Hi, Hello! Welcome
I’m Lauren, and I’m a picture book maker. Sometimes I just do the pictures, and sometimes I write the words too.
Welcome to my newsletter.
Why subscribe?
Tear-Water Tea is here to keep you updated on my book life and to share what it’s like to make picture books. Most posts will be available to all, but occasionally paid subscribers will get early peeks at *new* projects or get deeper dives into the grit of making books. Here are some things to possibly expect in your inbox:
Book announcements, cover reveals, peeks inside the pages!
How a book is made (it’s different every time!)
What I’m reading! (kid, adult, old and new)
Studio tours (it’s my dining room, but charming?)
Material deep dives
Q&As
Puppy pictures (she’s one, but it still counts)
Storyboarding and submission advice
Breakdowns of the pub industry
Life updates (farm and baby goats included)
And more puppy photos (with mountains? very different from the above bullet)
Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website. Never miss an update. There’s a handy substack app to, if you’re into that sort of thing.
But why is it called Tear-Water Tea?
Because it might be one of my favorite stories of all times. Owl (from Owl at Home, Arnold Lobel), decides it’s time to make tear-water tea. So he sits down and starts thinking of the saddest things possible…
It has everything: warmth, humor, mundanity. And it’s the perfect example of why I love kid’s books. So welcome to my newsletter, where we celebrate the stories that seep into our souls and admit that every once in a while we need a good deep cry.
