Lawley Publishing is an Arizona-based press focused on publishing books for children. Their motto is “Kids’ books with heart”, and their logo, a book with a heart in it, echoes that sentiment.
They publish children’s fiction and nonfiction picture books, early reader fiction and nonfiction chapter books, as well as middle grade fiction and nonfiction. They do not publish board books, young adult fiction or nonfiction, or books for adults.
They describe their focus as “producing clean, uplifting, inspiring children’s literature that enhances natural curiosity, empowers imagination, and ignites the magic of childhood.” They appear to have started out as a self-publishing operation but have since really expanded. There isn’t much in terms of details on their staff page, but the photo shared implies that the company has grown.
It was also hard to find out exactly when they started publishing. The oldest publication date I could see on their website was 2023, but on Amazon I found some titles published as far back as 2019. However those titles were all written by one of the founders, so perhaps the publishing house name was attached after the fact.
Their website is well laid out and easy to use. They focus on selling books rather than recruiting writers, which is also a good sign. Their general visual impression is a little dated, and the cover art really varies, but I personally found a number of the covers poorly designed.
They have an active Youtube channel with over 300 subscribers, that they use to promote their work. Some videos have received less than twenty views while others have received several hundred. They also encourage visitors to the website to sign up to their email list which is a good sign.
Based on some Amazon research some of their books get around 50 stars/reviews, but some receive a lot less. As far as I can tell they are distributed by Ingram, but if I learn more I will very much update.
They only allow submissions via the post, which is very unusual. Please do not submit anything to them electronically. They ask writers to submit a copy of the complete manuscript, a query letter, pertinent biographical information, and if you want materials returned to you, include an appropriately sized envelope with adequate postage, and a note specifying that you want it returned. Only submit copies.
They are not interested in crude, rude, or derogatory concepts or images. They are not interested in reading query letters without manuscripts. Artwork is not required for picture book submissions, but if you do have some artwork, include copies of it, not originals. Lawley Publishing reserves the right to select their own illustrator.
They stress that they are not open to queries regarding the status of a submission. Their review process takes upwards of 4-6 months to complete.
To learn more, go here.
Emily Harstone is the author of many popular books, including The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions, Submit, Publish, Repeat, and The 2024 Guide to Manuscript Publishers. She regularly teaches three acclaimed courses on writing and publishing at The Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish. You can follow her on Facebook here.
