Tell me a story…

Here at Heartfire we know that everyone has a story to tell. If you’ve ever been to one of our family programs, then you know that the next part of the line is “… they just need someone willing to listen.” That’s true most of the time, but in this case the actual thought is “Everyone has a story to tell, they just need someone willing to help them write it.”

Undoubtedly you have lived an amazing story of your own. Or perhaps a loved one or best friend has a moment that you want to live on well past the time that they themselves are no longer here with us. Even with the desire to preserve these memories, the written word may not be your strong suit (Or, if it is, head over to our Editing and Publications to see if there are ways we can help), but that doesn’t mean you have to let these stories go.

Stemming from our fascination and dedication to the study of culture and individual family legacies, we are offering to be part of your solution. We can help take a story that would normally be shared around the campfire or during a special family dinner, and transform it into a book to hold near when time or space attempts to separate.

We take this offering very seriously, so we’ve refined and perfected the process with our own grandparents. And truth be told, even if we never help another family document their stories, we are grateful to have preserved our grandparents’s favorite lifetime moments for the coming generations. So with that, let’s talk about what we can do to help turn your favorite life experiences into a cherished storybook.

Turning a moment into a book

So what would the process look like?

Similarly to the many people who make up this world, the options for what we will help you create are varied, depending on what you have in mind.

Generally speaking, we first set up a visiting session. An interview is too formal as a description, but essentially we meet with the storyteller – either in person or via a video conference call. We make an audio recording of the visit, that we will then take back with us to make a transcription of the stories. During this visit we ask questions. If the storyteller needs no prompting, then we simply sit back and enjoy the recounting along with everyone else in the room. If there is need, then we draw upon our training as ethnographers and historians to ask questions that will prompt further story details or minor clarifications. A basic session will last for approximately 30 minutes.

Sometimes simply having this audio recording is all that the client wants to have to preserve the memory. Sometimes a written transcription is a nice add on, and gives the client the ability to transform the moment into their own craft or written tale.

If a more developed book is wanted, then we take those recordings back to our workshop and we craft an illustrated storybook from the recountings shared during the visit. Sometimes a shared tale is enough to be its own picture book. Sometimes a client might want several snippets of stories to be collected into a compilation memory book.

As our graphic artists work with you to create the right feel for the illustrations, source material such as family pictures or snapshots of a favorite blanket or tea cup can be submitted to give a more personal touch to the illustrations. Be aware that creating this book, as with all books, will be a process. A process that involves drafts and revisions – and most importantly time.

At the end of the process, you can elect to have the book given to you as a digital book or you can have the book printed in a traditional book binding fashion. While the art and writing will remain the intellectual properties of the author/illustrators helping in the project, the life rights remain with the client. Therefore no books will be sold by Heartfire to any parties outside of the individual agreement with the client for their book. You won’t find grandma’s wedding day story on the shelves of your local bookstore.

Pricing Examples

The pricing model is so individually created for each project to represent the actual needs of the client, that we hesitate to list the almost a la carte price list.

Please see the following as examples of what can be arranged, not necessarily as the fixed price. Again an illustrated book documenting great grandpa’s 90 year life story is certainly going to have a different level of work (and subsequently cost) then for instance an illustrated one-moment adventure the girls had while backpacking.

Please remember that our pricing model is calculated with a tight profit margin in mind. As long as we aren’t taking food out of our children’s mouths to give away our books, we prefer books in hand to making a large commission. That said, one book could take anywhere from 12 – 100 or more hours and the pricing needs to reflect that creative contribution.

Price Reflecting 2026 Introductory Service Rates

• A visiting session (approximately 30) audio recording with minimal post production editing:
  • $40 – $60 (travel is a factor we must consider)
• A visiting session with audio recording and transcription:
  • $50 – $70
• A visiting session centering on one independent story with 8-12 partial to full page illustrations complied in a digital book:
  • $250 – $300
• A visiting session compiling several life experiences (not all of them necessarily being illustrated) with 8-12 partial to full page illustrations complied in a digital book:
  • $270 – $320
• An extended visiting session (one hour or more) with 20+ small illustrations in a digital book:
  • Starting at $320
• An animated author readings – see our personal animated author readings. This offering is limited to a very specific style of story or narration and only available with the purchase of one of the illustrated book options.
  • Starting at $40

Additional Considerations

Physical copies of these books can also be made available, but come with a spectrum of printing prices that are beyond the scope of this pricing sampling. If you are interested in having either a hard or soft cover version of your story, let us know and we can help figure out the best pricing we can offer for your project.

Additionally, as with all things Heartfire, if you have a particular circumstance that makes the above pricing model completely unattainable, but need the story to be told/heard, write us an email. Present your situation, the worst that will happen is that we will have to politely decline. Families with young children, this message is crafted particularly with you in mind.