Oprah & Brenda Kruse: The Whole Story

One Year Ago Today...

2009-05-28T12:38:00.005-05:00

So it was exactly a year ago today that I got the shock of my life...a voicemail with the infamous voice of Oprah Winfrey on it. It was a personal thank-you call for the Gracie's Gift storybook I'd created and sent her.

It's now been two years since little Gracie's tragic death...hopefully Oprah read her tribute storybook again this year on the anniversary just a few days ago. Of course, now she has a new puppy - Sadie - in her life to bring her joy and smiles but I'm sure Gracie will always hold a special place in Oprah's heart.

While much has happened in my business and professional life since her call, I'm still floored that she took the time to call me...and that she made sure O Magazine knew about it too.

All I can say today on the 1-year anniversary of Oprah's call is...THANK YOU, OPRAH! (And if you want to call me back at 319-988-9836, I'll be sure to answer!) ;-)

Getting on Good Morning America with Gayle King!

2008-12-04T14:30:00.009-06:00

What a pleasant surprise to receive a phone call from my upline director Heidi Arave today screaming at me to turn on the TV to watch my books be shown on a segment of Good Morning America's show! While I missed it "live" on air, I did watch it on the ABC News/GMA website and was amazed to see Gayle King choose us first as one of Oprah's "favorite favorites" when highlighting great gifts for under $50! See it by clicking the video screenshot image below or here.

She showed the very storybook Oprah herself got from me about Gracie and said "somebody was very smart" to do that because Oprah fell in love with it! Then she and Robin Roberts looked at the other sample books on the table, which included two of my cute kids and a few from Heidi's personal collection. Gayle then personally commented that the "Before I Was Your Mother" was a beautiful idea for a book! And she's so right!

The reason Gayle had these books of ours is that my contact at O Magazine requested I send her a few more storybooks because they were going to do a plug promo segment on Entertainment Tonight a week or so ago. They did do a very brief blurb on the show but our books weren't featured too prominently...just a flash on screen...but still a cool claim to fame!

I'd just chatted with Heidi yesterday wondering when they might return our books to us. And I joked that I didn't care if I ever got them back if they kept using them for promo plugs! And then this morning happened. Hmm...can you say, "Law of Attraction?!"

We love all the attention and all the excitement and all the business! We can help everyone! So spread the word to choose BuildYourHeritage.com so you get Brenda Kruse, the one Oprah called, as your personal publishing consultant!

Oprah's Favorite Things Show 2008

2008-11-26T16:30:00.006-06:00

So today was Oprah's Favorite Things show where she normally gives away tons of free gifts, including many expensive items. Due to the economy, she wisely chose to focus on more economical alternatives or creative, thoughtful gifts.

My favorite quote from Ms. O today was this: "The words from your heart mean more to people than anything you can buy." So true. Which is why we suggest putting those precious words into print so you can cherish them for a lifetime (and beyond) in a beautiful hardbound book.

Since she couldn't promote any real products like out of her famed O List, she just said at the end "if you really need a gift, look here for all my favorite favorites!" Then they showed a nice big spread of OUR page 93-94 of her All-Time Favorite Gifts. Nice screen time! And a plug for the magazine, the O List, the website (where we're shown as the 3rd of her short list!), and ultimately...ME! ;-) Thanks, Oprah!

Granted the show wasn't filled with screaming, fainting guests who were so floored they were going to get a FREE storybook credit to publish their own personal book...I will gladly wait until the economy is stronger for the NEXT Favorite Things episode to do that, Oprah!

O MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2008! One of Oprah's ALL-TIME FAVORITE GIFTS!

2008-11-03T16:45:00.001-06:00

Could somebody please pinch me? I just found out that the December 2008 Holiday Gift Guide issue of O, The Oprah Magazine is OFFICIALLY OUT to subscribers in some parts of the country. While I already knew I had gotten Heritage Makers listed as one of the O List gifts, I did NOT know that we had been chosen as ONE OF OPRAH'S ALL-TIME FAVORITE THINGS!!!!! (Sorry, that definitely calls for multiple exclamation points!!!)

But that's what I see on the spread featuring our storybooks along with other items she's adored for ages & hyped/promoted, including the Josh Groban CD, cupcakes, a turkey, jams, bubble bath, some overpriced plain notecards (no offense, Oprah, but we can do MUCH better!), a grilling gadget, Hope in a Jar facial creme by Philosophy, and her 5 top books of all-time. That's pretty cool company to keep!

So needless to say, I'm flying HIGHER than Cloud 9 this week! I don't even have the magazine in my own hands yet as my subscription hasn't been delivered yet (despite daily harrassment of my postal carrier). But I have these beautiful images as proof that dreams (even the biggest ones you didn't even think you could believe in) CAN and DO come true!

Thank you Oprah and the O Magazine staff for your recognition of giving the gift of story and the gift of heritage as a really meaningful, truly personal way to make a difference in the lives of many. You've made my Christmas THE BEST EVER!

More to the story than is fit to print! (Not quite yet!)

2008-10-03T11:30:00.005-05:00

I'd love to tell you what's coming in a couple weeks but I can't put it into print quite yet. But I can say that soon, 2.7 million readers will be seeing something I had a hand in achieving. If you listen carefully to the NEW UNEDITED voicemail clip from Oprah Winfrey, you might just get a clue what this might be. Today I heard O-fficial word that Christmas will be merrier for me...and many of a certain publication's readers who can put a storybook under the tree and give the powerful gift of story to someone special this holiday season. Watch here (& on my website) around November 10th when I will be able to shout it from the rooftops. If you can't wait but can keep a secret, you can email or call me now to find out first!

Heritage Makers Reunion Reveal

2008-09-30T14:54:00.004-05:00

Wow! Whoa! I just returned from sunny Anaheim, California where I was able to "spill the beans" and share this secret about Oprah's call! I told more than 400 consultants on Friday morning and watched their jaws drop...and then heard their screams and cheers! How exciting! Look below for a photo gallery...

Oprah called me!

2008-05-28T22:00:00.002-05:00

It was a Wednesday at 5:46 p.m. Central Time (5-28-2008). I was putting away groceries while my kids were playing outside. A call came into my cell phone that said "Private Call" and I went to answer but I couldn't hear anything so I hung up. A minute later, my voicemail chime sounded so I went to check it, expecting a telemarketer or political promo.

But that's when I experienced the surprise of my life...it was Oprah Winfrey on my voicemail!

All I know is I dropped the loaf of bread I had in my hands (good thing it wasn't eggs or a jar of spaghetti sauce!) and stood frozen to my kitchen floor with goosebumps from head to toe.

She called to say thank you for the book I'd created and sent her about her dog, Gracie, who died a year ago. Getting a personal call from Ms. O herself, I was stunned to say the least.

After listening to her minute-long message, I was terrified I would hit the wrong button on my phone and delete the proof that I had just heard a personal voicemail from Oprah! Thankfully I was able to save it and could listen to it over and over again as well as sent it to my mom's cell phone as proof! Then I started calling around to family and friends to share the exciting news!

[Brenda Kruse, Founding Consultant for Heritage Makers at BuildYourHeritage.com]