Twice Chosen

A Black Woman's Honest Guide To Fertility, Surrogacy, And Motherhood

By Valencia L. Parker, BME, MBANarrative memoir, 75,000 to 85,000 Words

Read the full proposal Read the pitch

About the book

The guide that was never written for her

Part personal story, part exposé, part roadmap for every woman who comes after.

Through two surrogacy journeys and more than a decade of trying, Valencia shares what she didn't know, what the system failed to tell her, and what she wishes every woman between 30 and 45 understood before she needed it.

She became a mother at 48 and again at 50, with two different carriers and two births. Twice Chosen is the account she looked for and couldn't find.

How the book is built

Four parts, one journey

  1. What I didn't know

    Childhood dreams, early health signals, and the fertility realities no one explained.

  2. How I got to the decision

    IVF trials, the medical system, and the path to surrogacy.

  3. What happened along the way

    Two surrogacy journeys, two carriers, two births.

  4. What you can do

    Policy, advocacy, motherhood at 50, and what to tell the children.

Field Guide chapters, woven throughout

Practical, data-informed chapters on IVF, surrogacy, legal rights, financial strategy, and racial disparities in fertility care.

Portrait of Valencia L. Parker

About the author

Valencia L. Parker

Valencia is a Black woman from Griffin, Georgia, who built a 25-year career in global supply chain and operations management, then found herself navigating a fertility system that was not built with women like her in mind.

She pursued two gestational surrogacy journeys with two different carriers. Her professional discipline, community leadership, and hard-won experience make her the right person to turn a deeply personal story into a useful roadmap.

  • 25 years in global supply chain and operations management
  • Silver Star member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
  • Lifetime Member, National Black MBA Association, and Detroit Chapter President from 2010 to 2014
  • Member, Oakland County Chapter of The Links, Incorporated

In their words

People who were in the room

"From the beginning, she showed genuine curiosity about my experience, not just as her carrier, but as a person. She asked questions most intended parents never think to ask. She listened. Across every difference between us, she made sure I felt seen and respected, and that made this journey something I am proud to have been part of."
Peachie Experienced gestational surrogate
"Valencia brings both lived experience and a deeply needed perspective to the conversation around fertility and surrogacy. Her journey with Fairfax Surrogacy remains a memorable part of our early history, and I believe her story will offer meaningful guidance and encouragement to others on similar journeys."
Perla Piekutowski Director of Growth and Engagement, Fairfax Surrogacy

For agents and editors

Book details

Genre
Narrative memoir with practical chapters
Length
75,000 to 85,000 words
Primary audience
Women of color, ages 30 to 45
Status
Proposal stage, manuscript in active development
Target launch
April, timed to Black Maternal Health Week and National Infertility Awareness Week
Comparable titles
Expecting Better, Pregnant While Black, Choosing Family

Read the proposal or get in touch

The full proposal includes sample chapters and a complete chapter outline.

Read the full proposal

valencia.parker@vshventures.com
313-717-4917
Detroit, MI