legacy letter | memoir | last word
for the stories too important to disappear
about telling stories
there comes a time when the decades behind us stretch further than the years ahead of us
for many, the decades pass in silence
telling stories changes that
through a series of gentle conversations I create
memoirs, legacy letters & last words, echoing your own voice
time moves quickly quietly
Begin while the story is still yours to tell
Step inside the stories
Your questions answered
What’s Telling Stories all about?
Telling Stories is a private writing studio committed to recording the parts of our lives that are too precious to disappear. Stories that were never fully spoken. Memories that still ache decades later. Conversations families never knew they needed until it was too late to ask.
My work focuses on fourliterary offerings: Memoirs, Legacy Letters, Last Words & The Unspoken
With the optional additions of Audio Narration and Print Editions.
Do I need to have my thoughts organised?
Of course not. Most people begin with fragments. Memories rarely return on call and often reawaken unexpectedly — while driving home, hearing a song in a supermarket, folding washing, lying awake at night or catching sight of somebody in the street who reminds you of someone you once loved.
Sometimes memory hides itself inside ordinary things. An old birthday card tucked into a drawer. Wrapping paper kept for no reason. A faded newspaper clipping. Receipts from places long gone. The colour of a kitchen wall. The scent of perfume on an old coat or leather handbag stashed at the back of a wardrobes
Memories surfaces gently around real life, allowing stories to return in their own way and in their own time.
How does the process work?
It starts with a free 30 minute clarity call — a quiet first conversation to explore your story, no preparation needed.
From there, if you choose to begin, you will be guided on the next steps whereby memories are gathered gently. Guided conversations then help uncover the deeper stories beneath the surface — the people, places, the joy, the turning points, the humour and significant turning events that shaped your life.
Are the conversations formal interviews?
Not at all. They are relaxed, guided conversations designed to gently uncover the moments and memories that matter most. Many people describe the process as reflective, emotional and considered. If you prefer you can have a trusted loved one present to support you!
Can I review the draft?
Yes of course. You will receive a draft copy to refine details, add memories, request edits and ensure everything feels completely and unmistakably yours.
What do I receive?
All projects include a professionally prepared digital copy ready for private keeping, printing or sharing with loved ones.
Optional additions include hardback books, premium keepsake printing, audio narration and memorial presentation copies.
How long does the process take?
Every story moves differently.
Generally speaking: Memoir projects take about 8–12 weeks depending on the pace and depth of the story. Legacy Letters within 2–3 weeks. Last Words within 3–4 weeks. The Unspoken within 2-3 weeks.
The process is not rushed — it is considered and adaptable.
Stories evolve naturally
***
Investment
Memoir — $1,990
A deeply personal written memoir preserving the story of a life through guided conversations, flexible memory collection, writing, editing and final delivery.
Memoirs are typically approximately 55–80 pages in length and are usually completed over 8–12 weeks.
Legacy Letter — $670
Private letters written for children, partners, family members or future generations. Often created for weddings, births, graduations, inheritance, reconciliation, illness, life advice and the things left unsaid.
Legacy Letters are typically 3–5 pages in length and usually completed within 2–4 weeks.
Last Word — $880
A carefully written collection of final reflections, memories, guidance and personal messages designed to preserve your voice in your own words.
This offering may include obituary wording, order of service, a eulogy, final inscriptions and Will reading preamble.
Final collections are typically made up of four documents totalling approximately 7–10 pages and are usually completed within 2–3 weeks.
The Unspoken — $680
A gentle allied-support writing service designed to sit alongside therapy, reflection or personal healing.
Created for stories surrounding grief, estrangement, trauma, regret, survival, identity and the things many people have never felt safe enough to say aloud.
Pieces are typically approximately 5–8 pages in length and completed within 2–3 weeks.
Audio Narration — $240 per 15 minutes
Available as professional narration or voice recreation where possible. Ideal for preserving accent, dialect, pronunciation, humour, personality, tone and emotional presence.
Whether you wish to tell your story in your own voice or create a lasting audio keepsake for future generations, narration adds a deeply personal dimension that words on a page alone cannot capture.
Are printed versions available?
Yes. Printed editions are available across all services including hardback books, premium heirloom printing, memorial booklets and presentation packaging.
Printing costs are charged separately.
Are payment plans available?
Yes. If cost is holding you back, please still reach out. Stories do not lose their importance simply because life becomes financially difficult. Wherever possible, every effort will be made to help preserve what matters.
How do I begin?
Book a free 30 minute clarity call to get started!
What I know now
Is that most lives end up reduced to a few lines, a handful of memories, fragmented versions of who someone was.
-It doesn’t have to be that way-
I grew up in Ireland, where silence was a virtue and secrets were taken to the grave. For all the gift of the gab, the craic, the warmth and the wit — the silence was sometimes deafening. Beneath the surface ran a veneer of respectability, and beneath that, shame. Things happened that were never spoken of. People who existed, erased. Whole lives papered over because the truth was considered too dangerous, too costly, too much. Entire generations carried weight that died with them — unspoken, unresolved, unrecorded. The story of who they really were, gone.
That's where I come from. It shapes everything I do.
I've been writing since I could hold a pencil. I raised my family in Aotearoa New Zealand and spent decades writing at the heart of government — formal, structured, human-centred work that taught me exactly what words do when they're chosen carefully, and what's lost when they're not.
I now travel the world to craft and deliver the words of the people I am honoured to work with — those carrying things too heavy to hold alone, those in the winter of their lives, and those who have simply decided to break the silence.
I don't rush it. I'll meet you wherever you are — even in the "I don't know where to begin" — and gently guide you until the words come. And when they do, they're yours, not mine.
I write under the penname Reign. See my professional background on LinkedIn
If you don't tell your story, someone else will, inaccurately, briefly, not at all, or worst of all, lies.
