Your ancestors are composed of more than vital records and family group sheets. Behind the names and dates are tales of love, loss, resolve and sweeping change--of history itself. Their stories are what will make them real to your present-day (and future) relatives, the ones who don't care about city directories or census records. You don't have to be a writer to chronicle your ancestors' lives. In this volume, popular author and speaker Sharon DeBartolo Carmack explains exactly what it takes to create a compelling, highly readable, and entirely true story, whether you decide to write a biography, family history narrative, or memoir.