NOTE: The Mine In China book will be discontinued on January 1, 2023.

I’m sure you’ve all noticed that I have a brevity problem. Several of my articles, especially the series on how to choose an adoption agency, are so long as to be not conducive to the blog format. Statistics for the site show that there are quite a few people who sit down and read all the articles on my Adoption Resources page in one or two sittings. When you add in that there are still many more questions that people have about the nitty gritty of the process, I decided that a book would be the best option. All of the information–big and small questions–are answered as you read through in order that makes more sense than clicking on blog posts as they catch your eye. You can read in depth reviews of Mine In China at the Red Thread Advocates blog and at the Adoption.com website.

Mine In China is available through Amazon in both ebook and paperbook. You can read the first few chapters at Amazon using their Look Inside feature. The ebook is under $5 because I know you’re saving money for your adoption. At around 400 pages long, I’m pretty sure you’ll get $5 worth of information out of it! If even $5 is not in your budget, you can request your library purchase a print copy, then others in your community who are considering adoption will be able to read it as well. You can use the link on the sidebar to order either the ebook or paperback through Amazon, or even better, search for it using the Love Without Boundaries affiliate link. I do not have an Amazon affiliate account because I feel that LWB would benefit more from a couple of dimes than I would. If you subscribe to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited,  you can read it for free. You might decide it’s worth it simply for the squatty potty tutorial!

I’d like to buy the ebook because it’s cheaper but I don’t have a Kindle!

I understand, I’m not actually a big ebook reader either. However, you don’t have to own a Kindle to read the ebook. If you have a smart phone or tablet, you can download a Kindle app to read the ebook that way. If you are so old-school that you read the blog by firing up your wood burning computer, have no fear–you can even read the book on your computer. You can get the information on these options here.

There is a lot of new content not available on this blog in the book. I begin with the basics of who qualifies to adopt from China and go all the way through the early days home to looking ahead to parenting older internationally adopted children.

Some new topics covered in the book include:

• A reference list of terms and acronyms specific to adopting from China (scroll down)
• The steps involved and a timeline for each
• Affording adoption
• The pros and cons of hosting programs as a way of finding your child
• How to know if a referral is the right match for your family
• The post- LOA process
• Understanding your child’s Chinese name
• How to transition your child to their English name if you choose to give them one
• Medical appointments and important legal paperwork after you arrive home
• Handling comments about your child and family

Plus, for the first time I write about TRAVEL!

• Hotel reviews
• Private guide options
• What is involved in flying out of Hong Kong
• Cultural differences
• What to do about car seats
• A squatty potty tutorial (yes, seriously)
• Important reminders for the day you meet your child

While you already know I won’t skimp on the bullet points in the book, you can look forward to these printable reference lists:

• A master list of questions to ask a potential agency
• Questions to ask in a child update
• Things to remember to do before you travel
• An annotated China-specific packing list
• Souvenirs to buy in China
• Plus, a reference list of suggested websites and books

I have chosen to self-publish this book. My goal is simply to make the information available to potential families and families in progress. It can take up to 3 years for a book to go through the traditional publishing process. The information in my book has detailed timelines and information specific to the China adoption process right now, not 2 or 3 years from now. An e-book is much easier to update with the changes to the process that regularly occur. In fact, Mine In China was revised 3 times in the first 2 years to update the information to reflect recent changes in the China program. Mine In China a book geared to a very niche market. But it’s YOUR niche, so I hope you find it helpful.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Chapter 1: Choosing to Adopt From China
Chapter 2: The New Face of Adoption in China
Chapter 3: When You’re Asking the Internet About Adoption
Chapter 4: Affording Adoption
Chapter 5: Understanding China’s File Designations
Chapter 6: Choosing the Right Agency for your Family
Chapter 7: Boy or Girl?: Talking about the adoptive parent preference for girls
Chapter 8: More Big Decisions: Which age? Should we adopt two?
Chapter 9: Which Special Needs?
Chapter 10: When it is Time to Review A File
Chapter 11: Adoption Dissolution: Begin with the end in mind
Chapter 12: After You’re Matched
Chapter 13: Tips for Completing Your Home Study and Dossier
Chapter 14: Collecting Your Letters from DTC to CA
Chapter 15: Preparing for the Trip
Chapter 16: It’s Finally Here!: Everything you need to know about travel
Chapter 17: Together at Last
Chapter 18: Handling Comments About Your Family
Chapter 19: Preparing for Big Children with Big Questions
Chapter 20: Travel Journal
Appendix I: Master List of Questions for Potential Agencies
Appendix II: Update Questions
Appendix III: Things to do at Home Before Travel
Appendix IV: The Annotated China Packing List
Appendix V: Souvenirs to Buy in China
Additional Resources/Suggested Reading – The link is a sampling of what is included in the book

You might also be interested in this interview with me about the book on the No Hands But Ours blog.