May I Tell
Your Story?
Before stories disappear, let's capture them.
Helping you keep the memories that matter.
"I wish we’d asked these questions sooner.”
“What was mom’s secret ingredient in the meatballs?”
"I don't know how my parents met.”
"I never asked Dad about Vietnam."
The memories that shape a life deserve to be heard and remembered. BetsyAnn Faiella works with individuals and families personally to draw out those stories and preserve them as memoirs, narrative biographies, recorded conversations, and personal legacy documents. The genre takes many forms!
“It was a pleasure working in collaboration with Betsyann Faiella on a memoir project for my mom. My mother is a very unique and creative woman, and I feel they were a great match. Together, we came up with an exciting and workable format, and Betsyann poured her heart and soul into the work. My mother, who recently turned 90, always enjoyed and looked forward to their weekly conversations. It was not only enlightening to capture her stories, it was also therapeutic for my mom to tell her stories to such a lovely, attentive person who was genuinely interested in listening! I highly recommend working with Betsyann!” - R. F., Oregon
Storytelling has been a common thread throughout BetsyAnn Faiella's life.
She began her career as a professional singer in the US and abroad, interpreting lyrics of songwriters she admired. She moved into advertising production and later public relations, where she discovered the work she loved most: finding the story that would make editors, producers, and audiences want to know more - uncovering the things that made someone unforgettable.
Today, BetsyAnn brings that same instinct to individuals and families who want to preserve the stories of a lifetime. Through relaxed, unhurried conversations, she helps clients rediscover memories, shape them into engaging narratives, and leave behind something deeply personal for the people they love.
A trained end-of-life doula, certified by Bridging Transitions and INELDA, BetsyAnn is especially drawn to working with older adults. She believes the later years often bring life's richest stories—and that those stories deserve to be told with honesty, warmth, and care.
Services
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A guided series of conversations that becomes a beautifully written story your family will treasure for generations.
Includes:
Personal interviews
Audio recordings (optional)
Research and fact-checking
A professionally written narrative
Family review
Not Included: Special finishing services (book or bound format, etc.) TBD
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“What do I know now that I wish I'd known at twenty? What wisdom and wishes would I like to pass along?”
Create a lasting legacy with an ethical will, designed to help you share your values, life lessons, and personal messages with loved ones. We guide you through a thoughtful, personalized process to capture your beliefs and hopes for future generations, ensuring your story and wisdom endure beyond a traditional legal will. Preserve your ethics, memories, and intentions—in a meaningful document crafted with care.
NOTE: This is NOT a binding legal document.NOTE: Special Finishing Services Not Included (Book or Bound Format)
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When words can feel hard to find, and emotional chaos reigns, writing an obituary or eulogy can add to an already heavy emotional burden. May I Tell Your Story? offers compassionate authorship to help you craft a tribute that captures the deceased’s story, achievements, and personality, as well as what made them meaningful to those who loved them. My goal is to ease some of the stress of this difficult time by providing clear, respectful, and timely writing for a meaningful and lasting remembrance.
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Including:
Recipe Memoirs
Family story collections
NOTE: Book or Bound Format Costs Not Included
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We work with kids on projects to memorialize a beloved relative, friend or pet with personalized memory books or cards.
How It Works
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Long form projects (such as memoirs) are ghost-written by BetsyAnn Faiella or “By NAME, as told to Betsyann Faiella.”
Legacy Interviews, Legacy Narrative Bios, Memoirs, Obits in advance:
The work is accomplished through a series of conversations, in person or on zoom or phone, shaped by a real person listening to you or your loved one, or reading their notes and shaping the story.
BetsyAnn draws out the stories, the memories, the important values you wish to express.
Betsyann does the writing or coaching; you don’t have to “prepare” anything.
You review and shape it with BetsyAnn.
The final piece is something you can keep, share, or pass on. It’s a lasting memory for your family, friends or community.
BetsyAnn Faiella can meet in person in the New York tri-state area, or online or by phone, and she’s willing to travel.
Each type of service has a slightly different framework and unfolds differently, but all begin with a complimentary 20-30 minute conversation to determine your needs and our chemistry. If it feels like a fit, we schedule the sessions.
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The work is meaningful for:
• Parents or grandparents, people who want to share their life stories
• Anyone who wants their family to understand their life more fully
• Families who wish they had asked more questions sooner
• People reflecting on the experiences that shaped them
• Adult children looking for a meaningful gift for a parentYou may have a particular story you want to tell, or many stories!
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Each project is unique.
Formats are determined during the discovery conversation. They can include a published book or other. TBD. -
Every project has its own idiosyncrasies. Below are simply estimates.
Life Stories & MemoirsOptions:
Legacy Interview (4-6 conversations)
A focused narrative—childhood, career, a turning point, or “what matters most.”
Typical range: $4000 -$6000Short Memoir / (6–8+ conversations)
A more complete life story, or capture of a significant event, shaped with care and structure.
Typical range: $10,000-$15,000Full Length Memoir / TBD
Legacy documents/Ethical Wills & Personal Reflections / 4 Conversations About values, lessons, and what you want to pass on. Often written as a letter, sometimes as a narrative. These are among the most meaningful pieces I work on.
Typical range: $2500–$4,000Obituaries & Final Tributes / Written in advance or at time of need. Straightforward, reflective, or even humorous—depending on the person. Always personal. Never generic.
Typical range: $1,500 - $2500Children’s Projects: TBD
Written estimate for all works are determined after initial conversation. Invoice will reflect, in detail, the request.