Testimonials
Memoirs
Magazine Articles
Corporate Newsletters
Family Newsletters
Workshop
Memoirs
And Jill Came Tumbling After
"First you took the time necessary to absorb my life, then gently led me through the process of telling my story. You listened and set a comfortable pace. Your easy-going acceptance always encouraged me to continue. Your organizational skills, in my experience, are unparalleled. A man of immense patience, you took on my overwhelming challenge, pulled it all together in seeming effortlessness with your wry sense of humor remaining intact. By the end, you wrote so well in my voice, I had to look up who wrote what! If I had another life, I would not hesitate to seek your services again!
With deep gratitude,"
Jill Byrne
Sitting on Top of the World
"I enjoy your style. I know my dad considers you a friend. A friend of my dad’s is a friend of mine. Obviously, you’re doing this for a profit, too, but I think you’ve brought a lot of joy to Dad, and he really appreciates that. The memoir has come along very nicely."
John Smaby (son of Phil Smaby)
Grandma and Grandpa Ransom
"I laughed and I cried, and through it all I remembered the good times we had. It is truly a great tribute to two wonderful people who helped shape our lives."
Cathy Clark
Shiny Dimes and Wild Rides
"How can I ever thank you enough for the wonderful work you have done on my parents’ memoirs? I am so very, very pleased with the book. Your research was thorough, your organization of the project clearly focused, and your editing precise. You projected a timeline and held to it at a reasonable budget. Most of all, I was impressed and grateful for your gentle, guiding touch with my parents during your interviewing with them. Mother and Dad are very private people and yet both commented on how comfortable they were talking with you. I have enjoyed and appreciated so much our many hours of work together. Our entire family is grateful."
Barbara Chamberlin Daugherty
Rich in the Fewness of My Needs
"You've made me feel young again."
Berdine Erickson
Finding Home
"Thank you for all you have done for us. We take great comfort in knowing K.C. found great friendship in you. We also know he appreciated and valued the book you are doing for us. This will be a treasure to us for many generations to come. "
Win Shen
The Seamstress and the Salesman
"Our book has been a real dream come true. My dad and I were alone the other day and he started crying about the book because he was so emotional about it. You sure can't put a price on the gift they are actually giving all of us. I am so lucky to have you in my corner with the knowledge to make this idea become a dream and now a reality. I hope you know what a gift you have given my family be agreeing to be the nucleus of the project. Thank you so much! "
Karen Gorman
The Seamstress and the Salesman
"We want to thank you for all the work you did on our book. We really enjoy reading it. I've read it three times, and Clayt is able to read it, too. All we have heard is great comments on it from people who have read it. It was great working with you. "
Clayt and Marge Engel
Magazine Articles
Note: TODAY is a monthly magazine dedicated to sharing stories of people in southeast Minnesota who have led interesting, inspiring lives. It is published in Red Wing, Minnesota, and targets a 55+ age audience.
March 2007 - Loving What Death Can Touch
"A couple weeks ago, I saw the article in Generations of Today about Tyler. I really thought it was well written and it brought both Garth and I to tears. Ben and Tyler are the same ages of Will and Henry right now, it really just hit home.
A friend of ours just lost a child. Marcus was born as scheduled (full-term) and died suddenly after child birth. It was their first child and they are really having a hard time. I don't still have a copy of the article anymore and I was wondering if you had an on-line copy or could mail me one. I really think they might find comfort in what you wrote.
Thanks Mike."
Kasey Morlock
February 2006 - Tall Expectations
"This is a note of appreciation for the cover and excellent article prepared by Mike Ransom and published in your February 2006 edition. Thank you both very much. Mike was absolutely wonderful to work with. He is as good a writer as he was a volleyball player in the 1980s!"
George B. Thompson
September 2005 – Goal Driven
"A huge thank you to Mike Ransom and TODAY Magazine for the terrific article about my husband, Mike Gorman. Our family was privileged to work with Mike over one year ago, on a book about my parents. It was an equally amazing literary success. Now we have been blessed again with the story about my husband and my children’s father.
It was the honesty and forthrightness of Mike’s personal life that I am most proud of. He had to “talk the talk” and “walk the walk” to prove to himself that he could conquer his biggest competitor and demon in life – alcohol.
I was proud of the “before” Mike, and his achievements on the court and ice, but they are meaningless compared to his last nineteen years of sobriety. It took a lot of hard work, faith in God, and trust for our family to heal and become whole again.
My husband’s story is a testament that it is possible to turn one’s life around, no matter where one is headed. Thank you, Mike Ransom, for making it so comfortable and relaxing for Mike to open up his life to others."
Karen Gorman
August 2005 - Paradise Lost
"Thank you for publishing my childhood story. I have received many comments, and I want to give special thanks to Michael Ransom for insisting it had to be written, and finally making me realize that none of the events were my fault, or even under my control. It was a traumatic time for us all, back in the 1940s. Thank you, Michael, for portraying those difficult years so poignantly. You are an excellent writer. "
Barb Henoch
May 2005 – A Son’s Farewell
"I read your article about your mother in TODAY and had to tell you how touching and meaningful it was. You truly have a way of relating with your reader – the basic, simple, important facets of your relationship come through. As one who was not able to say goodbye (to my mother) as I would have wished, I applaud your success in doing so and in sharing your gentle and amazing moments with your readers."
Faye Sargent
March 2005 – A Philanthropic Man
"Thank you for publishing my story (A Philanthropic Man – March 2005). Michael Ransom did an excellent job in putting together my life, up to age 90, from information given to him. I am taking out a subscription because I found your magazine very interesting. I have received so many positive comments about this article, plus letters, cards, and phone calls. I feel quite the celebrity and humbled by the whole experience."
Phil Henoch
August 2004 - A Voice for the Voiceless
"What an excellent article about Chuck (Butler) in Generations of Today. You do good work! I especially like your focus on the meaningful and the inspirational. Keep up the great work; you have a real gift.
Sincerely,"
Bill Kleis
July 2004 – Born to Teach
"Thank you for publishing the story Born to Teach in the July issue of TODAY Magazine. I think Mike Ransom is an excellent writer and has a very clear way of putting ideas into words. I have received several calls about the magazine and many have expressed that the writers do a very good job. I think TODAY is well received in Rochester."
Warren Zimmerman
May 2004 - A Ministry of Reconciliation
"Thanks so much, you did a great job of putting it (the magazine article) all together. I am actually amazed by the article and hope it will be a blessing to others, in that way we both will gift the readers! I don't think, no, I am certain I have never seen my story written down, nor would have I expected such. Indeed, your work is a gift to me and my family of which we will always be grateful. "
Gary Benson, Directing Pastor of Zumbro Lutheran Church
March 2004 – Forever in Your Heart
"We were so pleased with the article in the March issue of TODAY that Mike Ransom wrote (Forever in Your Heart) about the wonderful children and experiences we had doing day care in our home for 15 years. Be assured many people read your magazine. We have received numerous comments, notes, and phone calls. Enclosed is our subscription payment. "
Pat and John Lynaugh
November 2003 – The Unimaginable
"I want to thank you for publishing my army story, The Unimaginable, in the November issue of TODAY. It was an interesting and traumatic part of my 80+ years. My mother sending three of her sons and never seeing them again is always on my mind. Mike Ransom did an excellent job depicting the feelings of a youngster leaving Rochester in the first 18-year-old group. I sent several magazines to my army buddies. Thanks again. I feel very humble being featured in TODAY! "
Paul Lehman
Corporate Newsletters
"The content, quality and effectiveness of the Charter House Newsletter improved significantly when Michael Ransom became its editor and writer. Michael has the gift of listening and the gift of translating what is said into words for reading that communicate. The sign of a master, Michael makes it seem easy. It’s not! Mike is a good team leader and makes the process fun! "
Dick Edwards, Charter House Administrator
"Mike is a true delight to work with. He has a very gentle and genuine approach with his clients. He listens to not only what is being said, but also to what isn't being said. Through regularly scheduled meetings, he leads his customers through the project one detail at a time and takes responsibility from beginning to end. I have utmost respect for Mike and his work."
Ruth Weispfenning, Director of Resident Services
"Mike has helped us with several of our newsletters and a history project. He is like an artist; we sketch in black and white, Mike renders in color and hones our message. He also shepherds our projects through the printing process. We like Mike!"
Tom Hall, Charter House Marketing Director
Family Newsletters
"I had been procrastinating for many years about putting some family memories in writing. The idea of doing a periodic family "newsletter" had been presented at a workshop some years ago. That idea appealed to me because I knew I would be overwhelmed by the effort involved in writing an entire book.
I lacked the knowledge of desktop publishing that would be needed to fulfill my dream of issuing family newsletters and I did nothing further for ten years.
Then I attended a class led by Mike Ransom titled What Is Written Will Be Remembered. Now the pieces came together for me. Mike was my inspiration. I could come forth with the writing and precious family pictures and Mike would arrange my material into a completely professional product. My children and extended family are excited about the project and tell me they wait eagerly for another issue to arrive.
Without Mike's encouragement and expertise I would still be thinking about writing family history."
Diana Post
Memoir Workshops
"Mike encouraged me and put me on a track to have a book printed based on the memories I had written. On a scale of one to ten, I scored the book an eleven. It far exceeded my expectations. I wish I had another book in my head since it was such a satisfying experience."
Joe Pesch
