Memoir Authors discussion

As a mother of three daughters, I would like them to capture the essence of being a woman. My books will guide them on how they should live their life during their adolescence years.

Hi Anna,
Welcome to this group. It hasn't been very active over the past few years, but maybe your question will stimulate discussion. My memoir was inspired by a vast treasure trove of family letters, diaries, photos, documents, and much more, which we discovered in my parents' attic after their deaths. We sorted it all into 25 bankers' boxes (now about 35, after adding my stuff).
the diaries and letters cover virtually the entire 20th century, from diaries of immigration in 1910/1911 my dad's and mom's youthful diaries, 300 WWII letter, 13 years of letters between my parents when Dad traveled, and especially insightful, my mom's diary of our racially changing/changed neighborhood, as my parents continued, for 30 years, to care of buildings and tenants in what became a devaastated community after the King riots of 1968,
It's call "Redlined," and interweaves the history and negative impact of this racist government policy with the lives of a family with boots on the ground before, during, and after racial change.
It includes my "coming-of-age" story, and my hope is that it will inform, as well as engage readers because it's not an academic book, a family saga spanning many decades, but focused on the 1960s and '70s.

I didn't set out to write a memoir but it does both of the things outlined above - leaves a story for my children and captures a moment in time.

very inspiring! :) thank you! we need to know our roots to understand our present and to improve our future family tree :)

What motivated me? The death of the first love of my life. I had no idea it would actually turn into a memoir. I wrote after waking from a dream about her. I wrote for two hours in the middle of the night. Then I entered that piece into a first chapter writing contest. And won. That was 18 years ago. The book is just now completed.

What made me start writing was when I shared my story with people they looked aghast and immediately said, "You should write a book!" After years of hearing those comments and wondering why God saved me from breast cancer stage 4 with metastasis to my brain, I figured it out! My mission was to share my story with other victims, survivors, friends, and families. To let them know that the diagnosis is not a death sentence. I'm not saying you will survive. But to give HOPE and a positive outlook to all affected by breast cancer! I am a 15-year stage 4 breast cancer survivor! Praise!

Never intended to make so many things public. However, when I realised my ancestors lives and my own were anything but 'run-of-the-mill' or truly 'normal' and it may help others to see what we have endured and survived, I made the decision to write. It took years for me to come to that point and took a further number of years before publishing. I cannot say I have ever felt truly comfortable with such exposure but if it helps someone then it is worth it.

I have lived through a pretty tumultuous childhood and life which put me on a long road of healing. I wrote mine as a tool to heal but also to help others who have lived through similar experiences. There is life after all the hurt! Feel free to check it out at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CTIPJWE

T.R. wrote: "Never intended to make so many things public. However, when I realised my ancestors lives and my own were anything but 'run-of-the-mill' or truly 'normal' and it may help others to see what we have..."

Well said T.R.!