Author and Actor Keke Palmer and the Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) held an author event titled “Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative” to promote her new book.
This free event included receiving a copy of the book on release day and took place in Centennial Hall at MPL on the evening of Oct. 11 with an enthusiastic crowd of fans. The book, which is releasing on Nov 19, is titled “Master of Me” and covers Palmer’s history in entertainment but it’s also, as Palmer says, “a blueprint for mastering your destiny.”
The event was moderated by Cree Myles, a Milwaukee-based writer and book influencer, who runs Penguin Random House’s vertical All Ways Black.
“The book is excellent,” said Myles. “Keke’s knowledge, your introspection and your self-awareness; it was so beautiful.”
It has been a decade since Palmer wrote a book at the age of 21, and now at 31, she has learned many more lessons and has some things to say.
“I’ve become a mom, I’ve learned so much about myself in business, how I want to continue to tell my story and my community and my company,” said Palmer.
During the evening, Palmer’s son Leo, who sat in front of the audience, tried to get on stage with his mom.
“I was very, very happy to become a mom,” said Palmer.
Palmer and Myles additionally talked about the goal of writing the book and what the main takeaway will be for the reader.
“We are the author of our lives and there’s so much externally out of control,” Palmer said. “What you can control is your perspective.”
There were also lively stories from Palmer about her parents and how they raised her with encouragement and an appreciation for the arts.
“I do think that gratitude is a conduit to a brighter perspective,” Palmer said, “Letting more stuff in when you’re looking at the world as abundant, opposed to closed off.”
When talking about gratitude, Palmer shared some advice given by her father on the importance of never comparing yourself to others or your past self.
Palmer said, “You don’t have the same starting point as anyone else and they don’t have the same starting point as you.”
Throughout the talk, there was some powerful conversation surrounding Palmer’s family, her own life and the importance of her role in the black community.
“Mastering my mind, mastering the way I decided to look at this,” Palmer said, “It didn’t happen to me, it happened for me.”