Lately on my Exploring Adoption blog, I’ve been posting a 7-part series called, “An Author’s View of the Book-Publishing Process.” As some of you know, I’m writing a non-fiction book for prospective adoptive parents called, What’s So Great About Adoption?

People are always asking me questions about how to get a book published, so I thought I’d lay my experiences on the line in this series.

Here is a brief overview of each installment in the series, along with a link to the post:

Part... more

I’ve just returned from a week at my favorite writers’ conference, Mt. Hermon’s Christian Writers Conference in California (near Santa Cruz and San Jose).

Mt. Hermon is considered the premier Christian writers’ conference on the West Coast, and the 400 registrants came from all over the U.S. and Canada. From novices eager to learn the craft of writing to well-known authors who’ve published hundreds of books, this conference offered something special for everyone.

What a difference a year makes My experience at Mt. Hermon this year was quite different from last year’s. A year ago, I attended with the goal... more

In today’s post, we continue reviewing helpful advice from the book, Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child: Making Sense of the Past, by Betsy Keefer and Jayne Schooler.

Say one thing, mean another. Every industry has its own set of politically correct language, and adoption is no exception. Here are the authors' interesting and entertaining suggestions for how to interpret the “adoptionese” that appears on informational listings about children available for adoption:

All boy, very active, impulsive,... more

In today’s post, we continue reviewing helpful advice from the book, Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child: Making Sense of the Past, by Betsy Keefer and Jayne Schooler.

Adopted children rarely raise the issue of adoption themselves. But they think about adoption and about their birth families often. In some families, where adoption is never addressed directly, adopted children become consumed by thoughts about their adoption.

“They believe they are being disloyal to their parents if they continue to... more

In today’s post, we continue looking at some helpful advice from Betsy Keefer and Jayne Schooler, authors of Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child: Making Sense of the Past.

What is the ideal age at which to tell a child he or she was adopted? The authors have a terrific answer for this question: Children who were adopted during infancy should grow up knowing that they are adopted in the same way they grow up knowing that they are male or female.

I’ve talked with several people recently... more

This week, I’ve posted a 5-part series that explores some commonly-asked questions about open and closed adoption. To follow up, I’d like to recommend a superb book that addresses the subject, called Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child: Making Sense of the Past, by Betsy Keefer and Jayne Schooler.

The authors explain how adoption “loomed under the cloak of secrecy for decades,” citing that those who... more

Continued from the previous post

Amy Angel Goes Home: A Heavenly Tale of Adoption Kathleen Lathrop Illustrated by Erik Bakke Ages 3-9

Reviewers say this book is most appropriate for children adopted as infants. The reviewers agreed that this book’s purpose is to promote adoption as part of God’s plan to create families.

One reviewer, a birth mother... more

I did some homework and discovered several Christian-themed adoption books for children. I have not yet read these books; the information below summarizes various reviews I read.

A Blessing from Above by Patti Henderson (mother of two adopted sons) Illustrated by Elizabeth Edge (adoptee) Picture book for kindergarten – grade 2

This Little Golden Book tells the story of Momma-Roo, a kangaroo... more

Part 2: The Christmas Hope by Donna VanLiere

Although this is the third novella in the series (The Christmas Shoes and The Christmas Blessing are the first two), you can just as easily read it as a stand-alone book. And even though it has “Christmas” in the title, The Christmas Hope is an enjoyable (and quick, and inspirational) read any time of the year.

The first two titles were revamped... more

Part 1: Even Now by Karen Kingsbury In this novel about the long-term ramifications of unplanned pregnancy, adoption is a sub-theme, mentioned primarily as the main characters’ alternative to becoming teen parents.

However, and this is a big however, this novel deals extensively with the emotional upheaval and conflict that occurs within families when teenagers get pregnant. There’s the moment when the young woman... more