Wow! What a weekend weather-wise!

I hope everyone was able to stay safe and warm, and no one sustained too much damage from all the storms!

I just returned from Brazil, landing at JFK at 4:37 AM Sunday morning and barely making the usually 2 but in this case closer to 3 hour drive home before the real snow hit. Talk about getting in under the wire. But luckily I did, and the dogs and I were safely tucked in to watch the 32 (THIRTY-TWO!!!) inches of snow fall!

It’s nice to be missed 🥰

I can’t remember exactly how long it’s been, but I think about a decade since we got a snow like that!

All the more reason to really enjoy today’s debut picture book which takes place at the beach! 😊 I’m guessing quite a lot of us could use a little warmth, sand, and sunshine right about now!

Luckily, I can warm the cockles of two people’s hearts by announcing the winners of Stacy Wells’s two giveaways from last week!

The randomly selected winner of Stacy’s first giveaway – a signed copy of STRONGER THAN – is. . .

lisakdaviswriting

The randomly selected winner of Stacy’s second giveaway – winner’s choice of a picture book manuscript critique OR an AMA chat – is. . .

jesseannabornemann

Congratulations, Lisa and Jesse Anna! Please email me at your earliest convenience so I can get your giveaway prizes to you!

AND, we have a new giveaway this week from today’s debut-ess, the lovely and talented Kristin Manty! She is offering a signed copy of her debut picture book, The Substi-Tooth, and some swag! All you have to do to be the randomly selected winner of this awesome giveaway is leave a comment on today’s post by Monday February 2nd (hey! that’s Groundhog Day!) at 3 PM Eastern!

So now, let’s meet Kristin! Please join me in extending a hearty welcome!

Title: The Substi-Tooth
Author: Kristin Manty
Illustrator: Kaori Iha
Publishing House: Lawley Publishing
Date of Publication: January 27, 2026
Fiction or Nonfiction: Fiction
age range of your book: 4-8

After Austin wiggles his tooth loose at the beach, the worst happens-it goes missing! How can the tooth fairy come visit if there’s no tooth under his pillow? With new determination, Austin sets off through the sand, looking through every inch of the beach and seashore to find his lost tooth and save the day.

SUSANNA: Where did the idea for this book come from?

KRISTIN: Thank you, Susanna! This is really a full circle moment for me. While enrolled in your Making Picture Book Magic course, I was completely inspired during lesson 2. I made a list of childhood experiences, which reminded me of my son losing his first tooth in the bath. We searched all over, no bubbles left un-popped. But, it was gone. He worried the tooth fairy wouldn’t visit without a tooth under his pillow, so he wrote her a note and drew a tooth instead. His very own substi-tooth.

SUSANNA: I love that MPBM had a hand in your inspiration! That is so special! 😊 How long did it take you to write this book?

KRISTIN: I’d heard of this magical experience where stories just pour out for writers, but had never experienced it myself – until this one. The first full draft came together in 2 hours.  From first draft to submission draft, it took about 1 year.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

KRISTIN: YES! Revisions are actually my favorite part of the writing process. Some revisions were changing a word here and there, adding an entire paragraph for clarity, or completely re-writing something. My oldest son, mom and sister have always been the first to read/hear each draft. I also sent to my critique partners (so thankful for them!) a few times, paid for a critique, and won a critique through PBParty. Some critiques I used during revisions, and others I didn’t. You have to decide what resonates with you, ignoring the rest, because sometimes multiple critiques can conflict with each other. 

Kristin’s 3-year-old playing at the beach dressed as Austin from the book 😊

Once I felt like it was ready, I’d let it sit for a few days to a week. Then, I’d come back to it and would usually find more things to revise.  Here is a comparison of an older draft vs the final.

Older Draft	Final
He wiggled over waves like a ninja. He wiggled a deep dark hole. [shoveled] And then? He wiggled his tooth right out!	He battled waves like a ninja. Wiggle He dug a deep dark hole. Wiggle wiggle He flew his favorite kite. Wiggle wiggle wiggle And then? Wiggle wig— Pop! He’d wiggled his tooth right out!

SUSANNA: Wow! That is very helpful to see. Thank you for sharing! When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

KRISTIN: I didn’t really know know, but I felt like I took it as far as I could. The revisions I was making toward the end were tiny tweaks here and there.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

KRISTIN: I entered this into PBParty in 2024. I was disappointed I didn’t make finalist, but still believed in the manuscript. I submitted to a few agents, then saw a writer announce on X that his story was accepted for publication by Lawley Publishing without an agent. I had never considered submitting directly to a publisher, but couldn’t think of a reason why I shouldn’t try. Lawley is one of the few publishing houses that prefers mailed submissions, so I sent my manuscript via snail mail March 29, 2024.

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”, which these days is more likely to be “the email”?  (Best moment ever! 😊) and how did you celebrate (if you care to share 😊)

KRISTIN: I received an email from Lawley offering publication on May 14, 2024. My first response was, “Am I being scammed” because I was so conditioned for rejection and passes from this manuscript and previous ones. It didn’t feel real. After the initial shock, a wave of excitement took over.  It was a good reminder that it only takes one “yes”. My family and I celebrated with the ultimate reward . . . tacos 😊

SUSANNA: How long was it between getting your offer and getting your contract to sign?

KRISTIN: The contract was attached to the initial offer of publication email. It was surreal!

SUSANNA: Amazing! Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?

KRISTIN: I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I knew Lawley was a small house, so the advance on royalties would be less than larger houses. That wasn’t a turn off for me though, because if your book does well it could all even out in the end. In addition, I received 5 author copies. There is a sample contract to review through SCBWI, and comparatively this one seemed pretty standard. The co-owners, Carrie and Lara, were happy to answer the few questions I had and truly value the work and rights of the author. I can’t say enough nice things about the whole team at Lawley. They are wonderful!

SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?

KRISTIN: There were several rounds of revision. There wasn’t anything significant, but I did add more to the story. It was nice to have another perspective, and I agreed with the majority of her suggestions. There was one suggestion I didn’t agree with, but she completely understood and we kept as is.   

SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?

KRISTIN: This was hands down my favorite part of the process! Lawley offers a list of illustrators that are available for the author to choose from. As soon as I saw Kaori’s portfolio, I knew she was the perfect fit for this manuscript. When she sent us the main character design for Austin, I was so overwhelmed with emotion. You create this story as an author, but seeing it come together visually for the first time is indescribable. I was kept in the loop throughout the process, from initial sketches to final proofs. My heart fluttered with every update. Kaori’s incredibly talented, she brought this whole story to life in the best way.

early character design
text copyright Kristin Manty 2026, illustration copyright Kaori Iho 2026, Lawley Publishing

page 11 early sketch and page 11 final
text copyright Kristin Manty 2026, illustration copyright Kaori Iho 2026, Lawley Publishing

As far as art notes, here is a sample from my manuscript and her final illustration.

“Yuck! [Seagull poop] That is not my tooth.”

Seagull poop! Yuck, indeed! 😊
text copyright Kristin Manty 2026, illustration copyright Kaori Iha, 2026, Lawley Publishing

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc?What was that like?

KRISTIN: So far we have received a few ARC reviews, which have all come back incredibly positive!

SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

KRISTIN: I received my offer in May 2024 and my first copy on my birthday in April 2025 😊

SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

KRISTIN: I have a lot of swag including stickers, pencils, erasers, and little crab lollipops. I also created a word search, maze and journal page that will be available for download on Lawley’s website here.  I plan to do a few school author visits and a book signing at my local Barnes & Noble.

SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

KRISTIN: I starting writing seriously after my youngest was born in 2021. I focused more on the craft by taking classes like yours, joining writing communities like 12X12, and reading books like Ann Whitford Paul’s Writing Picture Books. Before I knew it, it was 2024 and I was receiving my first offer of publication.

SUSANNA: What is the most important/helpful thing you learned on your way to publication? (Or what is your most helpful piece of advice for up and coming writers?)

KRISTIN: There are so many feelings of rejection on your path to publication. It’s important to remember that it’s not personal. There are many reasons an agent may pass on a manuscript, not all of them are negative. Keep writing, the right hands for your story are out there!  And of course, ice cream always helps.

SUSANNA: That is the absolute truth! 😊 Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers!

KRISTIN: Thank you, Susanna! It was this amazing kidlit community and blogs like yours that helped me stay on the path and keep the courage to submit! I am so happy to be featured on your blog, and I appreciate all you do for writers!

SUSANNA: Readers, if you have questions for Kristin, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!

Author Kristin Manty

• Instagram: kaustinn, kaori.illustration, kidsbookswithheart
• Twitter: darkseas123, lawleypublishi1

You may purchase Kristin’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Indiebound/Bookshop.org
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by:

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

– recommending their books to our children’s teachers and librarians

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

– suggesting them as visiting authors at our children’s schools and our local libraries

– sharing their books on social media

– reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other sites where people go to learn about books.

Thank you all for stopping by to read today!  Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday!  Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 😊

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts?  Check them out HERE!