The gift
Give your mother her own book.
Or your father. Or both.
You pay once and record a short message in your own voice. They hear it at their first visit. From then on it is their book: their words, their pace, their decisions. You and the rest of the family watch it grow, and one day a hardcover arrives.
How the gift works
Four steps. You do the first one.
You pay once and record a message.
Thirty seconds in your own voice: who you are, why you want their stories, and maybe the first one you would like to hear. That is the whole invitation.
They hear it at their first visit.
A message from you, then a gentle first conversation of about fifteen minutes, by voice, in the app. Nothing to type, no password. A text message reminds them when a visit is waiting. If they would rather not use an app, phone-call visits are a premium add-on.
The family watches the chapters arrive.
Everyone you invite can see the book taking shape and suggest a question. Anything the storyteller marks private stays private. It is their book, their words, their decisions.
The book is written and printed.
Written in their words, read and approved by them, printed as a cloth hardcover in a gift box. Every recording is theirs to keep, and yours to listen to for the rest of your life.
Occasions
A gift for the day, and for long after it.
Each occasion page has its own starting questions and an example of what to say in your message.
What you pay
One price. Nothing renews.
The Book
Their story, written as a book they can read anywhere.
- As many visits as it takes
- One finished book: memoir or novel
- A family page and a proof to approve
- Every recording, theirs to download
- No deadline, no renewal
The Book, printed
The copy the family keeps on the shelf.
- Everything in The Book
- A sewn, cloth-bound hardcover
- In a rigid gift box
- Photographs and letters placed in the pages
- Extra copies from $69
Five editions
One life, written for every reader in the family.
- Memoir, historical novel, young adult edition, children's picture book and gift edition
- Five hardcovers, one for each household
- A second storyteller included
- Family page, proof, every recording
- No deadline, no renewal
Prices for the first families, in US dollars. Final pricing may change before general release.
Questions givers ask
Before you give it.
What if they say no?
Then nothing happens, and nothing more is owed. The offer is made once, in your voice, and it is theirs to accept or leave. Many people say no in March and yes in June.
Do they need a smartphone?
A smartphone or tablet with the app is the usual way, and it is built for people who have never used an app before: open it and talk. If they would rather not, phone-call visits on any phone, including a landline, are available as a premium add-on. Text messages are only used to remind them.
Can I give it to both parents?
Yes. The Whole Family package includes a second storyteller. Each gets their own book and their own record, on one family page.
Will I be able to hear the recordings?
If the storyteller allows it, yes. Most do. The recordings are theirs; what they share is their choice, and they can seal any story for a particular person or a later date.
Does it arrive as a physical gift?
You can print a gift card to hand over on the day, or we can send a letter in the post. The book itself arrives when it is finished, as a hardcover in a box, to whichever address you choose.
Tellforth
The best gift is being asked.
Everything else is a way of saying so.