The 30th anniversary “Paper Toast” mailing created by Book Designer Nicole Miller and sent to past and present clients of Modern Memoirs, Inc., summer 2024
On September 27, 2024, Modern Memoirs held a dinner at the Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland, Massachusetts to celebrate several milestones: the 30th anniversary of our company’s founding by Kitty Axelson-Berry; the 20th anniversary of Director of Publishing Ali de Groot’s employment; and the five-year anniversary of my purchase of the business with my husband, Vice President Sean St. Marie. In anticipation of the dinner, we sent a mailing to past and current clients, inviting them to reply with a “Paper Toast” to read aloud around the table.
I saved each card as it was returned to us, waiting to share them with the staff at our dinner. Honestly, as the weeks wore on, it was sometimes very hard to keep the Paper Toasts to myself since I knew how much they would mean to everyone. When the date finally arrived, colleague Emma Solis helped me hang the dozens of cards we’d received around the dining room as impromptu party décor. Then, following my own toasts to Kitty, Ali, and the rest of the staff, we each took turns reading clients’ Paper Toasts aloud to one another.
The effect was just what I’d hoped it would be: we felt our clients’ presence with us as we fondly recalled them and their projects, and we delighted in their reflections on their publishing experiences. Some messages were short and sweet, some were long and heartfelt, and one was even written in rhymed verse! All were deeply appreciated, and with thanks to Publishing Intern Lily Fitzgerald, who retyped each one for posterity, here is a sampling of Paper Toasts to Modern Memoirs, Inc. at 30 years:
Andy Stephens and family:
To thirty years of stories told,
of memories captured, hearts consoled.
To Kitty, who began this quest
in ’94, she gave it her best.
To Ali, with two decades strong
her passion and skill, helped everyone along
and Megan and Sean St. Marie, five years to cheer
for guiding this ship with vision so dear.
To all the staff, whose hearts and hands
have crafted books across our lands,
memoirs, genealogies, each line and page
brims in joy and wisdom, age to age.
Here is to the work you love to do
in the stories that bind us all, old, and new.
May Modern Memoirs thrive and grow
with good cheer, we raise our toast.
Hilde Wohl Adler: I chose Modern Memoirs in the first place because I read Kitty Axelson-Berry’s autobiography online and discovered she was once Kathy Lebow and a student in my seventh-grade physical education class back in West Hempstead [NY].
The road was smooth from the start. She helped me produce a fabulous professional looking book, The Way It Was, about my life from 0 to 10 in Nazi Germany. And then after Kitty left, Ali helped me with a very different project, I Am NOT Old Enough, about moving into a retirement community. Both Kitty and Ali gave me gentle guidance while allowing me to keep my voice. Both experiences were incredibly meaningful, productive, and fun!
“The book has been an amazing source of laughs, eye rolls, and amazing memories of a great life.”
A toast to you, Modern Memoirs on your 30th anniversary. And Ali, Megan, and Sean, on your anniversaries. I hope you have many more years of doing this wonderful work, helping writers produce amazing books.
John and Mary Jane Bower: Our experience with Kitty and Ali was magical. John was in the early stages of FTD and was losing his language abilities as a result. He now is completely unable to communicate verbally but finds great joy when we read his book aloud to him! The gift that keeps on giving!
Brooks Bradford, Jr.: Congratulations! We are so happy we had a book from my dad and the unexpected friendship created by Kitty and my dad! The book has been an amazing source of laughs, eye rolls, and amazing memories of a great life. Wishing you another amazing 30+ years. Sending big Texas love!
Ali de Groot: Congratulations! I am one of the lucky people who can say I love my job. I owe it all to Kitty for believing in me over 20 years ago. And Megan and Sean couldn’t be better at keeping the Modern Memoirs flame blazing and gathering the most caring and professional team of stars. Thank you all!
David Dearinger: I am proud and happy to have had my book published under the expert guidance of Ali, Megan, and all at M.M. A toast on your anniversary and always.
Mary Alice Dillman: Modern Memoirs, Inc. rests its honor with marks of distinction on this 30th anniversary in the publishing world. Celebrate Kitty upon the establishment of the company in 1994. Have all my laurels in 2012 and 2022 go to de Groot’s 20-year employment anniversary. Ali was the shining star of trust, talent, and communications. I worked with her closely. She answered my questions with patience and heart, for I was a beginner in the publishing world, and I needed help to make my copy of my autobiography more perfect. By 2022, I was more experienced. The whole crew of writers and publishers graciously supported me. Thank you.
Brian Dunsirn: Here’s to Modern Memoirs’ 30th anniversary! I began working with your company in 1999 when we created my father’s memoir, I Dunno. Twenty-five years later you helped me create my own memoir, The Sky’s the Limit. The purpose of creating my book was to allow our eight grandchildren to understand the challenges and opportunities of achieving success and happiness in life.
The experience turned out to be more valuable for me than I had expected. The reflection on family, friends, achievements, and failures helped me to realize what is truly important in life. It also helped me focus on the future and what remains to be accomplished.
“The reflection on family, friends, achievements, and failures helped me to realize what is truly important in life.”
It was fun working with all of you! Good luck with your future storytelling.
Joe Garrett: Thank you for the two wonderful books!
David Gryboski: To Ali, Megan, and the entire Modern Memoirs team! In the final months of my father’s life, seeing his story (and the final galley of Me and Shakespeare) in print was a gift that brought immense joy and satisfaction to his life, and preserving his memory has meant more to me and my family than words can express.
Congratulations on a wonderful achievement and thank you for all that you do. Cheers to another 30 years!
James A. Heffernan: I had the most excellent good fortune to work with Ali and the team on two of my books, and those were the best publishing experiences I’ve had. It seems things are going strong at Modern Memoirs, and for nothing could I be more happy and grateful. Go another 30! or 60!
Harold Hirshman: With care and passion, joy and encouragement, Kitty and Ali coaxed and cajoled and comforted, so the impossible came true—my books.
Eileen Hultin: Congratulations to Modern Memoirs on so many anniversaries: Thirty years since the founding by Kitty Axelson-Berry, twenty years since Ali de Groot joined the company, five years since Megan and Sean St. Marie purchased the business. And...three years since I had the good fortune to hear about Modern Memoirs.
What a happy occasion for me when I learned from Megan, after reading one of the earliest chapters, that my manuscript would be accepted. It was such an exciting experience working with Ali for the next several months, that I almost wish I could write a second life story, but sadly, I had only one to write about.
May Modern Memoirs flourish for many more years.
“I almost wish I could write a second life story, but sadly, I had only one to write about.”
Paul Jensen: A toast to all my friends at Modern Memoirs—Thank you for helping me bring my heartfelt words to parchment. It is with gratitude that I lift my glass to your continued success!! Have a wonderful time of it...
Lawrence Kohn: Best wishes on your various anniversaries. A special thanks to Ali, who worked with me on conception, and organizing, and liaison to Megan and her colleagues. The result was a fitting anniversary gift of my collected poems. This book was formally presented to me by my wife, Laurie Buchalter, in a re-wedding ceremony in our living room—Portraits: poems to mark 50 years.
Lynda Sun Lee: Congratulations on keeping up the great legacy of Modern Memoirs started by Kitty. Wishing you all continued success and many more satisfied customers!
Marian Barrett Leibold: Congratulations on this great accomplishment. I have enjoyed my relationship with Modern Memoirs and look forward to more projects. Thank you for your commitment to the written word!
Barbara Levy: Congratulations Modern Memoirs, Inc. on your 30th anniversary! Seventeen years ago the Westport Woman’s club celebrated their 100-year anniversary with a wonderful, informative memoir, A Rare Woman’s Club. With Ali de Groot’s beautiful editing and support throughout the project, the book was published and enjoyed by its members and the Westport community.
Our office manager continues to display the book on her desk for new members and prospective members to browse through the club’s history. Thank you Ali and the Modern Memoirs Staff.
Anna Markus: Dear, dear Kitty: you are marvelous—as a social activist, an entrepreneur, and as a friend. Thank you for all the positive energy you put into the world! Congratulations on establishing such a valuable business and for helping me get through our deeply meaningful Bat Mitzvah.
Dear Megan and Ali, Congratulations to you for your successful new chapter of Modern Memoirs. What a marvelous job you both do! Thank you for helping me complete Delicious Air and Refuges. Neither would have been done without you.
Lili Lunny Neuhauser: When my mother found Kitty and M.M., there was great excitement as we knew she had found the right people to help tell her story. Keep Smiling: Life on Three Continents was the fantastic result! What a gift to Liane’s family and friends. Her story continues to inspire and remind us to enjoy life, even through hardship and keep smiling!
“toasting your caring and the compassionate understanding you have for your clients, their words, and their aspirations.”
Elizabeth Pannier: Congratulations to Modern Memoirs, Inc.’s 30th anniversary.
When I recall writing and working on my mother’s remembrance book Walking Together, I am filled with the process of remembering my very dear friend, my mother, and the friendship and encouragement from Ali de Groot as she guided and directed my story. Her encouragement and clear understanding of my memoir was the best possible support to offer an elder writer. I still remember that time writing with a full heart and a sense of inner peace. Many thanks to Ali de Groot’s kindness, sensitivity, and support.
Best wishes to you all in the years ahead! May you continue to deliver many great stories and assist many other writers.
Roland Parent: Congratulations and best wishes to all at Modern Memoirs on your 30th anniversary, and many thanks for a wonderful lifetime experience, the publication of my Sentimental Voyage: A Maritime Memoir in 2021.
Joyce B. Phillips: Congratulations on the 30th anniversary of Modern Memoirs! Happy 20th anniversary to Ali! Best wishes to Sean and Megan for their 5-year ownership of Modern Memoirs.
I feel so privileged that Modern Memoirs published three very special books for me to share with my family. It was such a rewarding experience working with Ali starting 14 years ago when the first book, The Magic Lantern Stories, started on its road to being published by Modern Memoirs.
Gail Reimer: I can’t let this occasion go by without toasting your caring and the compassionate understanding you have for your clients, their words, and their aspirations. Wishing you continued success in assisting women and men shape and tell their stories.
Lydia Cartwright Rosen: I am so very grateful to Modern Memoirs, Inc. for helping me to bring my memoir, Mountain Springs, into existence. Ali de Groot, especially, applied her excellent editing skills to set up the format for portraying my personal essays, photography, and collage. I have been complimented many times over my handsome book of 176 pages, which I have given to friends and family and which has sold well at local stores and museums of Gold Country near Sierra City. Kudos to Modern Memoirs, Inc.
“Wishes come true—Modern Memoirs makes them so.”
Stephen Rostand: A group of talented professionals who assisted me to express my life by guiding me on several voyages of self-discovery that are my memoirs. Their designers worked with me to produce books that are works of art.
Robert Singleton: Congratulations on 30 years! And thanks for the memories!
Stephen F. Snyder: Cheers!
Janet Kipp Tribus: You helped me in an incredible way, sorting through all my slides and newspaper cutouts; the history of my art! I thank you for being “on top of it” and seeing 2 books published! I’m so grateful to Ali, especially.
Elizabeth Tan Tsai and Nien-Tszr “Tom” Tsai: Wishes come true—M.M. makes them so. Their staff are so fun, like vintage wine, I’ll drink to them!
Rud Turnbull: Two memoirs, two superb experiences with Ali and her team. I am proud to be an alumnus and I was/still am proud of the work products you all helped from the very start to the very end.
Cheers to 30 years! Many thanks to all who sent in Paper Toasts for our dinner. And…if you would like to leave an “e-Toast,” feel free to do so in the comments below.
Megan St. Marie (left) and Liz Sonnenberg (right) finishing the dining room setup at the Blue Heron Restaurant, Sunderland, Massachusetts, with clients' Paper Toasts hanging on the window and mirror
Genealogist Liz Sonnenberg (left) reads a Paper Toast, seated next to Bookkeeper Julie Shively
L-R: Kitty Axelson-Berry, Ali de Groot, and Emma Solis, enjoying the reading of clients’ Paper Toasts
Vice President Sean St. Marie reads a Paper Toast aloud to the Modern Memoirs staff and guests, with other cards waiting to be read behind him