Preserve their stories while you still can, in a book your family keeps forever.
Families usually reach out after a diagnosis, the loss of a parent, a milestone birthday or anniversary, the sale or handover of a family business or ranch, or an update to the estate plan.
Has one of your parents ever made a casual reference to something uniquely interesting about your family's history, then never gone into detail? Maybe it wasn't the right time, or they brushed it off with "your grandpa's really the one to ask." You always figured you'd circle back to it.
Then life stepped in. Maybe Dad passed away suddenly, and now Mom is the only one left who knows the story, and she can only tell her half. Maybe a parent got a diagnosis nobody saw coming, and every conversation suddenly feels like it matters more than it did last month. If that's where you are right now, I'm so sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. Almost everyone assumes there will be more time. And please remember: The person who's still here is full of stories, and most people light up when someone finally asks.
It's important to remember, though, that this is bigger than just one conversation. If your family built something (a business, a ranch, a career in the oil patch, a name people recognize), the story of how it got built is part of what you're about to inherit. That includes the risks nobody saw, the lean years, the people who helped along the way, and the decisions that never made it onto paper. The money can be passed down in a will. The story can't.
Maybe you've already tried one of those subscription services that emails Mom a weekly question about her life, and she never ended up filling it out. A weekly prompt can't ask "and then what happened?" I can. I know which questions to ask, how to ask them, and how to turn the answers into a book your family keeps forever. You tell the stories; I handle everything else.
Book a complimentary chatThree ways to work together
Start small, go all in on a full keepsake book, or build a legacy project for the whole family. Either way, you tell the stories and I handle everything else.
Guided Interview Package
$750
Five hours of warm, guided interview sessions with your loved one. I ask the questions and keep the conversation flowing so nothing important goes unasked. You receive the full audio recordings plus transcripts to build your own family history project.
Does not include a written manuscript, photos, or a designed and printed book, just the conversation, captured and preserved. If time is short, this is the fastest way to get their voice on record. Many families start here, then build a Keepsake Book or Family Legacy project later.
Keepsake Book
From $10,995
About 10 hours of interview time, built around an outline we develop together so nothing important gets missed. From there: a professionally written narrative, personal photos, two rounds of revisions, and a beautifully designed coffee-table book, printed on archival paper and bound to last generations. You keep every audio recording too.
One story, done right, from first interview to finished book in your hands.
Family Legacy
From $26,995
The Keepsake Book experience, scaled for two or more family members. Each person gets their own outline, with up to 25 hours of interview time across the project (though more can be added depending on how many people are involved and the scope of their stories.) I weave the individual accounts into one cohesive family narrative, with multiple rounds of revisions along the way. Your old family photos are professionally scanned and restored by a local specialist, so you don't have to coordinate a thing, and a family timeline ties the generations together. The finished book is beautifully designed and printed on archival paper, bound to last generations, with a set number of copies for your family, outlined in your proposal. You also keep the audio recordings of every interview.
Pricing reflects how many family members are involved and how their stories come together. Ideal for preserving both parents' stories together, or bringing several generations into one shared family history.
Here's how it happens.
You tell the stories; I handle everything else: scheduling, interviews, photos, design, and printing.
First, we uncover what makes them so dang special
We start with a questionnaire where you lay out exactly what makes your loved one so amazing, and dish on whichever stories you've always wanted to hear more about but couldn't quite figure out how to ask.
Then, they get the star interviewee treatment
They'll sit cozy with a cup of coffee (or maybe a bottle of gin, no judgment) and recount the most interesting bits of their life to an active, excited listener. That's me, your personal storyteller.
Finally, their stories are preserved forever
When the grandkids ask what grandma or grandpa really did back in the day, you'll be able to pull out their exact story, told in their own words and, thanks to the recordings, their own voice.
After their stories are preserved, you'll feel...
That you asked while you still could, and you'll never have to wonder what the answers would have been. (Even the one about what really happened at the 1979 wedding everyone calls "the incident.")
At the new details you discover about your family's history. (Wait, Nana produced and starred in her own soap opera?)
That you finally know the answer to everything you've always been curious about. (So that's why Opa swore he'd never wear shorts again.)
That these stories won't be lost, that your grandchildren will know where they came from, and that they can hear it in their grandparent's own voice.
Founded in 2022, after learning how many stories go untold.
I'm Vickie Veldhoen, and I know exactly what it costs to wait too long to ask. I was 20 when I lost my mother to cancer. I was devastated, as any of us are when we lose someone beloved to us. However, it wasn't until I became a parent myself that I fully grasped the depth of knowledge that I'd lost. In the thick of parenting, I kept wishing she were still here. I wanted to ask about our family history, hear her own story in her own words, and compare notes on raising kids. But I couldn't. Her stories were gone, simply because no one asked in time. That's why I founded Questions Unasked.
Since 2022, I've written, edited, and designed memoir and legacy books for countless families who didn't want to make the same mistake. This isn't just a service I offer. It's the work I wish someone had done for my own family.
Kyle Paoletta, Journalist & Author"Working with Vickie on a memoir for my grandparents was an incredible experience!
For years, I've wanted to help them capture their wonderful stories about living abroad, but it seemed like too much work for them to do all that writing, and I knew I wouldn't be able to take on hours of interviews. Getting Vickie involved was exactly the right choice. Over a few thoughtful calls, she even prompted them to remember anecdotes and incidents most of the family had never heard before, in addition to capturing the classics!
One thing I didn't expect was just how much my grandparents loved talking with Vickie. They couldn't stop telling me about how much they looked forward to their interviews, and the whole family loved seeing the fun they had getting to relive their memories.
After the interviews were done, Vickie put together a really clear and compelling manuscript that will be a family treasure. It feels so good to know that we'll be able to keep their stories, and the audio recordings, forever."
"I learned that my father-in-law has nearly died four separate times. Those are experiences no one else can speak to. I'm glad my daughter will still have his voice to learn from when she's older."Mike S.
"We just presented the books to everyone and, unsurprisingly, they were a big hit! Everyone is so delighted and touched to have a keepsake of our favourite family matriarch."Julienne Torres
"I'm so glad that I did this. I'm not sure that I ever would have gotten this started if we hadn't crossed paths. It's been such an enriching experience, and I feel forever grateful that I had the opportunity to have these conversations. My parents really enjoyed it too!"Jenn Oglesbee, LCSW
Frequently asked
What's the difference between the three packages?
The Guided Interview Package gives you the raw conversations, audio and transcript, so you can build your own project. The Keepsake Book is the full experience: written narrative, photos, design, and printed copies. Family Legacy is that same full experience, scaled to cover two or more family members and woven into one cohesive family narrative.
Can the Interview Package become a full book later?
Yes. Many families start there and upgrade to a Keepsake Book or Family Legacy once they see how the conversations go.
Is this kept private?
Yes. Every project is confidential, start to finish. Recordings, drafts, and the finished book are shared only with the people you choose.
Where are the interviews conducted?
I often conduct interviews by phone or Zoom, but for the right project, I'm happy to come to you. I'm based in Calgary, so meeting anywhere in the city is easy, and I've also flown to other cities to conduct interviews in person.
What if my loved one is nervous about being interviewed?
Talk to them about how important it is to you that their stories aren't forgotten, and how meaningful this keepsake would be to pass down. That's usually enough to ease the nerves. If the issue is stronger objection rather than nervousness, we can't move forward with the project.
What if my loved one has dementia, Alzheimer's, or other memory issues?
In this case, I'd recommend the book be built from other family members talking about your loved one, rather than your loved one directly.
Is there a faster option if a loved one's health is declining?
Yes. If time matters, tell me up front and we'll prioritize getting the interviews done quickly, even if the writing and design take longer. Capturing the conversations while there's still time comes first.
My loved one has passed away. Can you still write a book about them?
Yes, I can create a memorial book. Since these tend to involve more than one interviewee, this is usually a Family Legacy project, and we'd discuss what you need to build the right scope.
One of my parents has passed away. Can the surviving parent still tell the story?
Yes, and sooner is better. A surviving spouse is often the keeper of the shared story: how they met, what they built together, the years only the two of them knew. I interview them one-on-one, and if you'd like the person who passed to be part of the book too, we can include other family members and friends who knew them. That usually makes it a Family Legacy project.
Our family's history includes some difficult chapters. Can you handle that with discretion?
Yes. Complicated, painful, or sensitive history, whether that's addiction, estrangement, or a difficult business past, comes up often in this work. I've completed trauma sensitivity training specifically for this kind of interviewing, and I handle these conversations with care. Your family decides what gets included and what doesn't.
Can this be a gift?
Yes, this makes a meaningful gift for a milestone birthday, anniversary, or retirement. The one thing I'd ask before you book it as a surprise: the person being interviewed needs to actually want to do this. These are personal, sometimes emotional conversations, and they go best when your loved one is a willing participant, not just a recipient of a nice idea. If you're not sure, it's worth asking them first.
Can you work with our family's estate planner, attorney, or executor?
Yes. I'm comfortable coordinating with whoever else is involved in a family's planning, and can work directly with an advisor or executor if that's easier for your family.
Our family built a business, farm, or ranch. Can the book cover that?
Yes, and it's often the heart of the story: how it started, the early risks, the near misses, the people who helped along the way. Photos, documents, and other family members' memories can all be woven in. If you're after a book for the open market, like a leadership book, that's my Ghostwriting service instead.
Does it have to be a parent or grandparent?
Not at all. Aunt, uncle, cousin, mentor, whoever's stories you want immortalized, this service is for that.
Can I do this for myself instead of a family member?
Yes, absolutely. If you want your own stories passed down to your children and grandchildren, this is your service too.
How does Family Legacy actually work with multiple people?
Each participant is interviewed on their own, so everyone gets the same unhurried, one-on-one conversations as a single Keepsake Book client. I then weave those individual accounts into one cohesive family narrative, rather than publishing several disconnected books. Pricing scales with the number of participants and the complexity of bringing their stories together; we'll land on an exact figure once we know who's involved.
For Family Legacy, do all the stories get combined into one book, or can we keep them separate?
Both are possible. Most families want one cohesive book that weaves everyone's stories together, but if you'd rather each person have their own standalone book, we can scope the project that way instead.
How long does a Keepsake Book or Family Legacy project take?
A Keepsake Book typically takes 3 to 6 months from kickoff to final printed book. Family Legacy runs longer, usually 6 to 12 months, since it involves coordinating interviews with multiple participants.
I'd like to talk to you about my project. How do I contact you?
Book a complimentary chat here, or reach out through the contact form, and we'll talk it through with no pressure.
Looking for a published, sellable book instead of a family keepsake? See the Ghostwriting page →
Ready to preserve their stories?
Book a complimentary, no-pressure chat and we'll talk through your project.
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