Lost Daughters: Writing Adoption From a Place of Empowerment and Peace

by Amanda H.L. Transue-Woolston (Editor), Julie Stromberg (Editor), Karen Pickell (Editor)

This anthology is a collection of writings by the authors of the Lost Daughters blog. Lost Daughters is an independent, collaborative writing project that was founded in 2011 in an effort to give an accessible writing platform for adopted women. Boasting nearly 30 authors, Lost Daughters is written and edited entirely by adopted women, several of whom balance multiple roles in adoption and foster care along with being adopted. The blog’s name was inspired by author and adoptee B.J. Lifton’s concept of one's self becoming lost and found throughout the experience of being adopted.

The mission is to bring readers the perspectives and narratives of adopted women, and to highlight their strength, resiliency, and wisdom--to critically discuss the positives and negatives of the adoption institution from a place of empowerment and peace. The authors come from all walks of life and have a variety of worldviews, religions, political stances, types of adoption, countries of origin, and countries of residence.

Genres: Adoption

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 18, 2014

About the author

Amanda is an author, speaker, licensed social worker, and psychotherapist with a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in social work. Amanda has served the adoption and foster care communities through individual and family clinical work, group work, writing and presenting, and working for positive policy change. Her writing and presentations have reached broad audiences through multiple books, magazines, major news and radio interviews, and conferences, and she has engaged with legislators at the state and congressional levels on adoption policy.

Amanda founded Pennsylvania Adoptee Rights and Lost Daughters. She co-facilitates an adoption support group for anyone connected to adoption, and is a contributor to Gazillion Voices Magazine and Social Work Helper. Amanda is best known for her internationally recognized, award-winning adoption blog, The Declassified Adoptee.

By the close of 2015, Amanda's writing on adoption will have been published in eight books. Her writing and work focuses on the experience of being adopted, intersecting social justice issues, and adoption community centric/initiated movement toward positive change. Amanda is a Yahoo!Voices featured mom activist and is listed in the Top 20 Adoption blogs on the web by Adoptive Families Magazine.

Reviews

[Rosita · Rating 5 out of 5]

The voices of women adoptees ring clear and honest.

[Trace Lara Hentz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I contributed to this wonderful anthology