Why Hero Story?

My name is Laurie Stradling and I formed Hero Story to put your family histories and epic journeys into print.  I have clients whose grandchildren carry their Hero Story book from room to room and pore over the photos, reading the ways their grandparents' lives intersected with history.  I believe that every person has a Hero Story, and that story is worth preserving in a book that your loved ones will read and re-read until the spine cracks.

What sets me apart from existing family history writing companies is my own difficult past. I use my skills as a journalist and a woman in recovery to listen with patience and compassion to some of the worst moments of a person's life. Most importantly, I know how to navigate families with complicated dynamics. I use my skills as a certified mediator to help folks agree what to put into print.

As a lifelong and generational member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I best understand how to respectfully interview and write for an LDS audience. 

However, as a delighted citizen of the world, I love making connections with all people. I can work with people from all nations, classes, spiritual traditions, sexual orientation, etc with respect and cultural sensitivity. I study languages and really enjoy the challenge of carrying a Hero Story through translation, or writing so a younger audience can understand the context of an older person's story.