicked. The fictional story I was writing began to reflect something far more personal: a mirror of the emotional journey I’d lived but never spoken aloud.
Aria Rose Isn’t Me… But She Carries Pieces of Me
Friends and family keep asking, “Which parts are real?” And the answer is: a lot more than you’d think. Some of the dialogue came straight from real-life conversations. Some of the emotions were lifted directly from old journal entries I never thought I’d share. Some scenes were born out of the kind of heartbreak you carry in your bones.
Aria isn’t me, but she’s the woman I’ve been. The one who bent herself for love. Who chased validation in all the wrong places. Who learned to take up space again after years of staying small.
And as her story unfolds, we see her become something more. She’s messy, impulsive, tender, and trying—just like so many of us. This isn’t a romance novel in the traditional sense. It’s about waking up. About realizing the relationship that really needs attention is the one you have with yourself.
Writing Through the Hard Stuff
One of the most emotional parts of this journey came toward the end of writing this book—when my mother passed away unexpectedly. My sister and I flew to Missouri, combed through old belongings, and in the middle of a dusty storage unit, I found a short story I wrote as a little girl. Scrawled across it in red pen was this: “You will be a published author one day.”
I showed it to my sister and cried. Because that little girl had no idea what she’d live through—or how hard she’d fight to believe in herself again. And in that moment, I realized: I had become everything she hoped for.
This book carries not just Aria’s story, and mine—but the legacy of the women who shaped me. My mom, my grandma, my aunt. Each of them, in their own way, helped build the woman who finally had the courage to write this book.
A Look at the Writing Process
Writing Perpetually 24 wasn’t just emotional—it was also deeply chaotic in the most creative way.
I didn’t sit down and outline the story beginning to end. It lived in voice memos, old notebooks, half-written Google Docs, and tiny snippets in my Notes app. Some days I’d write full scenes. Other days, I’d scribble a single line that ended up becoming a major emotional turning point.
Eventually, I turned to Trello and created columns for exposition, rising action, climax, and so on. I started dragging and dropping all those pieces—scenes, poems, memories—into place. It was like putting together a puzzle I didn’t have the picture for, but I could feel when the pieces clicked.
I usually wrote at night, after my kids were in bed and the world was finally quiet. I lit a candle, poured wine or a glass of my favorite craft beer, and let the words flow—even when they hurt. Some nights I cried while writing. Some nights I laughed. And some nights, I just stared at the blinking cursor and gave myself grace.
What kept me going? Honestly, the belief that someone needed this story. That someone out there would see themselves in Aria—and feel a little less alone.
What Perpetually 24 Is Really About
At its core, this book is about identity. About peeling back all the layers of who you thought you were—who other people told you to be—and finding out what’s underneath.
It’s about emotional safety, or the lack of it. Aria didn’t grow up with consistent love. She learned to read a room before she ever learned to read a book. She became who people needed her to be. And haven’t we all done that at some point?
It’s about what it means to be “too much.” Too emotional. Too loud. Too messy. Too tender. Aria constantly questions whether she’s worthy of love without having to shrink. And through her journey, we get to ask that question for ourselves, too.
This book doesn’t offer easy answers. But it offers honesty. And sometimes, that’s the most healing thing of all.
For the Woman Who’s Still Becoming
This book is for anyone who’s ever felt stuck in a version of themselves that no longer fits. For the women who show up for everyone else while forgetting how to show up for themselves. For the one who feels too much, or not enough, or like they’ve lost their way and don’t know how to begin again.
Perpetually 24 isn’t just a novel—it’s a love letter to the becoming. To the messy middle. To the heartbreak and the healing.
Want a Peek Behind the Pages?
In this week’s episode of the podcast, I share:
- How fiction and personal truth intertwined to create Perpetually 24
- What it felt like to write through grief, loss, and the emotional residue of the past
- Why this story is for anyone who’s outgrown who they used to be
- The creative chaos behind the writing process (hello, Trello!)
If you’ve ever dreamed of writing a book—or simply wondered how one comes together—this episode will speak to your heart.
Ready to Read It?
Sharing this book with the world has been terrifying… and freeing.
It’s vulnerable to put your heart on the page. To let people into the thoughts you’ve kept hidden. To know that some of the most personal parts of your story are now printed, bound, and sitting on someone’s nightstand. But it’s also the most honest I’ve ever been. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
So if you’re ready to meet Aria—and maybe meet a version of yourself along the way—you can grab Perpetually 24 now on Amazon. It’s available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle. You can also search for Perpetually 24 by Brianna J.J. Brown.
If something in the book speaks to you, I’d love to hear about it. Message me. Tag me. Share your favorite quote. That’s the real magic—connection.
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Thank you for reading. Thank you for being here. And thank you for believing in stories—yours, mine, and the ones we’re still writing.