Frequently Asked Questions
The questions families ask us.
Honest answers, in plain English. If yours is not below, the twenty-minute discovery call is the right next step.
- What does the price include?
- Everything: the writer, the editor, all interviews (in person, with travel included), all transcription, the manuscript, the typesetting and design, archival-grade printing, hardcover binding, and your hardcover copies shipped to your door. There are no hidden fees, no per-page charges, and no upcharges for revisions.
- How long does it take from the first call to the finished book?
- Six months for The Heritage, seven for The Signature, nine for The Legacy. We hold to those timelines absolutely barring narrator health concerns. The first interview is usually within four weeks of your deposit.
- Who actually does the interviewing?
- An American writer who lives within reasonable distance of your narrator. We match writers by region, by the narrator's age and background, and by who we believe will earn their trust in the first hour. You meet your writer before any interviews begin.
- My parent is in poor health — can we still do this?
- Yes, and often this is the right moment to begin. We can front-load interviews into the first six weeks to capture the bulk of the material quickly. We have contractual provisions for suspending or completing a project early if a narrator's health declines. We will be honest with you about what is feasible.
- What if my parent does not want certain stories included?
- The narrator is the sole approver of every chapter. Nothing goes into the book without their explicit yes. Family members do not have veto power over what the narrator chooses to include — this is the narrator's book, not a family vote.
- Who owns the copyright of the finished book?
- You and your narrator do, fully and irrevocably, on the day final payment is received. We assign all copyright, moral rights, and intellectual-property rights to the family. We retain no rights of any kind. The Legacy edition includes formal registration with the US Copyright Office.
- Do you use AI to write the books?
- No. Your memoir is researched, drafted, and edited by human writers. We use modern transcription tools so that your loved one's words are captured accurately, and structural tools to keep long projects organized — but every paragraph of narrative is written by a person, reviewed by a senior editor, and approved by you before it goes to print.
- Can we print more copies later?
- Yes. Once the book is typeset, additional hardcover copies are available at our printer's cost (approximately $40–$60 per copy depending on length and edition). Many families order more copies a year or two later, after the book has been shared at a milestone gathering.
- Can the book include photographs?
- Yes. The Signature edition includes professional restoration of up to thirty family photographs, and The Legacy includes unlimited restoration. Photos are reproduced on archival photo paper as a separate insert or interleaved throughout the chapters, depending on your preference.
- What if a family member disagrees with what was written?
- It happens. The narrator has the final say on their own life story. Where a disputed fact is in question, we will quietly do additional research and present the family with the historical record. Where it is a matter of family memory, the narrator's recollection governs.
- Is there a payment plan?
- Yes. Every edition is paid in three equal installments: one third on signing, one third when the full draft is approved, and one third when the hardcover copies are delivered. The first installment is non-refundable after the first interview session.
- What if my parent passes away before we finish?
- We have a clear protocol for this. If the bulk of the interviews has been completed, we work with the family to finish the book using the recorded material, family supplements, and archive documents — at no additional cost. If interviews are still early, we can convert the project into our Tribute Book product. We will never leave a family without a finished book and never withhold the material we have gathered.
Still wondering about something specific?
The twenty-minute call exists for exactly that.