Have you spent years wondering what caused your birth parents to give you up for adoption? Have you watched school children play on your street, wondering if one of them could be the baby you surrendered to social services? Have you wondered about the family history of your adopted child? If you have thought about such issues and are willing to write about your experiences in a personal essay, the editors of a new anthology of adoption stories to be published by TouchWood Editions want to hear from you.   Editors Bruce Gillespie and Lynne Van Luven are looking for personal accounts, clearly and honestly written, ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 words in length, for publication in an anthology reflecting an exchange of ideas and feelings by birth parents, persons once surrendered for adoption, and adoptive parents. You do not need to be a professional writer to contribute to this anthology, but you will be required to work with an editor to hone your submission.   Please submit, by October 1, 2009, a 300-word proposal that outlines the story you would like to tell, along with a short biography and your contact information. If you’ve already written a piece that fits the anthology’s focus, feel free to submit it. All essays must be submitted electronically, as Microsoft Word or Rich Text Files (RTFs), to editors Bruce Gillespie and Lynne Van Luven at adoptionessays@gmail.com.   All first-draft essays must be received by December 15, 2009.