Turning the life stories of you or your loved one into the gift of history for your whole family is personalized to your exact needs. What, in general, can you anticipate?

  • You will receive a questionnaire to provide basic biographical information. If you prefer, we can add extra interview time to gather this info.
  • I will interview you or your loved one at home, on their outdoor patio, or remotely via Zoom. Safety and comfort are paramount. Interviews are a fun, relaxed conversation with a friend (me!). On average, interviews require about eight hours, divided into three sessions.
  • Next I will get to work on transcribing the audio recording of the interview(s) and creating the narrative from the stories provided.
  • You will receive drafts for review and will be asked to provide photos to enrich the stories.
  • Once you approve the content, the story will be delivered to you as a PDF document that you can easily distribute to your entire family or in a book or other printed format.
  • You will also receive the audio recordings and electronic versions of any files and documents associated with your project.
  • The process will take as little as a few weeks, depending on the number and extent of interviews.
  • If you have other family history gathering or organizing needs, I’m happy to help customize your project. This might include integrating photos, genealogy, or other family members into the project.

At the end of my career, I intend to donate my collection of elder stories to an archive, so that they are preserved and available to students and researchers. If you want to preserve your history with mine and others, future generations will thank you! If you want your history for your family alone, I’m grateful to help make this enduring gift possible for your kids and grandkids.