Families Joined by Love (www.familiesjoinedbylove.com), a comprehensive bookstore, resource center, and discussion community for LGBT families and the important people in their lives, announces the launch of its website on August 1.



We have created this sophisticated new resource for LGBT families in response to a growing need within the LGBT community for information and literature on topics related to parenting, adoption, legal and financial issues, and other areas of interest for current and prospective LGBT parents. Despite the ever-growing number of children in need of adoption worldwide, and the increasing cost-effectiveness of fertility treatments, LGBT individuals and couples are often viewed as unsuitable candidates for parenthood.



At Families Joined by Love, we recognize the tremendous potential that LGBT individuals possess not only as partners in healthy and constructive romantic relationships, but also as parents and mentors. By making information about the journey to and through parenthood widely available to LGBT families, we hope to empower this unique and valuable demographic in overcoming the many obstacles that can block the path to becoming a parent.



Our store got started in 1992, with a basic mail-order catalog and eventually a website catering to LGBT families; for this new incarnation of Families Joined by Love, we have created a much more diverse and sophisticated resource. We currently offer books and other publications, resource listings and links, and a wide array of discussion forums.



Visit our new website at www.familiesjoinedbylove.com to see the full range of literature and resources that we provide for LGBT families and their supporters. With this website, we strive to provide not only a comprehensive selection of informational books and resources, but also a nurturing and safe environment in which LGBT families and their supporters can come together for discussion, activism, and support.



If you would like more information about Families Joined by Love, would like printed postcards from FJBL to distribute to your friends, or have a question about any aspect of our website, please contact us at the number listed below by email at www.familiesjoinedbylove.com/contactus.shtml. Also, be sure to sign up for our email list for bookstore updates, news items on current events of interest to LGBT families, and special promotional offers.



Very truly yours,





Laurie Wallmark Xan Nowakowski

President Vice President





Families Joined by Love :: Blue Tree Books :: PO Box 660 :: Ringoes NJ 08551

(908) 806-6695 (Phone) :: (908) 788-2999 (Fax)

www.familiesjoinedbylove.com





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For Immediate Release: Contact: Laurie Wallmark
August 1, 2007 (908) 806-6995


Families Joined by Love Launches Website for
Lesbian Mothers, Gay Fathers, and Their Children


RINGOES, NJ—Families Joined by Love today announced the launch of their new website featuring books and resources for LGBT families.



Founder and President Laurie Wallmark hand-selected each title and organized the entire collection by topic, making it easy for families and professionals to find appropriate books. Subjects covered include parenting issues, international adoption, domestic adoption, surrogacy, donor insemination, pregnancy, legal and financial issues, dealing with prejudice, and much more. Books are available for adults, children, and teens.



Laurie is “very excited to be able to present such a wide variety of materials.” Fifteen years ago, she published a small mail-order catalog for gay and lesbian families. However, at that time few titles on LGBT parenting were available, and the lack of widespread Internet access made reaching a large constituency difficult.



“Luckily, I already had a resource that provided a connection with many LGBT families: the Adoption Book Catalog that I produced for my old company, Tapestry Books,” said Laurie.



In her years with Tapestry, Laurie saw the number of LGBT parents among her customers grow tremendously. “Now, the gay and lesbian parenting community is visible and eager for educational materials,” she explained, “so I knew that the time was right to bring back Families Joined by Love on a much larger scale.”



Laurie collaborated with public policy professional Xan Nowakowski, who serves as the company’s Vice President, to diversify the resources offered through Families Joined by Love. In addition to a comprehensive bookstore with detailed descriptions for each title, the site now includes listings for online and printed resources for LGBT families, materials for press, and a variety of moderated discussion forums.



“We’ve created a very sophisticated resource with the new site,” Xan enthused. “Families Joined by Love gives LGBT individuals not only the opportunity to locate parenting and family building literature, but also a chance to connect with other people who are facing the same challenges.”



To learn more about this exciting new resource for LGBT families, visit Families Joined by Love online at www.familiesjoinedbylove.com.
Families Joined by Love :: Blue Tree Books :: PO Box 660 :: Ringoes NJ 08551

(908) 806-6695 (Phone) :: (908) 788-2999 (Fax)

www.familiesjoinedbylove.com

Looks good! I am trying to compile a list of websites to Link to and Support in order to promote our presence to more dads out there. I'll contact them and see if they will do a reciprocal link with us...

And this reminds me of another post I need to make about upcoming improvements and updates here on GF.

Stay tuned.