I am Catherine Cairns, a published writer, journalist, and memoir instructor. I offer a variety of memoir writing courses including a six-week course and half-day memoir writing workshops. And I'd be happy to be a guest speaker at your organization or group meeting, where I can discuss the importance of writing our life stories.

My experience includes writing "Recollections," a column for the Community Advocate newspaper in Westborough, Massachusetts, featuring folks who remember the 1940s and earlier. My column shone a light on the past through the stories of folks who’ve seen it, done it, and think it’s important to share those experiences with others.

Many of the folks I have interviewed remember WWII. A good number grew up during the Great Depression, and a rare few can even recall WWI. I am in awe of the strength of the people I have interviewed, some of who came here as immigrants with few possessions. I've learned a great deal from the folks who have so generously shared their experiences with me.

Now, I have taken my experiences and skills in interviewing and brought them into the classroom setting, where I instruct participants in the techniques that will help them effectively think back to their early years and focus on bringing to life in vivid color the treasured events, people, and places of their lives.

The benefits of participating in a memoir writing class or workshop include connecting with others who might have similar experiences while writing and sharing in an encouraging group setting; reconnecting with your childhood and rediscovering the people and places that enriched your lives; and sharing those stories with family and friends.

Thinking about writing one’s life stories can be a daunting task. I utilize a variety of methods and explore numerous topics that can help participants enjoy the process while achieving the ultimate goal of writing their life stories.

David Cairns has been in the Information Technology field for over twenty years. He has extensive experience working with web sites and the world wide web for the last eight years.

He has been videotaping events, both for personal use and for local organizations since 1981. More recently, he has been involved in converting clients' home movie collections from VHS to DVD.