Family historians
You want the grandchildren to know where the family came from, what it took to get here, and who you were before you were Grandpa or Grandma.
Memoirs · Family histories · Life lessons
Your life story, bound into a book your grandchildren will keep.
You talk. We write, design and publish it. In about 90 days you hold a professional hardcover of your own story, with an audiobook in your own voice if you'd like one.
Based in Beaverton, Oregon · Interviews in person or by Zoom
Who we write for
Every family has a story nobody has written down yet.
Gift givers
A book of a parent's life is a birthday or holiday gift nothing else can match. We work to your date, with a 45-day rush option.
Retired experts
Decades of hard-won lessons from running a business, a practice or a trade, organized into a book others can learn from.
How it works
Seven chapters, about ninety days.
You never face a blank page. Every step is guided, and nothing goes to print until you approve every page.
- Week 1
Kickoff
A welcome call and a simple questionnaire to map the story. You gather the photos and keepsakes you want included.
- Weeks 2–5
Conversations
Eight to ten relaxed, recorded conversations of about an hour each, at your kitchen table or by Zoom. You tell the stories; we ask the questions.
- Weeks 6–8
First draft
Your writer shapes the conversations into chapters that sound like you, not like a textbook.
- Weeks 9–10
Your review
You read the draft and mark anything to change, add or leave out. One full round of revisions is included.
- Week 11
Edit and design
Professional copyediting and proofreading, a custom cover, and a page layout with your photos.
- Week 12
Publish
Your book gets its own ISBN and is set up for print and ebook. You approve a printed proof copy first.
- Week 13
Launch
Your books arrive. If you like, we help you host a family reading or launch gathering.
Packages
Choose the book that fits your story.
Payment in three parts: 50% to start, 25% when you approve the draft, and 25% before printing.
A treasured keepsake
Keepsake
$4,500
≈100 pages · 4 conversations · 60 days
- Edited, professionally formatted book
- Simple custom cover
- 20 printed copies for family
- Order more copies anytime
Most families choose this
Legacy
$9,500
150–250 pages · 8–10 conversations · 90 days
- Your full life story, in your voice
- Photo section with restored images
- Custom designed cover
- Your own ISBN, in print and ebook
- Available through bookstores and Amazon
- Family launch gathering
Hear it in your own voice
Legacy + Voice
$14,500
150–250 pages · audiobook · 120 days
- Everything in Legacy
- Studio-recorded audiobook
- Read in your own voice, or by a narrator
- Produced by a professional musician and engineer
Add-ons: photo restoration and scanning, a short video of you telling one story, 45-day rush delivery, and extra hardcover copies.
Your guide
Hello, I'm Jonathan Leslie.
I've spent my life telling stories, first as a musician and record label co-founder, then as an author. I've written and published more than thirteen books, and I know how much it means to hold a finished book with your name on the cover.
I started Legacy Book Studio because I've seen too many good stories lost when the people who lived them were gone. I lead every project personally, and I record every audiobook in my own studio.
13+ books published
Co-founder, VAP Records (1978)
Recording studio in-house
Oregon Notary Public
Free guide
How to Write Your Life Story
Rather do it yourself? Good. Here is the same method we use, free, with no strings attached.
- The 60 questions that unlock your best stories
- How to organize a life into chapters
- How to self-publish a book your family can order
Questions
What families ask before they start.
I'm not a writer. Can I still do this?
Yes. Most of our clients have never written more than a letter. You only talk; we do all the writing, and the book still sounds like you.
What if there are parts of my life I'd rather leave out?
You decide what goes in. Nothing is published or printed until you have read and approved every page, and our agreement protects your privacy.
Can I buy this as a gift for my mother or father?
Yes, and many of our books start that way. We'll plan the schedule around your date and send a gift certificate you can give in the meantime.
Do I have to sell my book to the public?
No. Many families keep their book private and simply order copies for relatives. Wide distribution is there if you want it.
Our family doesn't have much time. Can you work quickly?
Yes. Tell us at your consultation. We can record the conversations first, so the stories and the voice are saved right away, and finish the book on a faster schedule.
Free story consultation
Tell us one story. We'll show you the book it could become.
A relaxed 30-minute conversation, by phone, Zoom or in person in the Portland area. No pressure and no obligation.