Cafe LegacyA Writing Service

How To Write About Your Kids – Memoir Writing

Whenever I’m working on a memoir with an adult it is inevitable that the question of “how do I portray my kids?” comes up. As a parent I get it. My two older sons are doing a great job making their own paths, and my two little ones are – CRAZY… sweet, charming, MESSY, silly, playful, LOUD, OBNOXIOUS, generous, and love to give TONS of hugs and drawings that say, “I LUV YOU DADA” and “I LUV YOU…

“Hot Fudge” now available on Amazon!

Buy Hot Fudge here! Hey Everyone! I’d like to introduce the reprint of Richard Spilman’s Hot Fudge, a New York Times Notable Book. It was originally published by Simon and Schuster with critical accolades. I was lucky enough to work on the second edition and release it under Moon Valley Press this week. As many of you know, I am a huge fan of short stories and love the days of serialized and…

Keto My Soul by Rebecca Odessky now available on Amazon

I’d like to introduce you to first-time cookbook writer, Rebecca Odessky who has been going through a transformation the last few years while exploring the Keto Diet. She was so excited at her results that she assembled a book of her favorite recipes. You can find Rebecca’s book, Keto my Soul on Amazon. You can find Keto my Soul here, and please welcome her to the Cafe Legacy and Moon Valley…

“Silver Bottle” now available on Amazon!

Buy Silver Bottle here! Good afternoon everyone! I’d like to introduce the short story novel Silver Bottle by author Joan Spilman. Joan is a writer of literary women’s and Appalachian fiction. Silver Bottle is a novel of short stories narrated by four generations of Appalachian women. You can learn more about Joan and her writings and thoughts on her website Mountainair.blog. Joan is a strong…

What People Think Writers Do

So, 2021, and this is where we are at. Writers. Love us, hate us, immortalize us, spit on us, everyone has a different interpretation of who we are and what we stand for. Years ago I came across the graphic at the beginning of this blog post. I couldn’t help but laugh because in a lot of ways it’s true. But, now, years later, after I’ve gotten my writing feet wet, broke in my shoes, wore those…

Raising your kids to be better adults. How to talk to your kids about sexual harassment.

Due to the emphasis on workplace harassment, many people believe that sexual harassment can only occur in the workplace. Sexual harassment can occur anywhere; many don’t even realize they’re doing it. Sadly, sexual harassment is not often a part of normal learning in the world, and the emphasis and discussion is often lacking, minimized, or absent from our education system and parents refusal to…

New Book on Surviving Domestic Violence – “Rebirth of a Lotus: Escaping Domestic Abuse,” by Lucy R. Rodriguez

I’d like to introduce everyone to a remarkable book by Lucy R. Rodriguez and her experiences overcoming domestic abuse. Lucy has spent nearly two decades working on her book and portrays what life is like in an abusive relationship, and regaining strength to graduate college, raise her children, and become an advocate for victims of domestic violence. Lucy is an amazing woman and I will always…

I am a full-time freelance writer specializing in memoirs and autobiographies on mental health, domestic and sexual abuse as well as other topics. I also write blogs, web-content, and handle several other types of projects. To see what I offer visit my rates page or contact me with specific queries and questions. I’m also available to help mentor you through your first book. I’d love to work with…

I am a full-time freelance writer specializing in memoirs and autobiographies on mental health, domestic and sexual abuse as well as other topics. I also write blogs, web-content, and handle several other types of projects. To see what I offer visit my rates page or contact me with specific queries and questions. I’m also available to help mentor you through your first book. I’d love to work with…

Messy house writing prompt

Any parent will understand the disaster that you call a home. Years ago, I had a client with what I thought was a great middle grade story about a kid whose bedroom had become so messy that critters started to move in and call his room home. Mice in a pile of clothes, an opossum living from the ceiling fan, racoons under the bed, etc. etc. etc. So, today your writing prompt is to write about…

First Prompt of 2021

Hey All and welcome to 2021! I thought I would start today off with the first writing prompt of the year and as I often do it was pulled from life. A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine passed away in Northern Minnesota. I wouldn’t say I am entirely over it, nor do I feel as if I should be. But, in an effort to keep his memory trudging along into 2021 this writing prompt is dedicated to Brian.…

How to turn your journals and notes into your life story

Referrals are a foundation for my business, and last week I received a unique referral. The person I called told me a story about her last thirty years and her difficulty finding a writer who could tell her story. Currently, her obstacle is money, which was in part due to a bad relationship with a writer nearly twenty years ago. So, it can be difficult to hire a writer if you don’t have the…

New Writing Package to Document Your Life

Recently a friend of mine commented to me that people have been telling her to write a book about her life for years. The problem was that she didn’t know where to start. And this is a common problem. Your life has been through a lot of changes and growth and each day you’re not documenting your life, that story you’ve been wanting to write only becomes more complicated. Hiring a writer to…

How to write yourself out of a corner

A mentor of mine once told me that unless you will love writing your book throughout the whole writing process then you’re better off to not start at all. At the time I could see both the positive and negative of this. The positive is that if I write something I love, I am more likely to write it well. The negative is that I would never write anything. There comes a point in all my writings over…

Memoir, autobiography, and vignette. Which is best for you?

One of the most common questions that a personal historian receives is about memoirs, autobiographies, and vignettes. While they are all similar, there are distinct differences between the three and one may be better for you than another. Memoir:  A common problem many people find is that they have a lot of stories about their life, but those stories don’t connect well. Essentially, they had a…

Great Writing Clients and the Traits They Share

#shamelessplug: If you are looking for a writer to help with your book or other writing/editing project please contact me to discuss. You can find my rates and types of projects I work on here When you write for others (people or businesses) there are a lot of thin lines you need to navigate. For example, how much work should I take on without getting overwhelmed and without going broke? How do I…

I want to write my life story, but where do I start?

It may seem easy to start writing about your life. After all, nobody knows your life, thoughts, feelings, and skeletons better than you do. And, where most people start is the beginning – or at least, the earliest moments they can remember. Sure, that information can be valuable to get down. But, ask yourself. “Why am I writing my story?” Likely the answer is that you want to pass on the…