About Turning Leaves

Meet Janine Hollinworth

Writer · Editor · Storyteller

Turning Leaves Autobiographies has been created from my lifelong love of books, stories and the written word. With a BA in English and Theology, a Certificate in Editing, an MA in Publishing and many years of proofreading, copyediting and ghostwriting, your story is in safe hands.

Life is busy and all too often memories fade, anecdotes are forgotten and photos are lost. Our books preserve those moments of history that are valuable to you – in life, love, work, travel and beyond. At Turning Leaves Autobiographies, we will capture your life story so far in a beautifully-crafted, hardcover book that will be a treasured keepsake for family and friends for generations to come.

We are a boutique company, where everything is crafted by me and my small team of writers. Our words are chosen with care to honour your voice, preserve your memories, and celebrate your legacy.

A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes smiles gently at the camera, wearing a dark blazer over a light-colored top, with a plain light-colored background.

I believe every life is extraordinary — full of moments, memories, and meaning. My passion is listening to those stories and shaping them into beautiful books that can be cherished for generations.’

Inspired by place

Following a 12-year stint in Washington State in the vast, awe-inspiring Pacific Northwest, I now live a stone’s throw from the small village of Chawton, Hampshire, where all six of Jane Austen’s books were written or revised at a modest writing table during the final years of her life. I love strolling the well-trodden, scenic country paths she walked around the area, to reflect on life, love, family, and societal challenges, some 250 years later.

A publishing background with a personal approach

I’ve racked up many years’ of professional proofreading, copyediting and, of course, ghostwriting autobiographies.

I’ve been helping people to capture their stories in treasured books for a number of years. During that time, technology has insisted upon remarkable change. Most autobiography ghostwriting services have been created very recently, in conjunction with this extraordinary technology.

While we recognise its potential, here at Turning Leaves we have decided against using AI within our creative process.

We still very much believe in the integrity of oral tradition, the creative process and the careful selection of our writers’ words, elicited by honest emotion or precious memories shared by you, our storytellers. We value interpretation, nuance, provenance and the sheer enjoyment of word-smithery, to showcase the sensitive and unpredictably bonkers complexity of the human spirit. Put simply, we love to connect, communicate - and write. If it matters to you that your fellow human has considered your spoken words and honoured the authenticity of your voice and story through their written ones, Turning Leaves Autobiographies may just be a good fit for you.

Why Turning Leaves?

A personal experience

Every Turning Leaves book is created personally by me and my small team. Through interviews, in person or over video call, we listen carefully, and without judgement, to your story. Our writing honours your ‘voice’ so that your autobiography feels authentic to you, and is polished to perfection.

A legacy you’ll treasure

The result is more than a book — it’s a keepsake and a legacy. It’s something to be enjoyed today, as well as something to leave behind. Our books are prepared with the utmost care, ready to be shared with loved ones for years to come.

Turning Leaves may be a good fit if you would like to: