About Us
“My driving passion is to help you write a memoir–to leave a loving legacy for family and friends.
A memoir is an extraordinary gift reflecting the culture and values of the time.”
Patricia Benesh
How 7 Memories Started
From Patricia Benesh …
7memories was born of my urgent wish to encourage you to tell and write personal stories–your own–and those of your relatives. Our method gets you started with a manageable slice of life–just 7 memories. Please capture these rich memories before it’s too late.
In my case, I waited too long. When the first grandchild was born into our family, I felt compelled to regale her with stories about her great grandparents–my parents. Both were immigrants whose journey took them from oppression and poverty to freedom and prosperity; from riding in a horse and buggy to watching a man walk on the moon. Alas, they were no longer here to tell their stories. Instead, I patched together a photo memoir and wrote a child’s version of their life together. My brother’s grandchild delights in it.
Click below to see a slideshow of this memoir at Youtube.
Our Philosophy…
“Your memories are precious to me.”
You are putting a great deal of time and thought in creating your memoir. As we work together to enhance your writing, I will honor your words and your intuition.
Here’s what to expect:
- prompt and courteous service
- an understanding of your goals for writing your memoir
- a knowledge of your target readers and their expectations
- a focus on tone and content for clearer and more compelling writing
- respect for your creativity and your fundamental belief about your memoir
- personal attention to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of your memoir.
Meet Founder and Owner, Patricia Benesh, Ed.D
From theSan Diego Union-Tribune
By Arthur Salm, Book Editor
The fun part of my business, says owner Patricia Benesh, “is seeing people just blossom, seeing them take ideas and run with them.”
“You become intimately involved with them. You become really good friends,” Patricia said of the writers she works with. “In some cases, I’ve met them, but in most cases I haven’t. We exchange pictures, even recipes. I’ve seen into the souls of these people, because I’ve seen the writing in its original form, and it comes from the heart.”
For more than 25 years, Patricia has been the visionary and energy behind AuthorAssist.com, coaching English-speaking writers around the world. Clients include: Thomas Steinbeck (son of John Steinbeck), whose anthology, Down to a Soundless Sea, was published by Ballantine; Kerry Cohen-Hoffman, author of Easy (Simon and Schuster) and Loose Girl (Hyperion); Beth Rubin, whose novel, Split Ends, won first prize at the Maryland Writers Association Contest; and James Wray, whose award-winning short story, “Dark Toast,” was published in the West Wind Review. AuthorAssist has provided online literary services to more than 350 new writers.
Patricia leads in-person and Zoom workshops for organizations including: University of California, San Diego, Life Course Scholars Program, Johns Hopkins University Odyssey Program, Oasis Lifelong Learning (San Diego), National League of American Pen Women (La Jolla), Alzheimer’s Association (San Diego), the San Diego Community Action Network among others, and PEO ( Nonprofit women’s organization, (North Carolina).
She has published six workbooks available at Amazon: Write Outside the Box, From Reluctant Writer to Enlightened Wordsmith, and AI for the Creative Writer and three books under the 7 Memories label: Write Your Memoir in 28 Days, Partnering to Write a Memoir, and Write Your Awesome Obituary. Her articles have been published in numerous books, journals, and business periodicals.
A former professor at The Johns Hopkins University in the field of Human Communications, specializing in neurological disabilities and readability, Patricia holds a doctorate from Johns Hopkins and advanced degrees in counseling and business administration. She has spoken at numerous US and international conferences and is recognized in Who’s Who in Education.