An Interview with Deborah Jennings

Deborah Jennings is an environmental lawyer, retired from a global law firm. She was a partner for thirty-four years. The author is the mother of adopted twins and herself an adoptee who didn’t learn she was adopted until she was thirty-two years old. She wrote this memoir about the discovery of her adoption and ensuing international search for her origins. She grew up in very modest circumstances but discovered an illustrious biological family, including a grandfather who was a political figure and John Kennedy appointee and a grandmother who was from the Yucatan and graduated from Cambridge University. She is a former board member of Adoptions Together, now named Paths for Families, in Washington, DC.

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Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

At age thirty-two, when I met my biological grandparents for the first time, I realized that they did not know their daughter had been pregnant and placed her baby up for adoption when that happened. They learned about it accidentally, twenty years later. My grandmother wrote to me saying that since then, for so many years, they had thought of me and prayed for me. “You were a little ghost child in a dream.” I thought her words perfectly described lingering thoughts about a child who has been given away and would make a good title.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

The cover image of an hacienda is a painting by a biological cousin, Trish Popoure. The Atmosphere artists adapted that image for the cover by superimposing a ‘ghost child.’ I was thrilled with the result. It perfectly depicts the child standing outside the reality of her heritage.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I knew more than thirty years ago that I would write this book. But I was raising twins and practicing law, so it was impossible. But I saved all of the reports, letters, photos, etc. knowing that eventually this story would be told.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

Discovering my grandparents and their rich, exotic heritage was a great gift. My grandfather was a courageous civil rights writer who had an illustrious career (diplomat, six books, elected official, Kennedy appointee). My grandmother was a brilliant Mexican from a wealthy and aristocratic heritage in the Yucatan. The story has many surprising twists and turns as I journey to true discovery of my heritage and myself. My birth mother was complicated and restless, always searching, never finding. I watched her decline during the twenty-five years I knew her. The passage of thirty years since these events began has made me much more understanding. It was very gratifying to be able to tell this story.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I think it raises questions about one’s identity, nature versus nurture. It also illuminates the true meaning of family.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

Atmosphere has been great. Because this was a memoir, I wanted to retain editorial control. I was assigned a wonderful developmental editor who was insightful and gave great advice. Atmosphere offered the full range of publisher services including proofreading, web page development, publicity management, etc. I would highly recommend them.

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