E.L. “Ed” Wilks has long believed that everyone should have their life story written in a book for their family. That idea was the premise in 1999 for Wilks to start his biography firm, Legacies & Memories. More than 20 years later, he and his team are still writing and producing books for executives, entrepreneurs, baby boomers, seniors, retirees and others. For some, Legacies & Memories also publishes their book.
“Even if your life story isn’t the type of story that should be published and made available for sale, I believe you should still have it written to preserve for your family,” Wilks said. “Stories help keep families connected for generations.”
Wilks’ first client, who was 75 years old at the time, said she wished her parents or grandparents had written their life stories. Her own children were thrilled when she presented her completed book to them. Another of Wilks’ clients, a 68-year-old entrepreneur, said he worked a year-and-a-half writing his life story, but had only about 25 pages to show for it. So, he stopped writing and commissioned Legacies & Memories to write his biography because he said, otherwise, his story might never get written.
Lowell and Nancy Lohman’s biography, “The Lohman Way,” which was written and published by Legacies & Memories, tells the story of their family and how they created or built family businesses totaling more than $250 million in value. They had the book written for their family and to share what they learned so it might “help others start and operate successful family businesses,” Nancy Lohman said. Now they get repeated requests to give speeches about their business success. “The book has been the catalyst for all of that,” Lowell Lohman said.
Clients of Legacies & Memories don’t have to do any writing, but Wilks said everyone seems to love reminiscing during interviews to gather their stories. The firm, he said, provides a highly personalized, turnkey service to write and edit an original manuscript, and produce customized books in paperback or hardcover in any quantity. Commissioning a biography ranges from $6,800 to $59,000. Numerous copies of the book are included.
The firm has written and produced biographies for many successful entrepreneurs, executives and retirees from a wide variety of industries: real estate, insurance, oil and gas, fashion modeling, manufacturing, funeral and cemetery, education, banking and more. A few of their books’ titles include “To Win in Business…Bet on the Jockey,” “DRIVEN,” “The First 80 Years: The Cary M. Maguire Story,” “The Harder You Work, The Luckier You Become: The Bernie Simpkins Story,” and “Mary Jo… Tells It Like It Is.”
Legacies & Memories is based in St. Augustine and works with clients anywhere in the United States including Florida cities such as Palm Beach, Sarasota, Daytona Beach, Cocoa, Jacksonville and Ormond Beach. Others have been in Dallas; Norfolk, Virginia; and Oklahoma City.
ABOUT LEGACIES & MEMORIES
Founded in 1999, Legacies & Memories is an award-winning boutique biography firm writing and preserving stories for families, for businesses, or to publish. Legacies & Memories also provides traditional publishing and co-publishing for select writers working in most genres. To learn more, visit LegaciesandMemories.com or call (904) 293-9893.
