Suggestions (suggestions only - you know circumstances best)

* Coach husband to stand up for you in the story telling sessions.

* Talk with the sister-n-law you know and trust best. Ask her for suggestions and/or advocacy.

* Take a friend who has some funny French stories to the next gathering and let her break you in.

* Tell family neutral stories that WOW them, getting them to want more - funny is good.

* Have a girls night out with you and the sister-n-laws, take a family photo album and pull some conversation tricks out of your hat. Maybe after starting your family media project, take it along to see if they'd like you to help them on one of their own.

I'd be bound and determine to show them how well I fit in.

I could tell you some family horror stories, but won't --- except this one name my mother-n-law called me in front of other people... she called me a "blind heifer." It was so embarassing.