In the News

PODCAST EPISODE

Listen to company President Megan St. Marie and founder Kitty Axelson-Berry on the November 9, 2019 episode of the Western Mass Business Show, WHMP 101.5/107.5 FM with host Ira Bryck.

https://soundcloud.com/whmp/western-mass-business-show-november-9th-2019

THE NEW YORK TIMES
"HAVE A STORY TO TELL? YOUR PERSONAL MEMOIRIST IS HERE"

Kitty talks about the business of preserving personal history.
Written by Alina Tugend and published in The New York Times Business Section (page B4), September 1, 2016.

THE SACRAMENTO BEe
"WRITING DOWN FAMILY HISTORIES AS BABY BOOMERS LOOK BACK"

Kitty traveled to Sacramento, CA to speak at the Association of Personal Historians' annual conference, "Culture and Thrive." Written by Stephen Magagnini and published in The Sacramento Bee, October 25, 2015.

Press Release: Modern Memoirs, Inc. Under New Ownership, July 2019

More News Articles, Media Coverage, and Events

2024

Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb featured an interview with Megan St. Marie under her pen name, Megan Dowd Lambert, about her book Read It Again: 70 Whole Book Approach Plans to Help You Shake Up Storytime (White Poppy Press 2023). Posted December 5, 2024

Vol. 6 of the online literary journal Résonance includes a book review by Megan St. Marie of Denis Ledoux’s French Boy: A 1950s Franco American Childhood. (Lisbon Falls: Soleil Press, 2024).

Spring/Printemps/Summer/Été 2024 “A Painting as Portal to the Past” by Megan St. Marie, in Le Forum, Vol. 46 #1 & #2, a publication of the Franco American Centre at the University of Maine-Orono

Spring 4-part Genealogy Workshop series at the South County Senior Center, Sunderland, MA, led by Genealogist Liz Sonnenberg

2023

Sept./Oct. “Impromptu: The Horn Book Diary” in the Horn Book Magazine.

Vol. 5 of the online literary journal Résonance includes a book review by Megan St. Marie of Joan DeJean’s Mutinous Women: How French Convicts Became Founding Mothers on the Gulf Coast (New York: Basic Books, 2022).

Spring/Printemps/Summer/Été 2023 “Making ‘Sense’ of the Past” by Megan St. Marie in Le Forum Vol. 45 #1 & #2, a publication of the Franco American Centre at the University of Maine-Orono

June 8, 2023 “Dans Les Pas de Nos Ancêtres: A Father-Daughter Heritage Trip to France,” webinar hosted by the Franco American Centre at the University of Maine-Orono

March 22, 2023 “Books and Bonds: An Interview with Megan Dowd Lambert About Building Connections Through Family Reading” by Betsy Bird, A Fuse Number 8 Production, School Library Journal

March and April 2023 “Local Author Spotlight: Megan Dowd Lambert,” a profile of company president, Megan St. Marie, with a focus on her work in children’s literature, posted by the Jones Library, Amherst, MA

February 6, 2023 “What’s Your Story? Memoir Writing for Everyone,” writing workshop hosted by the Amherst Woman’s Club, Amherst, MA, and led by Megan St. Marie

January 27, 2023 “What’s Your Story? Memoir Writing for Everyone,” online writing workshop hosted by Lexington Community Education, Lexington, MA, and led by Megan St. Marie

2022

Autumn/Automne 2022 “Lives Stitched Together by Choices and Chance: Making Strange and Wondrous Connections Through Family History Work,” by Megan St. Marie in Le Forum, a publication of the Franco American Centre, UMaine-Orono, pp. 10-11.

Autumn/Automne 2022 “Guiding Writers in Reflecting on Good Times and Bad,” by Megan St. Marie in Le Forum, a publication of the Franco American Centre, UMaine-Orono, pp. 12-13, 15.

September 19 Featured business in the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce #MembershipMonday promotion

July 11 Featured business in the #MemberMonday promotion sponsored by the MALGBT Chamber of Commerce

May 18 Webinar hosted by the Franco American Centre at the University of Maine-Orono: “Les Filles à Marier en Notre Famille,” presented by Megan (Lambert) St. Marie and her father, Ray Lambert.

Vol. 4 of the online literary journal Résonance includes a book review by Megan St. Marie of Meg Muckenhoupt’s The Truth about Baked Beans: An Edible History of New England (NYU Press 2021).

February 9 Webinar hosted by the Franco American Centre at the University of Maine-Orono: “Pain at the Root: Le Grand Dérangement and Our Family History,” presented by Megan (Lambert) St. Marie and her father, Ray Lambert.

January 19, 2022 “Local Woman Pens Book” by Glenn Battishill in the Delaware Gazette.

Winter/Hiver 2021/2022 “Evangeline and Anne, L’Acadie and Me,” by Megan St. Marie in Le Forum, a publication of the Franco American Centre, UMaine-Orono, pp. 31-32.

2021

June 8 Webinar presentation hosted by the Franco American Centre at the University of Maine-Orono: “Nous et Vous et les Filles du Roi,” presented by Megan (Lambert) St. Marie and her father, Ray Lambert.

April 24 Webinar presentation hosted by the Franco American Centre at the University of Maine-Orono during its annual Rassemblement: “The Franco American Presence in Highgate, Vermont Beginning in the 1830s” presented by Megan (Lambert) St. Marie and her father, Ray Lambert

2020

Dec. 18 “A Memoir to Record your Life Story: Engaging with a company that will write your life story could be a lasting gift to yourself or a family member.” by Alina Tugend, Kiplinger.

Feb. “Alumni Notes” entry on Sean St. Marie, Westfield State Alumni Focus magazine.

Feb. 20. “How Bookflow Has Helped My Multifaceted Writing (and Editing) Life” guest post by Megan St. Marie on the Bookflow blog.

2019
Winter 2019. “Smithies Create: So You Want to Write a Memoir?” by Christina Barber-Just in the Smith Alumnae Quarterly.

Winter 2019. “Alumnae Lives Update: Class of 1996” in the Smith Alumnae Quarterly.

Nov./Dec. “Impromptu: The Horn Book Diary” in the Horn Book Magazine.

Nov. 19. Simmons University Alumnae/i Feature “Linking History, Archives, Family and a Love of Books.”

Nov. 9. The Western MA Business Show podcast interview with Megan St. Marie, Kitty Axelson-Berry, and host Ira Byrck, WHMP 101.5 & 107.5 FM

August 1. Bennington Banner, “Amherst, Mass: MAU alumna, spouse buy Modern Memoirs,” by Betty McEnaney

August 1. Daily Hampshire Gazette, Arts & Culture, “New Owners for Modern Memoirs.”

July 26. Amherst Bulletin, “The Lehrer Report,” by Phyllis Lehrer

2016
September 1. The New York Times, “Have a Story to Tell? Your Personal Memoirist Is Here,” Alina Tugend, photo by Damon Winter

2015
October 25. The Sacramento Bee, "Culture and Thrive," Stephen Magagnini, photo by Owen Brenner

2005
February. Rob Report/WORTH, “Your Past as Prologue: Writing a memoir not only preserves a family’s history, but it can also serve as a guidebook for future generations,” Ian Keown, illustration by Tony Fox

2004
November 12. The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Help for the memoir-impaired,” Dianna Marder

2003
March 10. Montreal Gazette, “Family Stories: Boomers Put Parents on Record,” Susan Schwartz

March 9. The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Lights! Camera! You!, Personal Biographies are less glitz and more aww,” Kristen A. Graham, photo by Scott S. Hamrick

March. Ladies’ Home Journal, “Making Memories Last,” Irene S. Levine

2002
August 29. USA Today, “FDNY families put their love in books,” Bob Minzesheimer, photos by Jennifer S. Altman

August 28. New York Post, “9/11: The Aftermath—Book Project Preserves WTC Victims’ Life Stories,” William J. Gorta, photos by G.N. Miller

August 28. The New York Times, “Memoirs Commemorate Lives Lost on 9/11,” Mel Gussow

May 4. The Seattle Times, “Family stories kept alive,” Erik Derr

March. Business West, “Stepping Out,” George O’Brien

January 27. Amarillo Globe-News, “History Project; Many Ways Available to Capture Life Story,” Marlene Feduris

January 18. The Boston Phoenix, “Ordinary People: Memoirs used to be the territory of the famous, the intrepid, or the afflicted. Today, everyone’s getting into the act,” Chris Wright

2001
November 4. Tampa Tribune, “These People Want to Hear Old Family Ties,” Susan H. Thompson

October 14. Sunday World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska), “Life Stories. Professionals help bind family memories,” Kristi Wright

July 22. Sunday Republican, “Ordinary People. Unique stories emerge in oral, visual histories,” Ronni Gordon, photos by Matthew Cavanaugh

July 20. Union News, “Ethical Wills Gaining in Popularity,” Pat Cahill

June 13. Boston Globe, “Candid Cameras. Average folks pay to put life’s memories on videotape,” Ellen Barry

2000
August 3. “From Memories to ‘Modern Memoirs’: Amherst personal history business,” Melody Wilensky

Marketing for Dummies, Alexander Hiam. John Wiley and Sons, New Jersey

1999
December. Money Magazine, “A Biographer of One’s Own”

August 27. Daily Hampshire Gazette/Hampshire Life, “The Business of Lives: Why People Are Turning to Professionals to Preserve their Life Stories,” David Maloof, photos by Gordon Daniels

August 1. Franklin Magazine/Union News, “Modern Memoirs: Creating Family Histories,” Maria Trombly, photos by Matthew Cavanaugh

June. The Women’s Times, “Focus: Kitty Axelson-Berry,” Rachel Barenblat, photo by Tara Conant

June. Business West, The Business Journal of Western Massachusetts, “Making Business History: Author Builds a Profitable Business Out of Writing Memoirs,” David Simons, photo by Paul Shoul

May 5. Nikkei Ryutsu, “New Wave,” Kaede Seville, photo by David Oxton

April 4. Chicago Sun Times, “Committed to Memories: Through specially created books and video documentaries... businesswomen are helping families reconnect with their past,” Dave Hoekstra

January 24. Boston Sunday Herald, “History Gets Personal Touch: Biographers capture lives of everyday men, women” Scott Farmelant, photo by David Oxton

1998
December 29. The Wall Street Journal, “Historians-for-Hire Chronicle Lives of Ordinary Folks,” Hilary Stout, in-house image

September. Springfield Republican, “Recharging the Soul: Retreats for women designed to nurture the spiritual side,” Pat Cahill, photo by Charles Abel

March/April. Elder Vision, “Memories and Memoirs,” Ruth Cohen, photo by Terese Legere

November 8. Sunday Republican, “Survivors Find Solace in Bereavement Books,” Pat Cahill, photo by Don Treeger

February 17. CNN Interactive, “Personal historians put family sagas on CD”

February 16. Das Moderne Nachrichtenmagazin, FOCUS, “Family Albums Digitized,” David Oxton

1997
Best Home Businesses for the ’90s

Date unknown. Daily Hampshire Gazette, “Memories Become Memoirs: Putting pen to paper for posterity’s sake,” Ali Crolius, photo by Kevin Gutting

May 9. Amherst Bulletin, “Local Women Get Down to Business,” Christine Ryerson

November. AARP Bulletin, “I Remember Back When... Memoir fever proves infectious, sweeps the country,” Susan L. Crowley

July 30. Daily Hampshire Gazette, “Behind Great Writers: Editors,” Daniel Grant

June 27. Daily Hampshire Gazette, “Remembrance of Things Past. Memoirs are a hot literary ticket these days,” Steve Pfarrer

1995
June 21. Daily Hampshire Gazette, “Memories into Memoirs: Kitty Axelson-Berry now a free-lance editor,” Marietta Pritchard

1994
October 28. Amherst Bulletin, “Thanks for the Memories. Kitty Axelson-Berry, former Valley Advocate editor, starts Modern Memoirs,” Marilea Polk Fried, photo by Connie Gould

Some of our Radio and Television Interviews

2001
December 11. Iyanla (television talk show), interviewed by Iyanla Vanzant, New York, N.Y.

July 26. The Round Table with Susan Arbetter, interviewed by Joe Donahue. WAMC, WAMK, WOSR, WCEL, WCAN, WANC, WAMQ, W205AJ, W226AC, W299AG public radio stations, New York/Berkshires/Southern Vermont

July 6. NBC News with Tom Brokaw, interviewed by Sylvie Oberlander, Washington D.C.

2000
November. Amherst Cable TV, John Coul

November. Morning News, CNBC

1998
Future Watch, CNN