An Adoptee Anthology on Estrangement Edited by Lora Alegria and Sullivan Summer 

There is no shortage today of stories of adult children who have chosen to distance themselves from one or more family members. Outlets from New Yorker to Vogue have published lengthy articles on the topic, not to mention the countless social media therapists and influencers who have cultivated large followings discussing estrangement. And while there is no good data studying the adoptee population, estrangement appears to hit us particularly hard, as we navigate the endlessly complex web of biological and adoptive relationships throughout our lifetimes. 

We are seeking to publish an anthology of creative nonfiction work exploring the theme of estrangement, written by adoptee authors. It is something we have been thinking about for a long time and, after positive discussions with several university and independent presses earlier this year, we are excited to be moving forward with this project.

Please continue reading for submission details.

Deadline: January 15, 2026

About the Editors:

Lora K. Joy/Lora Alegria (she/her) is a domestic, same race adoptee. She is fully estranged from her adoptive family and reunited with both maternal and paternal biological family. In 2022, she legally changed her name back to her birth name and Lora’s biological mom reclaimed her through an adult adoption. Lora has self-published 3 illustrated books and a blog at www.myadopteetruth.com. She also co-led the publishing of the adoptee anthology The Flourish Experience. Lora is the Secretary of Adoptees for Family Preservation, a nonprofit organization committed to raising awareness of adoption industry practices. She co-leads a peer support group on estrangement through Adoption Knowledge Affiliates. And since October 2023 she has worked as a Virtual Assistant for the Adoptees On podcast.

Sullivan Summer (she/her) is an independent scholar, critic, essayist, poet, and adoptee rights advocate. She is the author of the chapbook, Performance Anxiety (Black Sunflowers Poetry Press, 2025), and her poetry, essays, criticism, and hybrid pieces have been published in a variety of outlets. Her author interviews can be heard on the New Books Network podcast, and on Adoptees Off Script, where she is a regular co-host. In addition to her reading and writing practice, Sullivan is the President of Adoptees for Family Preservation, a nonprofit organization committed to raising awareness of adoption industry practices.

FAQs

How do you define “adoptee” for purposes of this project? For purposes of this project, an “adoptee” is someone who was separated from one or both biological parents before the age of 18. This includes those who experienced plenary (stranger) adoption, kinship adoption, open adoption, and/or time in the foster care system (regardless of whether it ended in an adoption). If you are unsure whether you are included in the definition of “adoptee,” please submit.  

How do you define “estrangement” for purposes of this project? What is more important to us is how you define “estrangement,” but we are defining it broadly to mean any desired or actual severing, temporary or ongoing, between you and one or more family members, adoptive, biological, or otherwise. This can include, but is not limited to, emotional or physical estrangement, low contact, no contact, etc. If you are unsure whether your situation meets the definition of “estrangement,” please submit. 

What genres are you accepting? We are accepting creative nonfiction which, near as we can tell, is a perfect metaphor for our lives as adoptees. If you’re not sure whether your piece is technically “creative nonfiction,” or something else, please submit. 

What length must the submission be? At this point in time, we are accepting pieces of any length. Depending upon the totality of submissions and the needs of the editorial process, however, we may ask that you edit your piece to fit within a specific word limit at a later date. 

Are you accepting simultaneous submissions? Yes. It is okay to submit your piece to us, even if you are submitting it elsewhere. 

May I submit a piece that has been published elsewhere? Yes, provided it does not violate your contractual obligation to the previous publication. 

May I submit a piece anonymously? Yes. If your piece is selected for inclusion in the anthology, you may be identified in whatever manner you choose, including anonymously or by a pseudonym. 

What is your timeline? The deadline for submission is December 15, 2025. You can expect a response by February 28, 2026 and, if accepted, we may ask that you work with us to edit your piece. Submission to interested presses will occur in spring and summer 2026.  

Can you share information about publication rights, compensation, etc.? It is our intention to publish the anthology through a traditional publisher, not through self-publication or a vanity press. Rights, author copies, compensation and the like will be determined by the publisher. When we reach that part of the process, these will be conversations between the editors and the authors selected for inclusion. Editors will not relinquish any author’s rights without their consent. 

I’m ready to submit! How do I do that? 

• Send your document in Word or PDF to: adoptee.estrangement@gmail.com
• Please include a cover page with the following information:
  • Your name (or pseudonym)
  • Pronouns
  • How you identify as an adoptee (e.g., same-race domestic, transracial transnational, former foster youth, etc.)
  • Word Count
  • Anything else you would like us to know (optional)