Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

Congratulations to Maryann Lawrence on the release of Lily Pond

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

Like a lot of my stories, it started with a phrase. “Once upon a springtime” is the opening to Lily Pond. I have no idea where that came from, but it does echo classic children’s literature, which I try to emulate in my stories. Nature finds its way into a lot of my children’s work, too, so it’s no surprise where that opening sentence led me.

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book?

Two things, I think. One is the aliveness of the natural world – the willow tree tickles, the rain sings and, of course, Lily Pond bubbles with laughter. The second thing is that change is neutral. It is neither good nor bad. So, we may look at the pond drying up and say what a shame, but then we look at the clouds and see how lovely they are. And then the clouds rain down, and we say what a shame again and, finally, ponds form and flowers bloom and we are back to how lovely.

What was the most difficult part of writing this book?

Even though I have other books, this was the first that I worked on with a professional children’s book editor (shout out to Kristin Batterton). After she read it, she said, you know, this pond needs to have more agency. I thought that was a good idea and I started playing around with it. We went back and forth several times and in the end, I had a pond that was negotiating with the sun. It was an awful story. And, worse, it didn’t even sound like me: I had overedited and lost my voice. So I decided no, the pond doesn’t need more agency. She needs to feel the frustration and helplessness of unwanted change same as everyone else because, in the end, that’s what the story of Lily Pond is about.

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it?

A write-up in The Mitten, for one! I am also angling for a table at a couple of book festivals this year and have been in contact with libraries and book shops around Michigan in hopes they will let me do a reading. Since my illustrator lives in the UP, I have reached out to a couple of stores in Marquette. Marketing and promoting are all new territory to me, so I am kind of fumbling in the dark, but I have high hopes.

The book itself will be available for individual purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart and Bookshop.org. Since this is a self-published book through Ingram Spark, the book will also be available through independent bookstores after May 11, which is the publication date. Which happens to be my granddaughter’s birthday and, yes, that was on purpose.

You can also order a copy from my website maryannlawrence.net via Buy me a Coffee.

What's next for you?

Well, I am nothing if not prolific: I have a cache of children’s books in various stages of completion, mostly picture books, three of which I am currently pitching. I also have a few early readers and chapter books that need revising and editing. And the ideas just keep coming. Honestly, it would be great to find an agent who connects with my work so I can concentrate on what I do best, which is writing.

More about the book . . .

A little pond in the woods delights in the children who come to play. When a drought sets in, she must face an uncertain future. Lily Pond is a story of love, change, and the wonder of the natural world.

Published by: Self-published, Mad Mama Publishing

Illustrated by: Glenn Ernest Becker

More about the author . . .

Maryann Lawrence is the author of Season of the Great Bird and Uneventful, with two forthcoming books: the children’s picture book Lily Pond, to be released in May 2026, and the poetry collection Where I Lay Nostalgia to Rest, forthcoming in June 2026.

Her poetry, short stories, and essays have appeared in literary journals, magazines, and small presses, and she is the managing editor of the literary journal The Dolomite Review. She lives in an historic mansion in Bay City, Michigan, with her husband, son, and a watchful German Shepherd named Marley.

She shares poetry and essays on Substack under her own name.

Instagram: @mlawre18

https://www.facebook.com/MaryannChircoLawrence