> Order through Bookshop with a percentage to indie booksellers.
ISBN: 978-1-7379477-4-5
LIKE A TWISTING DOUBLE HELIX OF DNA, these two satisfying stories of compelling and complex father-daughter pairs entwine with life-altering surprises. They bring compassion, humor, and understanding to the question of whether it is ever too late for paternal instinct.
EACH YEAR THOUSANDS OF MEN father children later placed for adoption or donor-conception. Some of them thought they would forget. Some claim they never knew. There are several million of these secret fathers in the United States alone – in The Birth-Fathers’ Club Series eight of them are about to get a knock on the door – as changing times catch up with them and with adoptive parents, recipient parents, anonymous donors, and the rest of our beloved ancestors.
~
Advanced Praise for Finding Faith: Book 3 of The Birth-Fathers’ Club Series:
“USING HER DEFT STORYTELLING SKILLS, Michele Kriegman…instills complex…issues with emotional immediacy. We get to know the ensemble cast of characters and to care about them as if we were family…. Finding Faith has a strong, satisfying ending.” ~ Elaine Durbach, former Bureau Chief, NJ Jewish News, author of the novel Roundabout
“VERY TOUCHING, THE ENDING FEELS SO AUTHENTIC…. Great story, and I enjoy all the connections Michele Kriegman makes between adoption and literature, the Bible, religion, poetry, plays, and more.” ~ Traci Onders, Staff Search Specialist, Adult Adoptees & DNA Discoveries at Adoption Network, Cleveland
“IN FINDING FAITH, MS. KRIEGMAN IS MASTERFUL at capturing the tension and emotion of a reunion between newfound genetic relatives. Her characters come to life on the page, rendering the drama and trauma so familiar to the Misattributed Parent Experience (MPE) community. Join Faith and her loved ones on the tumultuous ride of a DNA surprise, the emotional fallout…and finally the potential for redemption.” ~ Alesia Weiss, Co-founder, Right to Know
“MICHELE BRILLIANTLY CAPTURES THE NUANCES of search and reunion for both the biological family as well as the relinquished/adopted person. Her characters have relatable, realistic internal dialogues about the inevitable tensions in reunion and discovery. Her prose in world building flows naturally and beautifully setting the scene while drawing the reader through the narrative.” ~ Ridghaus, documentary film-maker of “Six Word Adoption Memoirs”
“THIS IS GREAT WRITING!... CALLS ON ALL FIVE senses…. Good suspense! As an adoptee who enjoyed ten years of reunion with my birth-father, it's wonderful to see the often under-represented and much needed birth-father perspectives Michele captures in Finding Faith.” ~ Patricia Meyer, Adoptee, Advocate and Blogger at My Adopted Life
“…THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ A STORY which brings together so many issues and conversations which arise from DNA discoveries…. This story is delivered with compassion and understanding for these characters based on the experiences of real people.” ~ Fred Firestone, Misattributed Parentage Experience (MPE) community advocate
> Order through Bookshop with a percentage to indie booksellers.
ISBN: 978-1-7379477-4-5
~
> Order through Bookshop with a percentage to indie booksellers.
ISBN: 978-1-7379477-0-7
EVERY YEAR THOUSANDS OF MEN father children later placed for adoption or donor-conception. Some of them thought they would forget. Some claim they never knew. There are several million of these secret fathers in the United States alone. In The Birth-Fathers' Club Series eight of them are about to get a knock on the door.
TONY SILVIO, THE DETOXED but still howling Rock God epicenter of The Tony Silvio Project, is one of them. When his biological daughter finds him his rock memoir tour spins in a completely new orbit.
~
Praise for ROCK MEMOIR: Book 1 of The Birth-Fathers’ Club Series:
“MICHELE KRIEGMAN'S NOVELLA, ROCK MEMOIR, is the first book in her Birth Fathers' Club Series, and...a really fun way to kick off this series. The book tackles the serious topic of birth-fathers by using warmth, humor, and fast-paced writing. I especially found Tony, the aging rock idol, and his long-suffering wife, Maria, to be fascinating and alive.
The characters are well-realized and feel like people you may know--or think you know--and the story never gets bogged down by what could be a weighty subject--birth fathers who many years later start to deal with the fact that they have unknown children out there; and in some cases children they only recently became aware existed. Yet while the underlying theme is birth-fathers, the focus of this novella is squarely on character development and story line, making for a quick and enjoyable read....” ~ Mark Furman, The Tired Married Guys (TMG) Book Club
> Order through Bookshop with a percentage to indie booksellers.
ISBN: 978-1-7379477-0-7
~
BONUS Playlist Inspired by The Birth-Fathers' Club Series
Most songs were written or performed by birth-fathers or adoptees. All tunes or their creators are mentioned in one of the books of The Birth-Fathers' Club Series. I listened to these on shuffle while I edited. I hope this link to the playlist on YouTube brings you to new favorites and old tunes you hear in a new way.
~
> Order through Bookshop with a percentage to indie booksellers.
ISBN: 978-1-7379477-1-4
ONE NIGHT TWO DISSIMILAR MEN, Clay Dennen, a North American family man and seasoned executive, and Ryuji Kato, the sharp-witted, executive producer of Japan’s top morning show, meet in a seaside lounge and leave with the other's darkest secret. See how their stories ravel and recombine.
EVERY YEAR THOUSANDS OF MEN father children later placed for adoption or donor-conception. Some of them thought they would forget. Some claim they never knew. There are several million of these secret fathers in the United States alone. In The Birth-Fathers' Club Series eight of them are about to get a knock on the door.
~
Praise for From a Desert City by the Sea:
“THE SUSPENSE OF THE SEARCH AND DNA was intriguing... so haphazard at first then so coldly exacting in the end. Michele has managed to weave secret adoption, reunion and the forgotten role of birth-fathers into a work of art that reads like a murder mystery. Archaic closed adoption laws lay the groundwork but love and the power of DNA steal the show.” ~ MAJ Peter W. Franklin (Ret.), AdopteesWithOutLiberty.com (AWOL)
“THIS CAPTURES IT PERFECTLY.” ~ Michael Hering, Father of two, parent of one, volunteer for the National Parents Organization
"….ENGAGING, THE WRITING FLUID, I liked Clay and Ryuji…real characters with their flaws." ~ Ridghaus, “Six Word Adoption Memoirs” film, co-lead of the Adoptee Voices Writing Group
“AWESOME!” ~ Rob Manzanares, whose story was told in “The Red Pill” documentary on the men’s rights movement
> Order through Bookshop with a percentage to indie booksellers.
ISBN: 978-1-7379477-1-4
~
If you'd like another way to support us, please ask your local bookseller and library to order copies!
Sample audio: The Moth StorySlam's "The Baby Shower" [7 minutes], written and performed by Michele Kriegman, produced by Cyndi Freeman.
Event Bio [95 words]
Michele Kriegman has written and produced for ABC News, Info Security Professional Magazine, iVillage.com, Lilith, Maine Public Radio, Nippon TV, parenting magazines, Tokyo Broadcasting, and TV Asahi, among others. Having worked in a second career as a cybersecurity professional for over fifteen years, Michele now devotes herself to writing full time, focusing on two genres: cybercrime mysteries, and search and reunion novels. Her published books include Tapioca Fire, ROCK MEMOIR, From a Desert City by the Sea, and Finding Faith. She speaks as a keynote, panelist, and presenter on both technology and child welfare topics.
Short Bio [150 words]
Michele Kriegman, was born, relinquished, and adopted in New York City. She graduated from Wellesley College and received a Japanese Ministry of Education graduate scholarship to Sophia University’s Department of Mass Communications in Tokyo. There she began a journalism career at ABC News, followed by multi-year assignments with Nippon TV’s top-rated morning show, among others, and was a producer on a Gabriel Award-winning documentary on Peace Studies in Boston and Hiroshima.
Having worked in a second career as a cybersecurity professional for over fifteen years, Michele now devotes herself to writing full time, focusing on two genres: cybercrime mysteries, and search and reunion novels. Her 2014 debut novel, Tapioca Fire, written under her birth-name Suzanne Gilbert, is the prequel to The Birth-Fathers' Club Series: ROCK MEMOIR, From a Desert City by the Sea, and Finding Faith. She speaks as keynote, panelist, and presenter on both technology and child welfare topics.
Long Bio [385 words]
Michele Kriegman, an adoptee in reunion, a mother, and an adoptive step-parent, was born, relinquished, and adopted in New York City. She graduated from Wellesley College and received a Japanese Ministry of Education graduate scholarship to Sophia University’s Department of Mass Communications in Tokyo. There she began a journalism career at ABC News, followed by multi-year assignments with Nippon TV’s top-rated morning show and was a producer on a Gabriel Award-winning documentary about Peace Studies in Boston and Hiroshima. She has written and produced for Info Security Professional, iVillage.com, Lilith, Maine Public Radio, parenting magazines, Tokyo Broadcasting, and TV Asahi, among others.
Having worked in a second career as a cybersecurity professional for over fifteen years, Michele Kriegman now devotes herself to writing full time, focusing on two distinct genres: cybercrime mysteries, and search and reunion novels. On a detour that turned out not to be a detour, she translated six noted cyberpunk graphic novels from Japanese to English. Her cybersecurity and cyberpunk backgrounds inform her cybercrime mysteries. She continues to write for the cybersecurity industry and released a technical dictionary for the same audience in 2020. She has served on technology panels for fellow writers.
Although she is a storyteller by nature, like many adoptees she was missing her own backstory well into adulthood. Finding her birth-father in New York before the state opened its records helped complete it. Most recently, a DNA test kit that came as a Chrismukkah present revealed an unknown sister! Their shared birth-father, and his complex effort at redemption later in life, inspired the 2022 novel Finding Faith: Book 3 of the Birth-Fathers’ Club Series. Other novels in the series are ROCK MEMOIR and From a Desert City by the Sea. She reclaimed her birth-name, Suzanne Gilbert, to write her debut novel, Tapioca Fire, in 2014.
Michele Kriegman teaches writing workshops for adoptees and donor-conceived people finding their #ownvoices. She is a requested conference keynote speaker and presenter for child welfare professionals, adoptive/intentional parents, and adult adoptees/donor-conceived people on several themes, including “Waiting, Creating, & Finding Family: Past, Present, & Fiction”. Her well-researched approach isn’t overly academic; she’s been an in-the-trenches adoptive step-mom too.
With this session of the U.S. Supreme Court, the focus of many of Michele's public talks is the Indian Child Welfare Act, a new battlefield in the culture wars, which played a pivotal role in her own story.
Contact: InterMarketDirections @ gmail.com
TAPIOCA FIRE OPENS WHEN SUSAN tries to solve the mystery of a missing parent only to uncover a greater crime. Susan was adopted years ago in Thailand. A once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity brings her to Japan for the opening of a new museum. It also gives her the excuse to hop another flight to visit the world of the woman forced to give her away years ago.
Susan's quest introduces her to the subculture of the adoption search and reunion movement. But it is as much the story of her adoptive parents who were part of the pioneering generation who adopted internationally. They join the first generation to have their adult children return overseas to find birth family. Her poignant meeting with her birth mother uncovers a deeper tragedy they will both begin to fight from their very different lives. Beautiful, dangerous, haunting, Tapioca Fire proves the adage that the most difficult part of a quest is the journey back home.
Praise for Tapioca Fire, the 2014 prequel to The Birth-Fathers’ Club Series:
"[T]HIS BOOK AND THE OTHERS IN HER BIRTH-FATHERS' CLUB SERIES remind me of another favorite writer, Amor Towles. Great reads that respect the reader's intelligence while moving a character-driven story with a good pace and populated by intriguing characters…. Her sense of place is very strong.... her evocation of Thailand reads very true to me. Same can be said of her descriptions of rural Maine. A beautifully written book with vibrant real characters.” ~ Mark Furman, The Tired Married Guys (TMG) Book Club
"THIS WAS A BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN work that held my interest and heart throughout…. Ms. Gilbert [Michele Kriegman]...makes you understand and relate easily to her characters.... I find myself quoting several very poignant, well-turned phrases even after finishing the book." ~ Iris J. Arenson-Fuller, PCC, CPC
"AS A THERAPIST WHO SPECIALIZES in adoption...I have recommended Tapioca Fire to my clients, and I would also recommend it to someone wanting a fascinating fiction read." ~ Brooke Randolph, LMHC
"WE ALL SEARCH FOR LOVE and acceptance…. [Michele Kriegman writing as] Suzanne Gilbert brings that struggle to life in a saga of a search and discovery that crosses continents and generations." ~ Elaine Durbach, former Bureau Chief, NJ Jewish News, author of Roundabout
Paperback {ISBN:9781495305757} <<
Large Print {ISBN:9781492701170} <<
If you'd like another way to support us, please ask your local bookseller and library to order copies!