Hello Beth,

I see your name and website in Alignable.. Can you please share with me what can you do with my life story? How you can turn it in a book and what will be the cost for a complete project?

I reply:

Hi, Nick!
Pleased to meet you. I'd go to my website at www.bethlord because it has videos, my blogs, podcasts, press releases and you can download some free ebooks. I'm also more than happy having a telephone conversation with you and emailing you more samples.

So what is it that I do? I turn your stories into books. Keep in mind, and in your heart that this is my last profession, so I do it with love and attention to detail. Because telling our stories in a printed book form is magical and serves as a living storybook for you, for those who love you and others who randomly come in contact with your book. It's your living legacy to life.

I am an Occupational Therapist by profession and became a Feldenkrais Practitioner and all sorts of other alternative healing techniques. I'm still a therapist to two life-long clients. One man is thirty-five years old and has severe cerebral palsy, and the other man is fifty-five years old and has an anoxic brain injury due to an overdose of anesthesia before back surgery. His frontal lobe is destroyed, and it is forever difficult for him to make long-term memories as you and I do. But I've seen him for years and use human empathy, compassion, stories and technology, so he remembers memories through the back door. I moved into Corporate as a Pharmaceutical Rep when I divorced my first husband and had three girls to put through the schooling I wanted them to have. I chose to add corporate to my resume because of its steady paychecks, bonuses, and benefits. I moved up the ladder and was fired ten years later because I was on the top rung. I took it as my opportunity to finally write, which was always a goal of mine.

What I found in developing my business is people have a deep desire to be known for who they are. What better way than by turning their stories into books? Whether you hand-write or I interview you, or you send me your thirty minutes of stories, it's a great format to transcribe and edit your stories into a thin softbound book easy to read, easily printed and shared. Most people don't have attention spans for great novels anymore. However, they can commit to a thirty to forty minute read. Your stories come in a 6"x9" softbound book. You'll have an ISBN (International Standard Book Number), and you own the copyright. I encourage you to share your story in our community section (just started). AS we ramp up, people will know these stories are from real people. You can choose to have your full name out there or be anonymous. Most people don't think their stories are vital, but they are. And I want these stories to have a home for anyone interested in them. When people donate to a book, they'll receive either the audio or pdf of that story. The donated money goes to the author of that story.

So the process of your thin book (and remember, you can have volumes if you want) is $250.00 (which is my special). Normally, it's $350.00. Other writers are shocked at this price, especially when I take twenty to thirty hours to make sure this book is a work of art. Call me crazy, but I love what I do, and want people to be comfortable in sharing their stories. I have many ways to do this. The price is affordable because I want people to know they can do this. You don't have to be rich or famous, just yourself. People are fearful that they aren't worthy of a book. Are you kidding me? In this day and age of information overload, it is a perfect format for telling mething of value and meaning. I love photographs. I love movies. I love audio recordings. I have tons of them. But it's these thin stories living on your shelves to be read by yourself, between you and your grandchild or anyone else that makes turning your stories into books a noteworthy format because it lives on your shelf and is pulled out for anyone to read at any time. Your incredible stories are easy to find this way.

You have lived an amazing life. I don't care what you've done, but I know you have lived a great life. You've made it through countless barriers, jumped over tons of hurdles and are making it through the confusing maze of life. I need your stories because other people need your stories. And in all honesty, I am nourished by them.

So, this is what I do. It's not cut and dry, and I'm not an app. We have conversations, and you get to make corrections when I send you the proof. People love reading their stories when they get their proof because I weave the thread of you, your essence and your wisdom throughout the book.

I've walked The Camino de Santiago (a spiritual pilgrimage from France to Spain) in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In 2016, I was a volunteer for two weeks at one of the albergues pilgrims stay overnight. I mention this because this journey moves me forward in creating a heart-centered business. I want a business that is fun and easy, so I keep letting go of the trappings of what a business resembles because the business is me. I market my company but truly, I'm busy writing blogs or books, so I have to update my social media platforms :). But I'd rather have your inquiry because it's more personal that way.

As to where to start? You can start on career, family, travel, and adventure, a physical problem you solved, your wisdom and philosophy or what would you want to leave behind for starters? If we were going to talk on the phone, Skype or meet personally, we'd have an hour or so together. Chit chat and then I'd record. I find people give me extraordinary information if I listen and record. But I also have a series of questions to ask if you're comfortable with that methodology.

I'm here to answer any more questions you might have but please look around on my website because that may give you further ideas. I've attached Finding Otis. This book started my thin book concept. I had come back from being in Italy, walking The Camino and Ireland. I went directly to my husband's farm in Oklahoma instead of Seattle because that's where you can find him a lot of the time. We were going to drive our camper to the east coast to have Thanksgiving with one of our children and their family, return to the farm and then drive back to Seattle in December. Otis, came to the farm about six days before we were to leave for the east coast. It was a small event in my life but so profound I had to write about it. And when I turned this story into a book, it changed the course I was on. #yourthinbooksrock, #writeheartmemories, #bethblord, #bethlord.

And Nick’s Reply?

Thanks so much for your very detailed reply Beth. It is 3:30am where I am now, could not even read your message in full yet but I sense this is what I am looking for and love to let you know I will reply you soon.. I am in the middle of taking a trip. I may be able to reply better After Sunday. Thanks again

Best regards,
_nickc

And what did I say?

I said, “Sounds great. I'll be looking forward to hearing from you. Hope you're sleeping.” And I hope to hear from you folks who have stories inside of you, a memoir to tell or many memoirs to tell. It’s your stories and your books.

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