Announcing: Adoption Reunion Conclusions
Exciting times … This is an official Call for Submissions for Adoption Reunion Conclusions (working title) to be published in ebook and paperback in mid-2013.
The anthology will be a “How-To-Reunite Guide” for teen and adult adoptees, and for those who love and support them. Here’s a brief description:
Whether you are an adoptee who is about to search, are recently reunited, or have been navigating your extended family orchard for years, this is book is for you.
This anthology voices the experiences of adoptees, first mothers, adoptive parents, and those connected to the adoption experience. Adoption Reunion Conclusions will be an invaluable resource that sheds light on the emotional, psychological, yes, sometimes, logistical (holiday scheduling!) aspects of reunions.
Potential topics for submission
What are you passionate about when it comes to adoption? Here are some article ideas. If you have additional topics and want to run it by me before submitting, feel free to email me first …
- The Baby Scoop Era – What is it? What is closed adoption, anyway?
- Adoption stereotypes and dealing with curious friends and families
- Closed adoption, access to birth records
- How do open adoptions fit in? What happens when they close?
- The search process
- If my adopted child searches does this mean she hated her life, that I’m a bad mother?
- The face-to-face reunion, genetic mirroring
- After the “Honeymoon Period,” moving into long-term reunion
- International adoption, reuniting when we don’t speak the same language
- Managing expectations for first family and adoptee
- Primary and secondary rejection
- Names: birth mother, first mother, natural mother
- Who’s the real mother here?
- What about birth fathers?
- Extended family, adoptive and biological – how to tell them, when to meet them
- Reunion breakdown, setting boundaries, reaching out again.
- Must-reads, educational material for anyone involved
- Insight for those who don’t want to search, who don’t want reunion
- What can adoptees do to prepare themselves for reunion?
- What can first mothers do to prepare themselves?
- What can adoptive parents do to prepare themselves?
- How can extended family and friends be supportive?
Details:
Writing Subject & Style: Please take the above topics into consideration, combine them, make them your own. Submissions can be informative or a personal narrative, or a combination. A truthful narrative with links at the end to additional reading material or educational information are ideal.
Previously published work is okay, as long as you hold the copyright to your work. Once your submission is pre-approved, I will send you a Welcome Packet and publishing agreement.
My main request (in addition to self-editing for typos and grammatical errors) is that you please tweak any pre-written article to fit the specific audience and themes of this anthology.
While including many voices, Adoption Reunion Conclusions will read like a multi-faceted narrative, covering the various issues related to adoption and family but having the cohesive theme being that it’s a “How-to Guide.”
Length: 2,500 – 5,000 words, preferably focused on one particular theme or aspect of adoption reunion listed above. Authors also have a short bio of 100 – 200 words, with links at the end.
Select poetry will also be accepted.
Audience: This book will be for a general reading audience, including late-teens and adults. Please keep R-rated language to a minimum and avoid acronyms and jargon. Explain terms, talk about how you’re using them and why. Use endnotes to back-up your points if necessary. The purpose of this book is to educate, clarify and most-of-all, help those connected to adoption.
Time frame: The book will be published in ebook and paperback form in mid-2013. As contributors, you will be notified of publication dates, free ebook download days, and other marketing events. You may participate as much or as little as you want in the marketing of the book.
Please share this call for submissions with anyone you feel would make a great contribution.
Email articles to laura @ adoptedrealitymemoir.com
Image from freedigitalphotos.net
Good luck, Laura! Sounds like this is going to be a real helpful resource!
Thanks, Addison, I hope it will be. Searching is only one small aspect of the reunion process; and yet most books focus on just the searching. — Laura
Cool project. I'm gonna help spread the word.
I hope it will turn out to be a great resource, thanks for your help to get the word out! — Laura
The need for reform in the adoption culture: I hope you don't mind me saying what I'd like to see discussed more in general. I'd like to see the beginnings of a shift in adoption culture where parents understand that adoption is perhaps better thought of as more like a marriage between 2 people with children…there is a wider understanding these days that each of the 2 is not just marrying 1 person, but it's a package deal. Each person comes with a ready-made family with 2 different approaches and cultures within the family matrix. The children are non-negotiable parts of the package that must be negotiated before entering into marriage, and sometimes even the other parent is a part of the package. With that in mind, the 2 must go in with the understanding that there are things that are going to have to be worked at and worked out in a way that is as equitable as possible for everyone concerned while re-forming the family into 1 culture from the mixes of culture.
For people looking to adopt, rather than trying to fill a void left by infertility, etc., and expecting a child from another mother/father to fill that void and expect that child to fit into the family culture the way a naturally born child potentially could more readily and easily, there needs to be more widely talked about understanding that there is a long line of family culture in the framework of the DNA of the person they are looking to adopt, and with the mixing of these cultures, there is a process of making that work that comes from a place of openness and honesty. People who are adopted having access to their birth records (the records that actually are a record of the live birth) is, of course, part of that conversation, but I believe it's really just the tip of the iceberg to doing away with some of the unhealthy things that I see in today's adoption culture. Is this a topic that would be considered for this project or others like it in the future?
Carol,
Yes! I love this idea of a "marriage of cultures" — and I think the analogy would be helpful for adoptees and for adoptive parents. It presents a solution to some of the more quote-un-quote negative aspects of adoption. I'm thinking loss, grief, secrecy — by encouraging adoptive parents to think of how delicately (or not!) two families have merged in a marriage, and to apply those same tactics to adoption.
I would LOVE for you to expand on this idea further, perhaps bring in stories from your own or others' experiences and submit for Adoption Reunion Conclusions. Email me at laura @ adoptedrealitymemoir.com if you want to chat further, exchange ideas, etc.
Best,
Laura
Hi, I am an adult adoptee who has been in reunion for almost two years. I am very interested in writing an article for the anthology. Primarily, I am interested in writing about the beginnings of reunions and how to take care of oneself during this time. Or, whatever you might be interested in…!
Jennie,
What a great idea, with a specific angle — taking care of oneself during this "early reunion period," or as some might call it (accurately or not, depending on the situation) — the Honeymoon period. I know that I was so fresh and raw in those early years, it would certainly be a great addition to the anthology to have your perspective. Feel free to email me at laura@adoptedrealitymemoir.com if you want to talk more about it. Can't wait to receive your submission!
Laura
Love, love this idea. I plan to submit our story of reunion. Even if my story isn't chosen, I will be reading this book and spreading the word every chance I get, especially when speaking at adoption conferences.
Kimberly,
Awesome! It's so cool that you're thinking of contributing. What area/aspect/perspective were you considering? I'm in contact with a bunch of people from different aspects of the adoption constellation, so I'm just curious what angle you were thinking on writing on. It will be helpful to have not only a variety of viewpoints, but also articles which addresss the various aspects of adoption reunion. Feel free to email me laura@adoptedrealitymemoir.com if you'd prefer to chat offline.
Laura
I cant wait to get writing this,… i am just after the honeymoon phase and into the silence… i plan on writing about some mistakes i have made.
Jeannette,
Awesome. That's a great "moment in time" to focus on: after honeymoon, into the "silence." Very evocative, and a great topic. Feel free to email me your ideas as you write — if that would be helpful to you. laura@adoptedrealitymemoir.com
Laura
I just reunited with my birth mother after 34 years, 6months ago. In that time I could not read enough about adoption and reunions, which I should have done prior. : ) I have an interesting story that I would love to share. I'm praying I can put it into words by the 28th. Would love to see another resource for all involved in the adoption triangle.
Jen,
I can see it — maybe it just took a couple of minutes. I really can't wait to read your story. Thanks and email me!
Laura
laura@adoptedrealitymemoir.com
Greetings, I am a grown-up adoptee who has been in get-together for just about two years. I am extremely intrigued by composing an article for the collection. 6 week ultrasound
Well, i am searching for some blogs that provide me some information regarding 6 week ultrasound.
I would like to submit something… I was reunited with my birthmother at 15 and thought maybe I could write about how adoptivie parents could prepare themselves and their child for the reunion. Also I adopted my son and we have a very open relationship with his first mom. Maybe I could write about that… Oh ideas, ideas. I better just write…
Jessie! YES, awesome! You have so many connections to adoption, I think you could really give some great advice. Can't wait to read your submission … Yes … get to writing
Laura
Like to see something on 'the hot potato' and how to handle it when relatives drop you suddenly and without warning as happens quite often in reunion.
Von,
Ah ha! You mean drop the adoptee like a hot potato, as opposed to dropping a hot potato in one's lap. This give me much food-for-thought, pun intended.
Laura
It is a cool! Never seen anything like it!
Announcing the results of the union and all themes of the effectiveness. If it is done and controlled and managed, the rest of the norms and all values are done and advanced. The skills and abilities are rightly offered and induced.