At Roots & Reflections, we help you preserve your personal and family stories through thoughtful interviews and beautifully written narratives.

Whether you want to document your life journey, celebrate a loved one’s legacy, or pass down family memories to future generations, we turn conversations into meaningful keepsakes.

Our process is warm, collaborative, and human-centric. You will always be dealing with a person, not a machine. We guide you through storytelling with empathy and skill, ensuring your memories, values, and experiences are captured truthfully and clearly. Every story is handled with care, confidentiality, and respect.

No life event or connection is too small to immortalise.

Need more convincing? Listen to this podcast episode from Hidden Brain that talks about the power of family stories to shape us.

Roots & Reflections was founded by Kamakshi Ayyar, a Columbia University-educated journalist and biographer with over a decade of experience in writing and interviewing.

Based in Palo Alto and originally from Mumbai, she brings a thoughtful, cross-cultural perspective to every story she tells.

You can see Kamakshi’s biography portfolio here.

My Approach

Stories live in conversations — quiet ones over tea, emotional ones over memories, sometimes even funny ones over forgotten photos. I take the time to really listen, ask thoughtful questions, and turn those moments into a narrative that feels honest, warm, and beautifully written.

Every story is different. Some are long and layered, some short and powerful. Some are for the next generation, others are for yourself. Whatever the case, I help shape your memories into something meaningful and lasting.

What You Can Create

  • Solo Memoirs
     Share your personal journey, in your voice.

  • Group Stories
     Capture the richness of shared memories across generations or relationships.

  • Milestone Tributes
     Celebrate birthdays, farewells, anniversaries, or quiet life moments with something lasting.

Formats

As Told To
 A cleaned-up transcript of our interview, edited for flow, coherence and readability.
From $150 (30–45 min session, includes full writing & editing services)

Here’s a short example.

Narrative Biography
 A crafted piece that reads like a memoir, complete with scenes, voice, and emotional depth.
From $300 (30–45 min session, includes full writing & editing services)

Here’s a short example.

What You Get and Why It Matters

Experienced listening 10 years of interviewing has taught me how to truly pay attention

Human-first interviews Conversations are warm, respectful, and never rushed

Collaborative process We work together. Your feedback helps shape the story

Complete confidentiality Your story is yours. Nothing is shared without your consent.

Let’s work together

Interested in preserving your life story or gifting a loved one theirs? Let’s talk. I’ll guide you through the entire process and together, we’ll create something timeless.

You don’t need to be a writer. You just need to show up and I’ll take care of the rest.


Testimonials

  • Kamakshi asked interview questions meticulously to collect all the details regarding my background and experiences. She was able to then bring a wealth of information and details into the bio. She is also a pleasant and down to earth person to work with.

    - Z Y

  • I wanted to write my memoir for my children to have but I didn’t know how to start such a project. I contacted Kamakshi and in our conversation, I knew she was the best way to proceed. As we began the process, she was very helpful, providing me with perceptive questions for our interviews that added more depth and interest to the memoir. I’m very pleased with Kamakshi’s guidance on this project.

    - Brian S

  • I always felt the need to put down my family’s history for our future generations. My kids and nieces and nephews asked questions about their grandparents, and there was no properly compiled facts . When Kamakshi called me to record my family history I was apprehensive. But I was so comfortable talking to her and the interview was a smooth flow. She wrote down the family history of my parents beautifully and with accuracy. I am sure my future generations will be glad to know of their roots. A commendable idea Kamakshi!

    - Alka V