Maury M. Breecher, PhD, MPH Biography of a Ghost

Robert DeNiro Regrets Not Chronicling His Mom's Family History
Movie star Robert DeNiro is quoted in the January 2003 issue of Esquire saying: "I always wanted to chronicle the family history with my mother. I wanted some researchers I'd worked with to talk to my mother, but while interested she was a little antsy about it. I know she would have gotten into it . . . But I wasn't forceful and didn't make it happen. That's one regret I have. I didn't get as much of the family history as I could have for the kids."

How About You?
Are you considering writing your own autobiography, or do you need to find someone to do it for one of your parents? Don't regret NOT doing it like Robert DeNiro.

Why Hire Maury Breecher to Write Your Autobiography for You
There was a time when biographies and autobiographies were only written about or by famous individuals. That time has long passed. Everybody has a valuable life story to tell! Today, individuals are increasingly leaving these testaments as a valuable legacy of their experiences and beliefs to their children and to their children's children.

We all have unique personal sagas and stories of triumph over the obstacles of life. Don't let them fade away. Those life lessons learned can inspire your descendants.

Don’t let your life story go to waste. Your descendants can and will benefit by learning about your life, your principles, and your beliefs. Let me interview you or your parents to write a Personal History, autobiography, or Family History that will be valued forever by your descendents.

I can help you create a narrative that communicates not only your own life saga --or the life stories of your parents -- but which also communicates the messages that you want to leave to your own children and your grand-children. The resulting book length manuscript and/​or audio CD will be both an inspiration and delight, a beloved legacy.

I take pride in being able to help those who are older (and perhaps wiser) than myself write their own life stories. I enjoy helping individuals write their own life stories so much that I try to keep my rates affordable, but do recognize that this is a time, talent, and labor-intensive task and budget accordingly.

I am a longtime Author/​ghostwriter, a member the Authors Guild, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the Association of Personal Historians. My passion is helping individuals recall and relate in an easy-to-understand manner their own autobiographies or personal histories. I have the talent and experience to help you or your loved ones produce an insightful and inspirational book written in their own "Voice." If this intrigues you, simply click on the "E-Mail the Author" link under my photo to find out more about the process and my pay rates or phone me. I share my phone numbers a few paragraphs further on.

You Have Had a Worthwhile Life
Some people have told me that they have had uninteresting lives, and don’t know what they would write about. In response, I quote Mark Twain’s famous comment: “There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is impossibility.”

As the ad for the A&E's Biography, states: “Every life has a story.” Realize that your life is more than a series of "big, dramatic events." Your life is made of seemingly unconnected activities, thoughts, insights, people, places, songs, smells, and stories that influenced you and, in turn, you influenced those around you. My talent is in helping you recall those memories, even those long-forgotten, but critical, personality forming moments. Then I take all the strands of the rich tapestry of your life and weaving them together in a coherent narrative captured in your own Voice.

To accomplish this, three or four times or even five days-a-week I conduct face-to-face or speakerphone interviews. Each interview last one hour and then we take a short break followed by a second hour of interviews. My open-ended questions (see examples at "http:/​/​www.howtowriteautobiography.com") encourages clients to remember and relate important episodes in their lives. During later interviews, I probe for telling details and further insights. I tape record each session, transcribe the tapes, and ultimately weave a narrative using the client’s own words.

The typical life story runs 60,000 to 80,000 words and the interviews and writing usually take four to six months, the period of time and pay rate to be negotiated. Again, be warned: Some people experience "sticker shock." Please realize you are hiring a professional who will be working full-time on this project. Many projects cause me to relocate, at least temporarily. Indeed, that's what makes me different. For the right project, I am willing to move to be closer to you to produce an excellent manuscript. Remember, to do an excellent job and to capture the "Voice" of the client and tell the life story the way the client wants, takes time, talent, effort and experience.

Speaking of experience, the experience of telling their stories have been valuable to my clients in many ways. Besides passing down family stories, traditions, and life lessons, the narrator often makes peace with things that didn't quite work out the way that was once wished for and several of my clients had a personal carthesis or life-changing insight. For instance, consider the case history of Mrs. K:

After interviewing and completing the life story of this 94-year-old lady, a woman who had lived a hard-scrabble life raising two sons during the Depression but who later married a millionaire in her 70's, I asked, "Mrs. K., you are only 94-years-young. What do you want to do with the rest of your life?"

The lonely widow replied, "Maury, I want to sell this penthouse condominium and buy a three-bedroom house with a yard and a garden in Winter Park, FL, close to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

Puzzled, I then asked, "Why don't you do that, you are a millionaire?"

Mrs. K answered, "I can't spend the principal. I live on the interest."

"But," I continued, "Why not first sell this residence and buy your dream house?"

"I tried several years ago, but the market was down and no one wanted it," she answered.

I gently pointed out that the market had changed, interest rates had declined, and real estate values had soared. Long story short, Mrs. K had an epiphany, a sudden intuitive leap of understanding that she could do what she wanted to do. Within a month she had sold her 14th floor penthouse condo and had purchased her three-bedroom home with a garden close to her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

I can't promise that you will have such a life-enhancing result, but everybody I have worked with on personal autobiographies or family histories has reported personal satisfaction and happiness with their projects. Their children and children's children were thrilled that Great Grandpa or "Nana's" life story was put on paper, and, in some cases, videotaped. Yes, some clients, after the written work is finished, choose to hire a videographer to record their reading of certain chapters or key passages of the resulting book to emphasize messages or memories that the client wants passed down through the generations. (I can help you find a capable professional who will do that at a fair fee). Others are happy just to pass down their Life Story, and, besides the narrative, keep some of the tapes of the interview process.

If you are interested in speaking to me about helping you recall your life saga and write your personal or family history or autobiography, phone me at 361-299-5648, or 361-244-8530, or drop me a line at bookwriter@​nasw.org. Thank you for reading this far. You may also want to read just a bit more to familiarize yourself with my Code of Ethics and the promises that I make to my clients:

A Code of Ethics and Promises that I, as a Professional Make to You.

Accuracy, clarity, creativity, compassion, and sensitivity are, in my opinion, the marks of a professional in this field. I am a member of the Association of Personal Historians and the Authors Guild, a competent professional who will make every reasonable effort to:

1. Help you recall, assimilate, interpret, and relate both the milestones and the "little incidents" that formed your personality and character. I do this through a unique series of questions keyed to the various stages of life. The entire tape-recorded interview process takes just two hours a day, but extends over weeks, even months as we cover all the aspects of your life that you want to talk about. During this time, I transcribe the tapes and use your words, like the threads in a tapestry, to weave the various strands of your life into a coherent whole. The final product will capture and entrance the reader because he or she will feel you are speaking directly to them.

2. Always endeavor to write clearly and creatively, using your own words in your own narrative Voice.

3. Always remember that my client is THE expert in his or her life, in his or her field. Consequently I will always make every attempt to portray my client's views clearly and accurately using appropriate background research to show your life in the context of your times.

4. Always ask the interview questions in a sensitive and compassionate manner.

5. Never fail to perform my services to the best of my abilities.

6. Never deceive my client.

7. Never be negligent.

8. Discuss my fee forthrightly so my client always knows what his/​her money will buy.

9. Always work to the best of my ability to insure the completion of the project as quickly as possible.

10. Always maintain your confidentiality by releasing information that identifies you only with your prior permission.

I would like to talk to you about your life saga. Again, you can easily e-mail me at bookwriter@​nasw.org or by simply clicking the "Your smiling host" link under my photo OR simply phone me 361-299-5648 or use 361-244-8530.

Remember, you are the hero or heroine of your own story. Let me help you tell it.

Autobiography is good for the mind and the soul.
Health and happiness to you.
Maury M. Breecher PhD, MPH
Corpus Christi, TX and San Diego, CA
bookwriter@​nasw.org
361-299-5648 or 361-244-8530