Preserve and honor the remarkable stories of yourself, your ancestors, veterans, and the legacies they've left behind. We understand the importance of capturing and sharing these unique narratives that span generations. Our mission is to guide you through the process of unearthing and documenting your family's rich history, while also providing a supportive environment to explore and heal from generational and war trauma. Depending on the type of writing project you choose, we have PDF guides to help you stay on track.
Have questions? Email me at [email protected] to ask.
Writing & Publishing Services Include:
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Ghost Writing
Want to publish your veteran or family member's story but you're not a writer? Let me help you! I ghost write book content for people. Your name appears as the author on your published book.
Veteran Chronicles
Pay tribute to the brave men and women who served their country by capturing their invaluable experiences. We specialize in collecting family accounts, photographs, and genealogical and military records to create comprehensive narratives that honor their sacrifices. By sharing their stories, we ensure their bravery and resilience will forever be remembered.
Family Storytelling and Memoir
Unlock the hidden chapters of your story or your family's past as skilled genealogists, military researchers, and storytellers work diligently to piece together the puzzle of your ancestry. Through meticulous research, personal interviews, genealogical tools, and archival exploration, we'll reveal the untold stories and forgotten details, connecting you to your roots and heritage.Â
Trauma Integration
Generational and war trauma can have a profound impact on individuals and families. We are here to guide you through the process of identifying, understanding, and healing from these deep wounds. By incorporating trauma-informed approaches into the storytelling process, we strive to create a safe space for exploration, reflection, and growth.
Publishing Services
Once your family story or veteran chronicle is complete, we offer a range of publishing services to help you bring your narratives to life. From editing and book design to printing and distribution, our experienced publishing team will assist you at every step. We'll ensure your family's stories receive the recognition they deserve.
Developmental Editing
Developmental editing is a comprehensive and collaborative process designed to enhance the overall structure, content, and impact of your manuscript. You can expect a meticulous examination of your manuscript. We will delve deep into the heart of your story, analyzing its strengths and weaknesses. We focus on big-picture elements such as plot, character development, pacing, tone, and thematic consistency, ensuring your story resonates with your target audience. We provide valuable insights and suggestions to help you strengthen your manuscript.
Schedule a Free ConsultationTestimonials
Doug Hall
As a writer and researcher of a family biography, I have used Ms. Holik’s expertise in military research, editing, organization and drafting skills now for several years. Jennifer has the ability to take a body of work, in any stage of development, and evaluate the contents and direct an action plan that moves the project forward in a superior way, on all fronts. I have depended on her professional insight into my family biography that is both complicated with multiple time periods and source material also requiring the insight to understand how to engage the reader. The finished product will in no small way reflect her dedication and professional research, guidance, suggestions, edits and actions. I can, without reservation, recommend her military and publication research services for any personal or commercial publication project.
Doug Hall Freelance writer, Boston, MA, 2024.
Rachel & Bill Riley
My son had been asking me for many years to consider writing a book about my uncle, Captain William Bruce Overstreet, Jr. Uncle Bill, as we both called him, was just my uncle. A golf-playing, summertime fishing, certified public accounting, and part of an entertaining-loving couple known as “BillandNita”, which must be spoken as all one word because they were one thing.
After my grandparents passed away, we rotated venues for Christmas observances. One Christmas held at the Overstreets’ home in Roanoke, Virginia, Nita posed a question to those dining which changed my life. She asked, “Did you know your Uncle Bill was a war hero?” I had to answer “no”, but it was lame and embarrassing to speak.
I vowed then and there to learn and become involved in this part of his life. My son, William Bruce, and I, Rachel Bruce, (see a pattern here?) have studied, questioned, and collected over the years. I joined a local genealogical society when Jennifer Holik showed up as our speaker one day to teach us about writing about our ancestors who had military service. I attached myself to Jennifer and have not let go.
We scheduled a conference call for the three of us and have not looked back. The book is under development. We could not be happier. Jennifer has technical knowledge, but what sets her apart is her insight and judgment. We have adopted her into our family as an honorary member. I would recommend Jennifer to anyone who needs research, writing, advice, or projections about projects. She will know what to do.
Rachel Bruce Meiselman Riley, December 11, 2024, Alexandria, Virginia
Phil Rosenkrantz
If you are involved at all with trying to follow and understand your family’s journey related to loved ones who served in the military, I highly recommend working with Jennifer. Jennifer is passionate about helping people with their journey–whether is it doing research, trying to understand the impact on the family, or putting thoughts and findings to pen and paper. All of the webinars I have participated in have been fun, interesting, and useful.Â
For over 20 years I have been trying to learn about my uncle who was MIA in Europe during WWII. At first, I thought my quest was to learn all the facts and details about where he was, what he did, and what happened to him. What I have started doing along the way–and why I appreciate Jennifer so much–is delving into the equally compelling and more important story about the impact of my uncle’s loss on the family. In many cases, I knew things from my own memories and previous conversations with relatives that I had not connected to the war. After going through a Master Class with Jennifer based on the book Reconciliation with War, I was able to connect the dots and get a much better picture of what the collective family had been going through. Jennifer is now helping me edit the draft of a book about my uncle’s story and the impact on the family. I greatly appreciate her insight and expertise.Â
Besides being knowledgable, Jennifer is friendly, warm, and genuine. I enjoy working with her and now consider her a good friend. Â
Client Projects Completed
Jennifer has been writing and publishing since 2010, more than 20 of her own books and countless private client books. Read research, teaching, and writing testimonials.
Military History family book. After completing genealogical & military research, I have written military biographies which have then been compiled in a book for a client. This is not limited to World War II research and writing. One such book contained a client's veteran's stories and photographs from the Civil War, World War I, and World War II. I'm currently ghost writing a book about a famed WWII Fighter Pilot, another on a Japanese POW who survived the war, and one on a Merchant Mariner.Â
Ancestor family history books from the present to the 1600s. These books feature information on the direct ancestors and their children, of an individual. They included genealogical and military information, photos, stories, and recipes.
Developmental editor on several World War II books including an Amazon best seller:
Descendant family history books from the 1600s to the present for all family lines. These books feature all information gathered on a client’s family moving from past to present.
From 2011 - 2021, I created numerous volumes of family history books each year for an Italian-American client whose family came from Ricigliano, Italy. Books ranged from one volume of 100+ pages, to a multi-volume set of 800+ pages per volume. The final set I created was three volumes moving from past to present (descendant books) with two of those being almost 800 pages each. I also completed volumes on his late wife's family from Italy and Sicily each year.
Customized family history books for a client to give specific family members. These are typically ancestor family history books with the start person being the specific family member as requested by the client.Â
Biography books. I write biographies on individuals for clients and compile them into a family book.
Photo books.  I worked for 11 years for a Chicagoland Italian-American client. Over those years, I completed annual photo books. This required scanning thousands of photos and documents over 11 years and organizing the photos into archival boxes before creating photo books. Each volume was specific to one side of the family and contained not only photos but family history I had researched, stories, and recipes.
Memoirs. I help clients write their memoirs to preserve as part of their family’s history. For one client I was a developmental editor and content creator for part of his memoir and biography series of books. The volumes covered his life, his late wife, their son, and assorted family stories.
Cookbooks. I completed a family cookbook incorporating recipes from family members whose ancestors were from Italy and Sicily. The cookbook also contained family stories and memories of meals, family photos and food photos.
View Jennifer’s published books.
Have questions? Email me at [email protected]
Testimonials
Paul Hadley
5th Infantry Division Research, Travel, and Book. From Hill 183 to the Bulge
My father was an officer in the Army during World War II – a first lieutenant and later a captain. He served in the 5th Infantry Division, 10th Infantry Regiment, Company E.  Before working with Jennifer Holik what little I knew about his time in the Army was that he was wounded in the Hedgerows of Normandy, then recovered in time to serve under Patton in the Bulge.  Now I know that he saw some of the heaviest combat on the front lines of the European Campaign.  Like most World War II combat veterans he rarely said anything about his time in the war. Occasionally he opened up around other veterans, and our family was able to get small glimpses of what he went through.  But that was it. He went to war in his twenties and spent the rest of his life – more than fifty years – carrying those memories.
I was so blessed to have found Jennifer. Like so many other GIs most of my father’s records were destroyed in a fire at the National Archives in St. Louis in the 1970s. Jennifer found and researched available records for my father’s units to piece together the story of where he was and what he was involved in. She was critical to my finally learning where my father was wounded so I could visit the area of the Battle for Hill 183 in Normandy. She found genealogical information from the early part of the 1900s about my family, and crucial information about my father during the war. This all resulted in a book she patiently co-wrote with me about my Dad that instantly became a family heirloom. I can’t think of a better experience to not only answer my own questions but to tell my father’s story – and really the similar stories of so many other World War II combat veterans.Â
Thank you, Jennifer – once again.
Thyra McKelvie
Jennifer Holik, you are a very special Author and Genealogist who hears the soldiers’ voices and helps them tell their stories. When you dive into the rabbit holes, you uncover many hidden treasures that you turn into pages of stories. You educate and teach all of us the sacrifice our ancestors made during their time of service. We thank you for your service to keep their stories going.”
