I am so excited! My blog is the first stop on Laura Christianson's BLOG BOOK TOUR! 
In my last post, I talked about a book called The Adoption Network by Laura Christianson. Laura has another new book coming in August, The Adoption Decision. I had the privilege of asking Laura a few questions about her up-and-coming book and her adoption story. I'm honored to be able to share the following interview with you! After reading it, I hope you will take the time to check out Laura's blog and website, and pick up a copy of one or both of her books. Who knows? Maybe you'll even consider adoption or how you might be able to help another family in their adoption process. God bless! ~Heidi
Laura~ I’d love to ask you a few questions….. First of all, it is obvious by your website and your Exploring Adoption blog that you are very passionate about adoption. I noticed that you, like me, have two adopted children. Could you share your adoption story with us, please? We adopted our sons domestically when they were newborns – they are now 14 and 11 years old. Our first adoption happened only three weeks after we completed our home study – a teenage couple selected our profile, met with us, and chose us to parent their child. Four days after we met them, our son’s birth mom gave birth. All we had was a carseat! It was a different story with our second child. We waited over a year and had four potential adoptions fall through at the last minute. Talk about heart-wrenching! But our son, Josh, was definitely worth the wait. We have completely open adoptions with the birth families of both our sons. I share our story in depth throughout my book, The Adoption Decision. Why did you decide to write The Adoption Decision? Eleven years ago, after we adopted our second child, I was a member of Ladies in Waiting, an online Christian support group for infertile women and adoptive moms. We often discussed the crazy comments people—particularly, our relatives—made about adoption. I decided to write a short booklet to help educate adoptive grandparents about adoption, so they could better support their adult children who were adopting. How did a “short booklet” morph into a 256-page book? I guess I had a lot more to say than I imagined at the time! J As I researched and wrote the booklet, I realized I had enough material for a full-length book. I began attending writers’ conferences and “pitching” my book idea to agents and editors. They all said, “Nope; won’t work. Your focus is too narrow.” Over the course of three years, I continued fine-tuning my ideas and pitching them at writers’ conferences. I expanded the audience to include all people who support adoptive parents (still too narrow). When I expanded the focus still further to encompass adoptive parents and their supporters, I hit the jackpot. Harvest House Publishers offered me a contract. It was one of the most exciting days of my life! Can you give us a brief synopsis of the book? Although the book is titled “The Adoption Decision,” it is geared for those who are just beginning to consider the idea of adopting, those going through the adoption process, and adoptive parents. Everyone who considers adopting has a host of questions and insecurities. Some common questions: ® Will I be able to afford adoption? ® Will I be able to love an adopted child as much as I would love my birth child? ® Am I prepared to parent a child who may have medical or behavioral challenges? ® What if the adoption falls through, or the birth parents want the child back? ® How do I unpack the “baggage” an older child brings into my family? I tackle these questions in a unique manner. I hate to read dry, boring, clinical “how to adopt” books; my goal is to entertain readers while providing them with valuable, practical information. So my book is story-based; it includes anecdotes and vignettes from more than 40 people whose lives are directly impacted by adoption. Their stories are riveting, and they are guaranteed to provide readers with an up-close-and-personal look at the realities of adoption. Because every adoption is unique, I don’t tell readers that they have to “do” adoption a certain way. Instead, I provide great information in an inviting-to-read format so parents can mull over their options and choices and begin to formulate a plan that works best for their family. Was this book a result of your own adoption experiences or is it a collaboration of other peoples’ experiences as well? It’s a combination of both. Most of the chapters open with a personal experience I have had with adoption. But I don’t claim to know everything about adoption – far from it! The people I interviewed share fascinating life experiences that form the backbone of the book. Why did you choose to write for a Christian readership, rather than a general or secular audience? Most of my professional writing has been for the secular market, so I struggled with whether to write for the general market or a Christian readership. There are loads of great “how-to” books in the general market already, and very few in the Christian market. I strongly sensed God urging me to write this book for His glory, as a means of ministering to and encouraging other adoptive families on their journey. While the book is written from a Christian worldview, my publisher intends to sell it in stores such as supermarkets and big box stores. So I avoided using Christian jargon and I made the faith-based content accessible and non-threatening for those who have little or no church/Bible background. What is the most important advice for someone who may be considering adoption? Learn as much as you can about adoption, so that when the unforeseen happens (and it will happen), you’ll be slightly more prepared. Read as many adoption books as possible, subscribe to magazines such as Adoptive Families and Adoption TODAY, peruse adoption blogs, subscribe to e-mail discussion groups specific to the type(s) of adoption you are considering, request information packets from all the adoption agencies and facilitators in your region, join support groups for adoptive families, and pummel other adoptive parents with questions! Most of us truly enjoy sharing our experiences – we’ve been where you are and know what you’re feeling. Educating yourself about adoption will give you confidence and will equip you with the practical tools you need to build your family through adoption. Your Exploring Adoption blog is a veritable treasure trove of adoption information! I really enjoying reading it and exploring the many links. I appreciate that you are always “up” on the latest adoption news. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I look forward to reading your book and doing a review of it in an up-and-coming blog post. Please tell my readers where they can pre-order a copy of your book. It was fun sharing with your readers, Heidi! If you want autographed copies of The Adoption Decision or my other newly-released book, The Adoption Network, you can order them directly through my Website, www.laurachristianson.com. I’m currently running a buy-1-get-1-free special on The Adoption Network (which has already been released). You can pre-order The Adoption Decision (which will be available in late July or early August) from your local bookstore or Christian bookstore and on Amazon.com, TapestryBooks.com (the online adoption bookstore), Christianbook.com, BarnesandNoble.com – all the usual outlets. Again, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to “chat” with me! It’s been a pleasure!
Welcome to ReviewsbyHeidi! I’m so excited to have this opportunity to “chat” with you about your new book – The Adoption Decision – coming in August!
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