Julie Gumm - Author

Book Blitz Giveaway Details

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So this is it! Book pre-sales launch TODAY! (It’s available for pre-order on Amazon.com)

To help spread the word I am having a really super fun contest!!

What you have to do to enter:

Spread the word about the book using THE BOOK WEBSITE – http://www.adoptwithoutdebt.com I’m going to make it SUPER easy for you w/ pre-written twitter messages and everything 🙂 (See below.) Do not link back here. (Well, you can share the contest but you don’t get entries for that.)

You will get ONE entry EACH time you do one of the following between Monday 5/2 at 6 a.m. Eastern and Friday midnight Eastern. Each action MUST include a link to the book website.

BUT, you must leave a separate comment EACH time you complete an action. I will use a random number generator to pick the winner so the more times your name shows up in the comments section, the better. If you post one comment and tell me about 3 things you did, it’s only going to count as 1 entry. Sorry, I know it’s a bit of a pain but it’s the best way for me to manage the process.

  • Tweet about the book (you can tweet 2 times per day for a possible 10 entries – but space them out please and vary the message)
  • Share on Facebook (up to twice a day for a possible 10 entries)
  • Blog about the book and link to the book website (include the URL of your blog entry in your comment)
  • Put a blog badge on your blog (see below)
  • I have a couple bloggers reviewing the book this week. You can FB share and tweet each of their reviews once for 1 entry each. (I’ll post the blog reviews below.)
  • Email your social worker letting her know about the book.
  • Email your case manager or agency contact and let them know about the book as a resource for other adoptive parents.
  • Post on your agency Yahoo group or discussion board
  • Post on other adoption related boards you belong to (as long as it doesn’t violate list rules). (If someone has already posted, just reply to their post with a comment – don’t spam up the board. If several people have already commented, skip it. I don’t want to make any list owners mad 🙂
  • Pre-order a copy of the book from Amazon.com. (If you end up winning a copy in the giveaway I’ll refund your money, or you can give the extra one away.)

The Grand Prize Package

Beautiful silver necklace from Ethiopia. Handcrafted by HIV+ women at the Entoto Outreach program.

Your choice of two window decals from available countries (Ethiopia, China, Haiti, Guatemala, South Korea, Liberia, India & United States)

Two autographed Tom Davis books – “Fields of the Fatherless” and “Red Letters.” (I devoured both of these at the beginning of our adoption process.)

Wood Ethiopian cross

Dave Ramsey’s “Total Money Makeover” book (LIFE CHANGING)

Deluxe envelope system wallet from DaveRamsey.com (vital to sticking w/ a budget)

A beautiful handcrafted magnet/photo holder from Debi Jenkins Etsy store. (The Jenkins family is featured in the book.)

A $10 Starbucks gift card

A $15 iTunes gift card

One free copy of “Adopt Without Debt” – keep for yourself or give it away.

Pretty fun, huh!

So here’s some helpful messaging for you….

Tweets/Facebook Message ideas (140 characters or less)

Considering adoption but concerned about cost? “Adopt Without Debt: Creative Ways to Cover Cost of Adoption” http://adoptwithoutdebt.com/

Need #adoption #fundraising ideas? $65k of them in this book – plus info on grants and saving money http://adoptwithoutdebt.com/

Every adoptive couple needs this book on creative ways to cover the cost of #adoption http://adoptwithoutdebt.com/

Blog Badges

(Right click and “Save Image As…”)

Tah dah…the book revealed

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It’s 4:12 a.m.

I just loaded the files to the printer. My bed is calling me.

But a promise is a promise, so here you go.


The Front

…and the whole thing.

Like I said, Cameron rocked it! Hiring him was pretty much the smartest decision I made in this whole process.

I know it’s kind of hard to read, so here’s the text from the back jacket.

In 2000, Julie and her husband, Mark, declared war on their debt – credit cards, student loans, cars and the house. Seven years later, as they wrote the check for their last mortgage payment, God called them to adopt two children from Ethiopia. A few months later, with their income unexpectedly cut by two-thirds, they wondered if they could finish the adoption without crossing back over into the red.

When they brought Wendemagegn and Beza home 12 months later, Julie and her husband proved debt-free adoption is possible!

Passionate about helping others achieve their adoption dream, Julie shares how to find extra money in your household budget, apply for grants, and fundraise in order to build your family without saddling it with debt. With over $65,000 worth of creative fundraising ideas from more than 25 adoptive families, Adopt Without Debt shows you how to fulfill your adoption dream without signing away your financial freedom.

And no, the web site isn’t set up yet. I’ll get to that next 🙂

The book comes out May 11th – on my birthday. Pre-orders available soon. If you want to get an email when pre-orders are open, sign up for the email list.

Creative Adoption Fundraising

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Those of you who have been here for any length of time know that I have two “causes” I am passionate about (outside Christ, my family etc). That is orphans and living debt free.

When Mark and I adopted in 2008 we committed to complete the adoption debt free – the same way we had been living our life since 2000. At first I wasn’t so sure it could be done, but God used good old Dave Ramsey teach me something, again.

When I talk to people considering adoption one of the first fears they vocalize is the financial aspect. “We’re not sure how we can afford it.”

But the truth is that along with grants and tax credits there are a ton of really creative ways that families can raise money for their adoptions.

Sooooo (drumroll please) I’m actually working on a book on How to Pay For Your Adoption (that’s just the working title). I’ve been SLOWLY working on it for a year but I’ve got a fire lit under me now.

I’ve also come to the part where I need your help.

I’m looking for real life examples of fundraisers that adoptive families have done, including as much detail as you want to give me and how much money you raised. Garage sales, coffee beans, jewelry, spaghetti dinners, etc – I want to hear about all of it. Even if you think “oh, I’m sure somebody already submitted that idea” I still want to hear from you. Who knows maybe you’ve raised WAY more money doing it then the other person.

I also want to hear about any other ways you helped pay for your adoption – second jobs, employer credits, etc.

All you need to do is FILL OUT THIS FORM.

As I collect the ideas I’ll be choosing families to showcase in the book as examples. At that time I’ll contact you to get more details as well as hear a little bit more about your story.

I would love it too if you would spread the word – Facebook, Tweet (you can use the “Share the Love” icons above) or even mention it on your blog.

Thanks!