Your family's stories, written down and bound, so they outlast all of us.
Every family has someone who remembers. The aunt who knows why Grandpa left home at sixteen. The grandmother who still tells the story about the flood. When those people are gone, their stories go with them, unless someone writes them down.
That's the work I do. I'm Toni Peters, a memoirist and the founder of Warrior Storytellers. I sit with the people in your family who carry the stories, listen to them, and turn what they tell me into a real book. Hardcover copies for the ones who will keep it on a shelf for fifty years. Softcover copies for passing around at reunions and mailing to cousins.
How it works
It starts with one person.
Every family chooses a Story Keeper, the person who serves as my main contact. Your Story Keeper helps schedule interviews, gathers names and dates, collects feedback from the rest of the family, and gives the final approval before we print. One voice keeps the project moving and spares everyone a hundred group texts.
Then we talk.
I interview your storytellers by phone, video, or in person. Phone and video interviews are included in every package. In-person visits within 60 miles of Oklahoma City are included too. I record every conversation, and your family keeps the recordings. Farther than that, we'll work out travel together.
Then I write.
I shape those conversations into a book that sounds like your family, with your family's words, humor, and hard-won wisdom intact. You review the draft, ask for changes, and approve every page before it goes to print.
Then you hold it.
I handle the design, printing, and delivery. Your finished hardcover and softcover copies arrive at your door. Every book carries your family's name on the cover, 'as told to Toni Peters,' and a page inside honors each person who shared their memories. Most books in the Heirloom package take about three months from our first conversation to copies at your door. Larger books take longer, and I'll give you a timeline when we start, once I know how many voices we're gathering. If someone in your family is elderly or ill, tell me. I'll schedule their interviews first.
Photos
Pictures bring a family book to life. I can scan, place, and caption your family photographs throughout the book. Because photos change the design and printing work, they're priced separately. Photo bundles and pricing are listed below.
Packages and pricing
Three flat-fee packages, with word ranges written into the contract.
| Package | Price | Storytellers | Interview hours | Book length | Approx. words |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heirloom Book | $9,500 | 1 to 2 | Up to 8 | 100 to 125 pages | 25,000 to 35,000 |
| Family Bookwhere most families start | $16,000 | Several | Up to 15 | 150 to 200 pages | 40,000 to 50,000 |
| Generations Book | $25,000 and up | Multiple generations | 20+ plus records research | 250+ pages | Quoted per project |
The Family Book is the package most families would choose. Every package includes the interviews, the recordings, the writing, the design, and printed copies delivered to your door.
Founding rate. The first two families get 30% off in exchange for a testimonial and permission to show sample pages on this site. That brings the Heirloom Book to $6,650 and the Family Book to $11,200.
Copies, photos, and travel
| Item | What's included | Extra charge |
|---|---|---|
| Hardcover copies | 10 per package | $65 per additional copy |
| Softcover copies | 10 per package | $28 per additional copy |
| Photos, small bundle | Scan, place, and caption up to 25 photos | $750 |
| Photos, large bundle | Scan, place, and caption up to 75 photos | $1,800 |
| Photo restoration | Repair of damaged photos | $25 to $50 per photo |
| Local travel | In-person interviews within 60 miles of Oklahoma City. Travel beyond 60 miles | Mileage and lodging | Quoted up front | Included |
"I take on only four family books a year so each one gets my full attention."
— Toni Peters
If you'd like to talk about yours, start with a conversation.
Start the Conversation