Forever Young Autobiographies

Tell Me Why: Award-winning life story by singer-songwriter Archie Roach

Book review: What you ought to know about this stolen child, storyteller and leader

I was lucky to see Archie Roach AM at a sold-out concert the week I finished reading his memoir Tell Me Why: The story of my life and my music.

His book was published by Simon & Schuster Australia in 2019 and is a companion to the music star’s new album and tour.

However, I listened to the audiobook version, read by Roach, which won the Australian Book Industry Awards 2021 Audiobook of the Year.

So let’s jump into what Tell Me Why is about, what makes it interesting and what we can learn to help our own life-story creating …

Wildflower Girl: Dana Stewart Quinney’s adventurous autobiography

Case study: Idaho field biologist’s life story is a surefire nature fix

Dana Stewart Quinney’s autobiography Wildflower Girl: A Lifelong Journey Beyond the Trail highlights nature’s richness and magic.

Dana spent her 1950s childhood exploring Idaho’s Wood River Valley and went on to visit many wild paces around the world as a distinguished field biologist.

Her life s tory Wildflower Girl was published by Hidden Shelf Publishing House in 2020 and was named 2019 Idaho Library Association Book of the Year.

And Forever Young Autobiographies caught up with Dana recently to find out more about writing this adventurous read …

Memory palaces: What you should know about mnemonic memory palaces

Ask Nicola Q&A: How to understand mind palaces and the method of loci

G’day and welcome to Forever Young Autobiographies – Ask Nicola.

As a life-story coach I’m asked many questions about planning, writing, polishing and publishing.

And in this Q&A series my responses aim to help life-story creators!

So today’s question is: “What are memory palaces for your mind?”

The Happiest Man on Earth: Bestseller by 100yo Auschwitz survivor Eddie Jaku

Book review: Amazing ways to live by a Holocaust survivor

Kicking off this year’s book reviews is the powerful life story by the late Eddie Jaku OAM: The Happiest Man on Earth: A Holocaust survivor shares how he found gratitude, kindness and hope in the darkest of places.

The bestseller was published in 2020 by Pan Macmillan Australia after Jaku turned 100.

And last year it won the Australian Book Industry Awards Biography Book of the Year.

So let’s find out what the book is about, why it is so interesting and what you can learn for your own writing …

The Butcherbird Sings: Julie Campbell’s touching memoir about neurodegenerative disease

Case study: What Campbell knows about atypical parkinsonism and corticobasal degeneration

Julie Campbell’s heartfelt new memoir tells the story of how a devastating disease destroyed her beloved husband and the adored father of their two children.

The Butcherbird Sings: A memoir of hope and help born from a neurodegenerative disease was custom published last year by Bad Apple Press and is a revealing and moving read.

Certainly Campbell is passionate about the value of sharing stories as a tool to learn and to connect with others.

She caught up with Forever Young Autobiographies to tell us more about her memoir, the creative process and share suggestions with fellow writers …

The Athena Wellness Podcast: Talking storytelling with wellness expert Kathy Robinson

Podcast guest appearance for Wellness Wednesday about how to start writing a life story

It was fantastic to be a guest on The Athena Wellness Podcast recently!

Host, coach, wellness expert and author Kathy Robinson kindly invited me to appear on two episodes.

First we talked about Storytelling as a Wellness Practice.

And on the second, shorter episode, How to Organize Your Family Stories.

So keep reading as I highlight some key takeaways from the shows …

Best of 2021: Best articles of 2021 you loved about recording life stories

All the 2021 highlights about creating a story outline, a funny story, ISBNs and an infertility memoir

Welcome to the first Forever Young Autobiographies article for 2022!

I’m back fresh from a few weeks off with my family and excited to help you record life stories.

So today I’ve taken a look back at what you loved reading on the website last year.

And encourage you to let me know what articles you want me to write this year about planning, writing, polishing and publishing life stories.

Best life stories of 2021: Award-winning books to read this holiday season

How to choose must-read books to enjoy this year and into 2022

Holiday season calls for a good book or three!

Certainly my book stack is ever-growing with informative and entertaining life stories.

But I’ve selected a shortlist of must-reads for the latest Forever Young Autobiographies life-story reading list!

This best life stories of 2021 list features writers from Australia, the United Kingdom plus the USA.

And it includes bestsellers and award winners.

Also, stay tuned as I plan to review each book on the website during 2022 and include suggestions to help when we sit down to write.

So let’s take a look at what autobiographies, memoirs, biographies and other life stories made the list for the best life stories of 2021 …

Smart gift ideas: Amazing practical gifts for writers this Christmas

Secret Santa ideas and Christmas gift ideas for writers

One of my favourite Christmas gifts as a child was a new surfboard.

Certainly my brother and I were surf crazy getting up at dawn to cycle the few kilometres to our local point break.

Indeed we would brave the dark, glassy waters predawn as the town lights twinkled in the distance.

Meanwhile, today I’d still love a new surfboard for Christmas (hint, hint!), however, gifts for writers are also high on my list.

So this week I’ve put together a few smart gift ideas for the writers in your life.

But most importantly they’d make a great writing gift for yourself!

Case study: Melissa Harris’s against-all-odds birth memoir One Pound, Twelve Ounces

What every hopeful parent should know about infertility treatment, miscarriage and micro preemie birth

Melissa Harris’s powerful new memoir is about a baby’s fight for survival and a mother’s perseverance.

One Pound, Twelve Ounces: A preemie mother’s story of loss, hope, and triumph came out last month and covers infertility and premature birth.

Indeed Harris’s dream of becoming a mother was shattered when a fertility doctor told her she might never have another child because of a physical anomaly.

But determined to persevere, she underwent nine surgeries, a year of fertility treatments and endured multiple miscarriages.

And when finally pregnant, Harris was told her baby, Sam, was at risk.

She caught up with Forever Young Autobiographies to tell us more about her life story, the writing process and share tips with fellow writers …