Ghostwriter
Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Interview With the Writers Behind "Unsung Heroes"

July 14, 2021

Meet Helena Drakakis and Diana Holquist, writers of StoryTerrace’s Unsung Heroes book about regular people who made a big difference during the pandemic.

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

“As kids, we didn't know why our parents made us walk together, it was only when we got to school that we saw the name-calling and the jokes, and realized that we were different and that we were going to have to learn to defend ourselves or just take it,” dasdas

Heading 5
Heading 6

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim videsigns webflow agency minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

When other schools played us, it was a shock, especially because there were black kids in the chess team. He told us that it was a middle-class game, but that we need to take our working-class values, and work hard, strive hard, and not be intimidated. We did it.The hostility wasn't obvious, but I would be stared at by the students and the teachers.You could tell that it was the first time that some of them had even shaken a Black boy's hand.

Ordered list

  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3

Unordered list

  • Item A
  • Item B
  • Item C

videsigns

Bold text

Emphasis

Superscript

Subscript

What a difference a year makes!

Last year about this time, we launched our Unsung Heroes project to recognize all the good that people were doing to help friends and neighbors through the darkest days of the pandemic. We were thrilled to hear so many stories of kindness and generosity during difficult times.

Now we’ve gathered 25 of those stories to share with the world in our new Unsung Heroes book. But this book didn’t write itself! Two of our Premium writers, Helena Drakakis and Diana Holquist, interviewed the finalists for the project and brought their stories to life.

To celebrate the book’s publication — and the hard work of these talented writers! — we wanted to learn more about the project. I interviewed Helena and Diana to find out more about their work and their feelings about their work on Unsung Heroes.

StoryTerrace’s newest publication, "Unsung Heroes."

ST: What did you enjoy most about the Unsung Heroes project?

Helena: Everybody’s story was very different, and I got to talk to some fascinating people who were trying to make a real difference in a time of crisis.

Diana: The range of people was extraordinary — homeless advocates, healthcare workers, mental health professionals, medical students, and ordinary citizens ready to do whatever they could. There was really a sense of everyone coming together that was so heartening to see. I also loved learning the backstories of all the people — where they came from, why they did what they did. It was consistently inspiring because it wasn’t about multi-millionaires or famous people.

ST: Which Unsung Heroes story stood out to you most?

Helena: Lots stood out, but one that sticks in my mind was a nurse on the frontline called Ali Harris. I found her testimony very powerful. She not only had to deal with people who were critically ill, but also navigate her own family life. It was the small moments of lightness in her story that were really special.

Ali Harris

ST: And for you, Diana?

Diana: Roberto Rodriguez, the respiratory therapist who went viral for putting a giant picture of his smiling face over his PPE, was a great example of an ordinary guy who did an ordinary thing that had extraordinary impact. He called his small act of kindness “one little star” that combined with other stars brought “light in the dark, dark world.” That image felt like a description of what this book was about. His backstory of growing up in Section 8 housing with a single mother and putting himself through respiratory therapy school was just so powerful.

Listen to Diana read an excerpt of Roberto Rodriguez’s powerful story in Unsung Heroes: Watch Video

ST: What silver linings did you find for yourself during the pandemic?

Diana: A lot of people have grown more introspective during quarantine, which has led to interesting book projects. Overall, people have more time to themselves, which leads them to try to write their stories, which leads them to me. So that’s been very gratifying. I’ve also gotten into gardening, have read even more novels than usual, and am working every day on learning German — just for fun!

Helena: I discovered so many different walks through beautiful woodland where I live. There’s something very calming about the natural world.

ST: What do you hope people take away from reading about our Unsung Heroes?

Helena: It doesn’t matter whether what you do is big or small. We are not all swashbuckling heroes saving lives, but delivering seeds to people’s doors or doing fitness classes online or cooking for children can make a real difference too.

Diana: Ordinary people can do extraordinary things. I think a lot of people felt paralyzed to help because they weren’t medical workers or they were scared to leave their homes. But these people managed to overcome their doubts and fears and do what needed to be done. They’re inspiring stories, and I hope people will be inspired. I know I was.

If Helena and Diana’s compassionate storytelling has inspired you to get to work on your own biography, get in touch to schedule a free consultation. You can also use our Writer Search Tool to find the perfect writer for your project today.

You can purchase your own copy of Unsung Heroes on Amazon.

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

“As kids, we didn't know why our parents made us walk together, it was only when we got to school that we saw the name-calling and the jokes, and realized that we were different and that we were going to have to learn to defend ourselves or just take it,” dasdas

Heading 5
Heading 6

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

When other schools played us, it was a shock, especially because there were black kids in the chess team. He told us that it was a middle-class game, but that we need to take our working-class values, and work hard, strive hard, and not be intimidated. We did it.The hostility wasn't obvious, but I would be stared at by the students and the teachers.You could tell that it was the first time that some of them had even shaken a Black boy's hand.

Ordered list

  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3

Unordered list

  • Item A
  • Item B
  • Item C

Text link

Bold text

Emphasis

Superscript

Subscript

What a difference a year makes!

Last year about this time, we launched our Unsung Heroes project to recognize all the good that people were doing to help friends and neighbors through the darkest days of the pandemic. We were thrilled to hear so many stories of kindness and generosity during difficult times.

Now we’ve gathered 25 of those stories to share with the world in our new Unsung Heroes book. But this book didn’t write itself! Two of our Premium writers, Helena Drakakis and Diana Holquist, interviewed the finalists for the project and brought their stories to life.

To celebrate the book’s publication — and the hard work of these talented writers! — we wanted to learn more about the project. I interviewed Helena and Diana to find out more about their work and their feelings about their work on Unsung Heroes.

StoryTerrace’s newest publication, "Unsung Heroes."

ST: What did you enjoy most about the Unsung Heroes project?

Helena: Everybody’s story was very different, and I got to talk to some fascinating people who were trying to make a real difference in a time of crisis.

Diana: The range of people was extraordinary — homeless advocates, healthcare workers, mental health professionals, medical students, and ordinary citizens ready to do whatever they could. There was really a sense of everyone coming together that was so heartening to see. I also loved learning the backstories of all the people — where they came from, why they did what they did. It was consistently inspiring because it wasn’t about multi-millionaires or famous people.

ST: Which Unsung Heroes story stood out to you most?

Helena: Lots stood out, but one that sticks in my mind was a nurse on the frontline called Ali Harris. I found her testimony very powerful. She not only had to deal with people who were critically ill, but also navigate her own family life. It was the small moments of lightness in her story that were really special.

Ali Harris

ST: And for you, Diana?

Diana: Roberto Rodriguez, the respiratory therapist who went viral for putting a giant picture of his smiling face over his PPE, was a great example of an ordinary guy who did an ordinary thing that had extraordinary impact. He called his small act of kindness “one little star” that combined with other stars brought “light in the dark, dark world.” That image felt like a description of what this book was about. His backstory of growing up in Section 8 housing with a single mother and putting himself through respiratory therapy school was just so powerful.

Listen to Diana read an excerpt of Roberto Rodriguez’s powerful story in Unsung Heroes: Watch Video

ST: What silver linings did you find for yourself during the pandemic?

Diana: A lot of people have grown more introspective during quarantine, which has led to interesting book projects. Overall, people have more time to themselves, which leads them to try to write their stories, which leads them to me. So that’s been very gratifying. I’ve also gotten into gardening, have read even more novels than usual, and am working every day on learning German — just for fun!

Helena: I discovered so many different walks through beautiful woodland where I live. There’s something very calming about the natural world.

ST: What do you hope people take away from reading about our Unsung Heroes?

Helena: It doesn’t matter whether what you do is big or small. We are not all swashbuckling heroes saving lives, but delivering seeds to people’s doors or doing fitness classes online or cooking for children can make a real difference too.

Diana: Ordinary people can do extraordinary things. I think a lot of people felt paralyzed to help because they weren’t medical workers or they were scared to leave their homes. But these people managed to overcome their doubts and fears and do what needed to be done. They’re inspiring stories, and I hope people will be inspired. I know I was.

If Helena and Diana’s compassionate storytelling has inspired you to get to work on your own biography, get in touch to schedule a free consultation. You can also use our Writer Search Tool to find the perfect writer for your project today.

You can purchase your own copy of Unsung Heroes on Amazon.

contact us

It’s Time To Tell Your Story.

StoryTerrace is your personal storytelling partner — providing effortless biography writing, professional ghostwriting, and beautiful book publishing.
Get started
A man in a white shirt is smiling.A book cover with a sunset and a tree.A book with a painting of a man walking down a road.A young boy smiling for the camera in front of a black and white photo.

Now Is The Time To Share Your Story

StoryTerrace is your personal storytelling partner, offering high-quality professional ghostwriting and book publishing services.

Get quote
A man in a suit and sunglasses standing in a field.
A man standing in front of a tree.
A book with an image of an octopus on it.
A couple of people standing on top of a mountain.
A book cover with a pink flower on it.