FAQ

What information do you need to get started?

Not much! I start from the most recently deceased member of your family and I only either the birth date & place (approximations are ok!) or death date & place. The more information, the better, of course, but don’t feel that because you don’t know much about your family member that you can’t get start with research. That’s what I’m here for!

What format are the books in?

You will receive your completed book in two formats: a complete PDF at the time that I complete the writing, and a bound hard copy a few weeks later after I’ve had it printed. I print through Lulu and my clients and I have been thrilled with their books.

How long does it take to complete a book?

On average each book takes six months from start to finish. This covers the initial genealogical research, background research into local history, writing, and the design process. Due to the time needed to devoting each book meets our rigorous standards, waitlist times may be long as we dedicate ourselves fully to each family and only work on one book at a time.

How far back are you able to go?

Honestly, I don’t know when I start. Sometimes, I can take a guess depending on the family’s background, but the truth is that I’m able to go as far back as I’m able to find written records. That’s the short answer. I work as hard as I can to be sure that I’ve done exactly that for each client, but I never use guess work or information that I can’t back up with recorded evidence, so there are a lot of factors that determine when “written records” run out. For an American family that emigrated in the Colonial era, that can be the seventeenth century. For an American with Eastern European Jewish origins, that could be the 1890s. It’s all dependent on the family and their own historical context.