Carol read excerpts and discussed her book with the Southminster Book Club at the home of Margaret and Lawrence Cumming. Members made insightful comments and asked thoughtful questions. Dorothy Naylor held a delightful writers’ lunch for Carolyn Pogue, Margaret Singleton and Carol. Margaret is an adoptee who wrote “The Box in the Closet: My journey to claim who I am” was present. Her book is a story of loss and recovery but it is also a story of love, strength and redemption. Carolyn writes books for children, teens and adults. Her book “Gwen” is a historical novel about a young orphan who is brave and resourceful. Carolyn writes stories and pieces for The United Church Observer. The writers shared and talked about their books with each other.
Carol read excerpts from and discussed her book with members of Rainbow Circle book club of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Ottawa - a gay - positive group of men and women - among them gays and lesbians - who were particularly interested in discussing Carol’s conviction that gays and lesbians have every right to adopt.
Carol was guest lecturer on the wide-ranging topic of “Adoption” at the Foundations of Structural Social Work class at Carleton School of Social Work. She described the three main parties in adoption; she defined closed and open adoption and the transition over the decades from one to the other. To illustrate the material, Carol read passages from her book. After the 7 core issues of adoption were presented, the class members formed small groups to discuss these issues. Carol spoke of Birth Mother's Day service in Ottawa, the only event of its kind in North America, which honours women who have given children into adoption. She described the adoption process in Ontario for would-be adoptive parents, noting that it is lengthy, thorough and emotionally challenging. There are three ways to adopt: domestically either through a public child welfare agency or through the private adoption system or internationally. Carol concluded with her strongly-held conviction that the right of adopted persons to know their origins surpasses all other adoption issues in importance.
Jean Tickner and Linda Pollock won Carol’s book and lunch with Carol through an Ottawa Food Bank raffle. Good companionship.
A book reading was held at Abbotsford House, Seniors’ Centre, attended by Glebe residents and Abbotsford members. Challenging questions came Carol’s way. Clyde Sanger wrote a story about Carol and her book for the Glebe Report.
Just before Christmas, 2013,Marcy Markusa of CBC Radio Winnipeg Information Show interviewed Carol and Marcy Eddy, Carol’s newly - found niece on her birth father's side about the search, the “find,” and the evolving plan that Carol and her family will travel to Yahk, B.C. to meet Marcy and her sisters. Thanks in large part to CBC's earlier interview with Carol, she found her birth father's family. A delightfully warm interview.
10/7/2013 Marcy Markusa of CBC Radio Winnpeg Information Show interviewed Carol about her new book, the joys and the difficulties of meeting her birth mother, and her upcoming book launch at McNally's. Carol makes a pitch to the listening audience that she is looking for relatives on her birth father's side.
Carol met with the workers of Ottawa Children’s Aid Adoption Unit to read from and discuss her book. A very good exchange of information about current adoption practice between the new and experienced agency adoption practitioners and Carol took place.
Carleton University and the Ottawa Adoption Community sponsored the showing of the National Film Board film, “A Place Between: The Story of an Adoption” followed by an informal panel discussion moderated by Dr. Karen March in which Carol’s adoptive daughter, Elaine, and Carol participated. The film depicts First Nations adoptees struggling to bridge the gap between birth and adoptive families. It illustrated issues between a birth mother and an adoptive mother. Those living inside the adoption circle - adoptees, adoptive parents, birth parents, their relatives and friends, adoption professionals and educators, Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people attended.
Carol and her daughter Elaine appeared on a panel on Saturday, 16 November, 2013, sponsored by Carleton University and the Ottawa Adoption Community. The National Film Board film, “A Place Between: The Story of an Adoption” was shown, followed by an informal panel discussion moderated by Dr. Karen March.
The film depicts First Nations adoptees struggling to bridge the gap between birth and adoptive families and illustrates issues between a birth mother and an adoptive mother. Those living inside the adoption circle - adoptees, adoptive parents, birth parents, their relatives - their friends, adoption professionals and educators, Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals attended. |
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AuthorCarol Bowyer Shipley brings a unique perspective to the world of adoption as an adoptee, an adoptive mother and an adoption professional. As adoption practitioner and birth parent counsellor, she worked for 25 years in the private adoption system and public child welfare agencies in Ontario with adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents. Recently retired, she lives in Ottawa, Canada, with her husband, Ken. Her four children, their spouses, and seven grandchildren constantly enrich her life. This is the updated edition of her first book, published in 2013. Archives
July 2016
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