Found: Two Adoptive Friends Search for their Birth Families has earned 2023 Q4 Firebird Book Awards in not one but two separate award categories.
The winning entry, penned by Florida-based authors Trish Diggins and Sherri Craig-Evans for their recently released book Found: Adopted Friends Search for their Birth Families. The book won top honors in both the Adoption and Memoir categories.
Found is the real-life story of two lifelong friends, both adoptees, who decided to search for their birth parents using online DNA kits and social media. It turns out, that was the easy part. What happened over the next five years was much more difficult – trying to forge relationships with a multitude of related strangers while navigating emotional land mines.
Whether you’re connected with adoption or not, Found is a fascinating, unique human interest story that sends readers on a roller coaster of emotions regarding family, friendship, DNA surprises, parenthood, what makes a family, and much more. Written in an easy, friend-to-friend style, Found is an honest, raw, insightful and powerful look into the authors’ hearts and minds. The book also includes the search and reunion experiences of many others who were inspired by the authors.
With a wealth of experience in the corporate, television, web, and non-profit worlds, Trish Diggins has earned multiple prestigious awards for creating writing, design and branding projects for local, national and international businesses. In addition to being an adoptive mother, Trish is an adopted person herself. She has been published in Adoption Today magazine and has appeared on WJXT Channel 4’s “The Morning Show.” In addition to Found, Trish has co-authored other adoption-related books including the Crunch Time language series and Ladybug Love with Kat LaMons. She lives with her husband and daughter in northeast Florida.
Sherri Craig-Evans is a talented high school teacher, musician, and photographer. She is mother to three sons and a teenage daughter. Sherri lives in central Florida with her husband. Sherri is also an adopted person, daughter, sister, aunt, wife, Mama, Mimi, friend, cousin, co-worker, avid succulent grower, and mentor. Found is Sherri’s first book.
Found is available in both paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon.com and through bookstores nationwide.
Found: Two Adopted Friends Search for Their Birth Families is published by Jacksonville-based Marton/Willis, an independent publishing house that works in direct collaborative partnership with remarkable authors, illustrators, photographers and artists to craft outstanding books that make a real difference to their audiences.
The International Firebird Book Awards welcomes authors from all genres, mainstream, independent, and self-published to submit their books for judging. Only entries with the highest scores are awarded the coveted Firebird. For additional winning authors, titles, and entry information, please visit www.speakuptalkradio.com.
