Testimonials
Jean Ashby Edwards
Author of Ashby: A Kitchen History
My book began as a simple cookbook with a spiral binding. But as I worked with my family it grew to add bits of history, photos, and even floor plans, it became a kitchen history. A spiral binding was no longer an option for our "treasure" and I found Rooftop Publishing, whose ideas, suggestions, and editing brought it to a new professional level. It was ready for Christmas and I had no idea the impact it would have on people. I was soon receiving texts and photos thanking me. I immediately needed a second printing and received requests for even more.
The process of putting the book together and seeing its transformation—from a simple recipe collection to a quality, professional family history document—was extremely satisfying.
My direct suggestion is this: start the project and allow the content to dictate the final outcome. The entire experience has been highly rewarding.
Rachelle Platt Lynch
Co-author of Rose Collored Glasses: A Collaborative History of Colleen Johnson Platt
I am not very good at staying on tasks and so my biggest concern was just not completing what I had started. Working with Rooftop Publishing was amazing because it helped to keep me on task, yet they weren’t harsh taskmasters. They were more like inspiring and encouraging cheerleaders.
The writing phase was exciting because I felt like I was able to write things that were better than I expected. Their confidence in me helped to bring out the best in my writing.
This book is a treasure in my life and the lives of my children. It is beautiful and meaningful and far exceeded every expectation that I had for a memory book about my mother.
Harold Kurstedt
Author of Praise God, the My Life series, and Princess of the Jungle
A friend suggested I gather my family stories for a short legacy book. Because I like taking risks and venturing into new adventures, I submitted my best effort with Rooftop Publishing. Their editor helped get me to combine and expand my stories, asking penetrating questions to fill in the gaps. I love pictures and kept boxes of pictures that documented my stories. The design activities were great fun for me and brought my stories to life.
As I finished my 250-page book, I came to believe in its value and in myself. The writing has given me purpose and brought me joy. To date, Rooftop Publishing has printed more than seven hundred copies of that book and hundreds of copies of four additional books I’ve written about my life. The readers tell me and others that the books have made a difference in their lives and my family clearly treasures these legacies.
I tell people that if they ever had the experience of remembering a grandparent and said to themselves, “I’d give anything to ask questions about situations I faintly remember,” you know why you should go to the effort and expense to write your legacy book.
Ken Fernandez
Author of Looking Up: A Memoir
I really had no idea what I would do about publishing my book. My daughter Summer Larson recommended Rooftop Publishing. She put me in touch with them and they worked with me on the process. The results were great.
They were easy to work with. They took care of the editing and helped tremendously with the design and set up the book to look very professional.
My book was a memoir. It was written for family and friends. It was never meant to be published to the public. It has been well received by both my family and friends. My eight-year-old granddaughter has read it seven times. Now she knows my family better than any of my other grandchildren, many of whom are adults.
I believe this book has made an impact on my family. I think everyone should write a book and tell your story. Your family especially will be grateful.
Byron Jackson
Author of Life Points
As we first considered how to communicate our thoughts to our children and grandchildren, we were overwhelmed and concerned about both the volume of photographs—more than 600—and how they might be presented within the book. We lacked a clear vision of what the final product would look like or how to make it engaging and appealing to our family. We were also hesitant about moving forward given the complexity of organizing 13 chapters and ensuring a thoughtful and equitable distribution of photographs.
Our publishing assistant was especially helpful in guiding us through every stage of the publication process, including creative design and editing. She offered numerous ideas and recommendations that we had not previously considered, all of which greatly enhanced the final result. We were particularly pleased with the overall design and appearance of the book—the cover is especially striking, and the quality is superb. We are deeply grateful that she was able to accelerate the publication timeline far beyond what we thought possible. Our married children changed their plans and decided to gather in Phoenix to celebrate my wife’s 75th birthday, and we had hoped to share the book while everyone was together. Rooftop’s efforts and those of her staff exceeded our expectations in every way.
The finished book is engaging for our children and appealing to our grandchildren. Many friends have commented on its beauty and timeless elegance. We are confident it will be read, reread, and cherished for many years to come.