13 Sep The Journey Begins…

Hello! My name is Adam Swain Ferguson – proud adoptive dad, and author of Love Without Wings – an adoption fairytale, a children’s picture book illustrated by my friend, and partner on this publishing quest – the amazingly talented, Veronica Stanley Hooper. 

Through thoughtfully crafted words, combined with stunning imagery – this book draws you into the tale of two kings who embark on a magical quest after their wish for a family lands on a shooting star, and the fairy who makes that wish come true.  

Love Without Wings began as a very special bedtime story; one inspired by my own family’s adoption journey of two years – years spent waiting, wishing, and even grieving. We had all but given up; yet, when we received a call informing us that we had been chosen by our son’s biological mother – our entire world turned right-side-up. Every tear shed, every heartache simply melted away the moment we held him in our arms; our tears of grief were replaced by tears of boundless joy. 

What I’ve learned through this experience, and now wish to share with the world is a message of hope – that even when the journey sometimes feels like we are crossing rivers, mountains, and even trudging through the densest and darkest woods – hold on to hope and look for the light; because it only takes one miraculous moment for everything to change, and then there will be meadows.

As an adoptive dad, I wrote Love Without Wings with hope that it will encourage children to feel pride in the magic that they bring to their families’ lives. It’s especially important that kids sense how much they have always been loved and wanted; that they are a greatest wish come true. In fact, every night as I rock my son to sleep, I still recite to him what I call “our special family story”; because from the day he was born, my goal has been to be open about adoption; starting the conversation early so that he knows his own narrative, and how our family came to be – what better way to achieve that, than through a fairytale? 

I’m a filmmaker by trade, so storytelling is my profession and my passion. My experience producing video content has taught me how to bring characters to life and connect with audiences of all ages. But since becoming a father, I’ve had some difficulty finding children’s books that don’t focus solely on the mechanics or label of adoption. While there is certainly a need for this type of literature, I wanted to instead approach the subject through creative storytelling; in a way that young children can understand, appreciate, and identify with. Therefore, it brings me immeasurable pride to now share this tale as a beautifully illustrated children’s book that reflects our adoption journey. Not only does this book celebrate the families like ours that have been made complete through adoption; but also honors the birth parents who make these dreams possible. 

While this story is representative of my own family structure; I also realize that it is not yet one-size-fits all; adoption influences countless other families of all types, shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and dynamics. Because of this, once our initial Kickstarter goal is reached, all stretch goal contributions will be attributed to adapting and publishing variations of Love Without Wings that honors the familial diversity and structure of the adoption community; ensuring that children can see themselves and their families represented in a story they will cherish for years to come. 

I’m excited to share that the book is complete and prepped for printing and distribution, with an anticipated release date of November 19th, 2022 – in honor of national adoption day and month.

Finally, below you’ll see some amazing reviews and quotes from our beta readers – which not only include adoptive families, but also educators, social workers, child psychologists, and other adoption professionals! 

Thank you so much for reading, and your participation in the launch campaign for Love Without Wings, releasing in November, 2022. I am so grateful and delighted to be taking this journey with you. Be sure to reserve your own copy by preordering on our website today!