What’s it like to have your identity shattered by a family secret, and put back together in radical new ways? How does our DNA connect us? How do you navigate relationships which transcend our limited language of family?

Lauren Burns takes us deep within the triple helix of the DNA, experience and psychology that makes us who we are.

Join Lauren Burns on her incredible journey from the shock of discovering she wasn’t who she thought she was, to the epic search to crack her donor code C11 and change the law, leading to the surprise discovery that she is the granddaughter of a famous Australian writer, and the ongoing journey to realign her identity and find her place within both families.

Genetic bewilderment, identity confusion, anxiety over unknowingly dating half-siblings, incomplete medical history, and the denial of the right to know a biological parent are just some of the everyday issues facing many donor-conceived people. Lauren Burns examines the question, What input should people born from assisted reproduction technology have on regulating an industry that is growing ever larger, more global and commercialised?

Writing a memoir is like walking a tightrope of truth and discretion. Lauren Burns discusses how she figured out her core truths and the art of compromise.

Transcribing your diaries is not a memoir! After a terrible first draft Lauren explains how she rewrote her memoir as a novel, paying attention to the story arc, pacing, and character development.

Lauren Burns signed the deal for her first book in the middle of a global pandemic when she was seven months pregnant, and completed the structural and copy edits while caring for a new baby. Lauren discusses how she mixed pregnancy and care with creativity.

Lauren Burns has worked globally in high-impact start-up companies designing zero emissions electric aircraft, and is a sought after mentor and role model to inspire people, particularly women and girls, to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths).