This is a quirky little book about a rather dysfunctional family and town, but I think I like it. There is a short paragraph about each person along with a rustic illustration drawn by the last surviving member of the Pataw family. The stories were compiled and edited by Lindsey Marie Fenderson. I especially like the way it tells the story of this family in a very approachable and interesting way. How could this book be an inspiration in telling one of your family’s stories? I’m filing this idea away for future reference.
Category Archives: DOABLE approach
six steps to the DOABLE approach to telling your family’s tales
In my search today for good content on how to tell family stories I came across this great post by Allison of Go Girls. She gives five things that she did to get over her fears of moving forward with a self publishing project. I think her strategies are perfect for helping us with our family story projects and helping them progress to a finished project. Thanks Allison for the inspiration!
Here’s how I did it:
1. A Sentence a Day
Walking in the redwoods with my wife, Lynn, I complained that I didn’t really know how to write a whole book. I mean, how could I make the 9 year old voice authentic? What did I know about publishing? What was the point of writing the whole thing if only a few people (my mom and her book club friends, for example) would be the only ones who read it? Lynn smiled. She waited calmly for me to finish my tirade of self-doubt. Then she said, “What if you just write a sentence a day no matter what?” Yes. I was willing to do this. Lots of research shows that taking tiny little steps is the best way to reach a larger goal. SARK calls them micro-movements. Christine Carter says they are turtle steps. For me, sentence…
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Book of the Week – “Waiting to Go Home”
I was touched by the drawings and the story of this book. “Waiting to Go Home” by Thomas Payne Miller, III features portraits of his father as he looses his battle with Alzheimer’s.
I have been building fires for my father this winter. I have also been doing portraits of my dad as he sits and watches the fires. He is living and leaving this life with Alzheimer’s disease. The painting sessions last about two hours a day. He sits with his feet up under a cozy blanket in his den of thirty-three years but does not recognize it as his house. Every once in a while he asks my mom, “When are we gonna go home?”
–Tom III
I love the portraits and how they show so much of his end of life journey. I like the way Tom weave so much of the story of who his father was into his text. I was intrigued by the depth of their relationship. It isn’t a long book and I hope you appreciate it as much as I did.
Mary Text – Next Revision
Today I reread Brandy’s posts on Storytelling for Genealogist with the Mary book in mind. While it didn’t inspire me to take a whole new approach to the text it did help me to approach it a bit differently. I had been unsure about how to start the narrative off and Brandy’s advice on conflict and cost gave me better focus on what to do. I think the flow of the story is much improved. Plus I was able to improve the ending by comparing the beginning status to the end of the story. That was another great suggestion Brandy had in her third post in the series.
Another thing I came to better understand from Brandy’s series is that while my mom is very good at editing for spelling, punctuation etc., she isn’t able to help me with content editing. I was beginning to realize this but I didn’t know how to articulate what the challenge was. I also like Brandy’s hint to read it out loud. I was hoping to get my edits typed up today but I didn’t make it. But I should be able to get them done tomorrow and posted. Then I’m going to find someone to read it out loud so I can see how it sounds.
This is the last post in Brandy’s excellent series on how to tell your family stories. I’ve really enjoyed this and now I’m going to apply these to the story book I’m working on about Mary Taylor, my great-great grandmother. I’m excited to see how I can improve that book with Brandy’s advice.
Charm Necklace – Yakira
my Yakira charm necklace
In Gift Idea #35 I mentioned the charm necklaces I’ve made for each of my puppies in training. With Yakira’s graduation this weekend I thought it would be a good time for a post focusing on her charm necklace. Each charm is symbolic of something about Yakira.
The main charm on her necklace is a tiny treasure box. This was inspired by her name has Hebrew origins and means precious, dear or costly. We keep precious things in treasure boxes so I thought it was a good representation of her name.
I also have a letter “Y” charm to go along with her name and because I’m hoping to have just one puppy in training for each letter of the alphabet. Each of my puppy’s charm necklaces has something for their first initial.
Each necklace also has a heart because of course we love each puppy dearly.
Another common feature of all the puppy charm necklaces is a spot to put an additional charm while they are in training. Yakira’s now has a star representing that she is in class with her new partner. During the training stage, I have a charm with a number on it to represent the phase of training they are in.
I also put a charm on each necklace to represent their birthstone. Yakira was born in August so I have a green bead for Peridot.
Yakira has two more charms. One is a hand mirror to represent her beauty and the other is a horse. When she was still quite young we took her with us to the mountains to cut down our Christmas tree. Compared to her size the snow was rather deep. But Yakira was determined to make her own way. She got cold once and after warmer her on my lap she was ready to go again. From that early experience I knew that she was a hard worker. The horse charm reminds me of what a little work horse she is.
I have found that these necklaces really help me when it is time to send each puppy back to Guide Dogs for the Blind for their formal training. I think the same would be true for family members who are far away for school or work etc. or they have passed on from this life. I enjoy the process of finding the charms and assembling the necklace and then wearing it until their graduation. Saturday after graduation I will take off this necklace. Then the cluster of charms will be added to a larger necklace with the charm clusters from all the previous puppies. This necklace I where when we go to pick-up a new puppy from the puppy truck or the airport. I hang this necklace by my desk so I can see it any time I want to during the day.
all my other puppy charm clusters
Do you have someone you want to make a charm necklace for? Or do you have a similar tradition that helps you when loved ones are no longer near?
I’m really enjoying Brandy’s series of storytelling with family history in mind. I can’t wait to really dig in and apply what she is teaching us here. There is so much here that I’ve not really thought through in the way I need to and want to in my own storytelling attempts. Thanks again Brandy for sharing your expertise.
Book of the Week – “Take Paws”
When I found this book while looking for this week’s choice, I couldn’t resist it. It combines great photos with a simple but powerful words. It is a pattern that could inspire a great book about one of your family stories. The preview only shows the first 15 pages but it is enough to get a feel for the book.
What do you get when two dog-loving ladies put their minds together? A heart-warming tale of course! (Pun completely intended!)
Liz Bradley of Elizabeth & Jane Photography and Laura L. Benn of Pawsh Magazine have brought their love of storytelling and dogs together in a gorgeous 56-page photography book, entitled Take Paws: Whiskered Wisdom About Life & Love. Specially designed to give back to the dog community, this book promises that for each copy sold until March 31st, 2013, $4 will be donated to Humane Society International in an effort to make a difference in the lives of pets in need.
Take Paws is a narrative interpreted through canine expression about slowing down and appreciating the fleeting moments that make life a wonderful, ridiculous and unexpected adventure. The tone of the book, although powerful enough to inspire adults, is also simple enough to be enjoyed by children, especially little ones who have a best friend with four legs and a waggy tail.
Come face to face with a moving collection of photographs that showcase genuine canine personalities and portray a fresh whiskered wisdom about life and love.
Here is Brandy’s second installment in her series on how to turn your family research in to engaging stories that your family will actually want to read.
Book of the Week – “Grandmum”
As I was looking for this weeks book and trying to decide which one I wanted to share, I came across this book, “Grandmum.” And new that it was the right book. This is what the author, Jennifer Glantz said about her book:
The book came to life from the fact of my love for my grandma. She’s really very important to me. She’s my best friend, my mentor and the one I can talk to about absolutely everything.She has been my neighbour for the past 22 years, my entire life. I moved away from home for studies about 2 years ago. Since then I have missed being able to walk over to her house and talk with her everyday.
One weekend when I came home for a short visit the two of us sat down together and looked at some old photos of her and the people that have been important to her in her life. It was a wonderful feeling to see these photos while she told me the history behind them. There and then I realised and saw the real life she had lived. The people, circumstances and surroundings that have formed her into the wonderful woman she is today. I saw the people that once had lived with here, the people that she had loved, they who not live anymore. So there I sat, realising that this is what life is about. Memories. Her memories and those pictures is as close I can come to being there with her, when the photos was taken, some of them almost 80 years old.
So here it is, my book about my best friend, my mentor, my great Grandma.
What a labor of love. What a very doable project. She did a great job of sharing the story of her grandmother your her choice of photos and the order she put them in. The simple format works great. Do you have someone who you could do a book like this for?
telling family tales 