A One-of-A-Kind Gift
Drawing on decades of experience as a professional journalist and writer, Jessie helps clients create a unique gift, a Forever Book, to share your legacy and values. This is a contemporary version of an ethical will, the ancient Jewish tradition of bequeathing one’s wisdom and life lessons.
Print or share virtually to:
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Celebrate happy occasions such as major birthdays and anniversaries, weddings, graduations and other life events.
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Remember someone for whom time is precious due to age or health status.
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Spur meaningful conversations
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Create a keepsake for loved ones and future generations.
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Inspire next generation philanthropy for causes you hope will be supported in your memory.
The Creative Process
Interview - Jessie has a knack for putting others at ease as she interviews people in-person or remotely. She elicits key details and helps you explore, refine and express your core beliefs and wisdom effectively and without sentimentality. Sample interview questions.
Create text and design - We co-create your keepsake book through an easy, efficient and collaborative process. Drawing from our interview transcript, Jessie develops text that vividly evokes your unique voice and presence. With your input, review and approval, she designs a visually appealing four-color book with essential messages alongside memorable photos.
Print and share - Your Forever Book can be printed at cost or shared virtually.
Beyond a biography - Your Forever Book offers insight into the core challenges and events of your life, and shares your wisdom and values with generations to come.
"When Jessie suggested creating a Forever Book with my late husband, I wasn’t sure if he would be up for the task. He agreed without hesitation, and seemed to find the two interview sessions with Jessie to be a moving experience. Very little time and effort on our part was required. The result is a remarkable book that captures my husband’s essence—what made him a vital, loving person. With his death, this beautiful testament to his life allows me to hold and cherish his memory and share it with others." -R.M
"I am amazed, so thankful for the work you put into making this book. I felt my life in each page. It's beautiful, just perfect — am speechless. I know how important this book will be for my kids. My hope is that this will help my kids remember me, feel my love for them and realize my vision for their future: that they will be happy, good people doing what they love." -H.B.
Context
The Ethical Will, an Ancient Concept, Is Revamped for the Tech Age, The New York Times, October 31, 2014
Telling Their Life Stories, Older Adults Find Peace in Looking Back, The New York Times, December 9, 2016
"Stories are our prayers. Write and edit them with due reverence, even when the stories themselves are irreverent.
Stories are parables. Write and edit and tell yours with meaning, so each tale stands in for a larger message, each story a guidepost on our collective journey.
Stories are history. Write and edit and tell yours with accuracy and understanding and context and with unwavering devotion to the truth.
Stories are music. Write and edit and tell yours with pace and rhythm and flow. Throw in the dips and twirls that make them exciting, but stay true to the core beat. Readers hear stories with their inner ear.
Stories are our soul. Write and edit and tell yours with your whole selves. Tell them as if they are all that matters. It matters that you do it as if that’s all there is."
- Jacqui Banaszynski, Knight Chair in Editing, University of Missouri School of Journalism