Forever Young Autobiographies

Celebrating 21 years of life history and community history

In a recent post I highlighted the enormous power of life-story feature articles.

But Central Queensland’s Gladstone Region has been taking this power to the next level with its popular Our Priceless Past lift-out and gallery exhibition, on show until next month.

The annual community event is celebrating 21 years of students interviewing, writing and publishing the life stories of special seniors.

The stories are printed in a collectors’ section of the daily newspaper The Gladstone Observer – this year with the support of sponsor LiveBetter Community Services – and displayed with storytelling memorabilia at the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum.

Gladstone Regional Council cultural projects specialist Di Paddick describes the whole experiences as “a big warm hug” that brings together two very different generations.

She has helped organise the project since 2006 and said community enthusiasm and feedback kept growing year on year.

Forever Young Autobiographies caught up with Di to find out more about Our Priceless Past and hear her tips about starting a similar project with your community or family …

Continue reading Case study: Students interview seniors for Our Priceless Past lift-out and expo

Former newsreader opens up about Trouserless Under the News Desk by Boolarong Press

Australian TV star Mike Higgins has been on the road spreading the word about his new memoir: Trouserless Under the News Desk.

Forever Young Autobiographies caught up with him to find out more following the book’s released in June by Boolarong Press.

Higgins has been a familiar face on television for over 25 years. 

He was the long-time news anchor for Channel 7 in Queensland but also made award-winning documentaries to be awarded a United Nations media peace prize.

But the broadcast journalist became the news a number of times.

Namely when he went on the run from drug traffickers who he feared would kill him and for filming a story at a nudist beach in the raw.

More recently Higgins had another threat to his life.

In 2008 he was diagnosed with a very rare form of blood cancer – Primary Peripheral Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, Unspecified – and was told he had a 16 per cent chance of survival.

Higgins had four years of chemotherapy, underwent a bone-marrow transplant and nearly died.

His survival stunned doctors who dubbed him the Miracle Man and said not many patients had “done it tougher”.

“I hope the book will be inspirational to people or anyone going through any sort of a challenge, whether it’s cancer or another illness or a psychological challenge,” Higgins said.

Keep reading to find out how he wrote the book, what were the project’s highlights plus Higgins’s tips for starting your own memoir, autobiography, biography or life-story project. 

Continue reading Case study: New memoir by Channel 7 news anchor and blood cancer survivor Mike Higgins

Three generations work together + new memoir in making

English zookeeper Sarah Blake helped her great uncle Hedley record his autobiography when she was a teen and was struck by how much joy the process brought him.

While Hedley and his wife Barbara started the project it was Sarah and her mother who helped them finish the book for family and friends.

Years later Sarah has been inspired to write about her own life experiences.

She is in the middle of writing a memoir about the 15 months she travelled around the world using wild animals as her guide. 

Today Sarah shares more about Hedley’s autobiography to inform and inspire fellow life-story writers.

Continue reading Case study: Zookeeper helps great uncle publish autobiography