Introduction

Start here ☕️

Welcome to Studio Tea, a behind-the-scenes look at my work as a kids book creator.

Why Studio Tea?

1. I’ll be spilling the tea about my projects.

2. I’m drinking tea right now. Are you?

3. My name sounds like cockney rhyming slang for tea (Rosie Lee).

This is where I’ll share updates, tips for aspiring kids book creators, recommendations and resources.

I hope you’ll join me ☕️ 🍪

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Here’s the introduction.

This is me when I was a kid:

This is me now:

still favouring a black boilersuit..

And this is what I look like when I’m drawing:

say hello to herbie

I was born in Portsmouth UK in 1986. When I was 10 the Spice Girls were number 1, my favourite film was Clueless and I read The Secret Garden for the first time. Lucky me. Girl Power ✌🏻

At this time I remember making a book at school. It was about a dog that walked on two legs and carried a packed lunch on his back. My teacher told me that she read it to the younger classes and they all laughed. I panicked. It wasn’t supposed to be funny.. I thought. Clearly I was wrong because of course a dog walking on two legs and carrying food on their back is funny, but I was fascinated and the idea that I might one day try to be an author and illustrator stayed with me.

Nevertheless..

Here is a chronological list of jobs I had before I did anything about it:

• hairdresser’s assistant

• cleaner

• waitress

• bar staff at Fratton Park, home of Portsmouth FC (this was my favourite job)

• LUSH shop manager

• mum (still have this job, also a favourite)

• freelance illustrator and graphic designer

• small business owner

• children’s book designer

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I’m writing this on New Year’s Eve. Next year is a big year as my first books as an author & illustrator will be published by Puffin. I cycle between a healthy detachment and a deep obsession with the whole process. I hope you don’t mind if I talk about it sometimes.

Books and news.

I can’t wait to tell you about how I got the idea and WHAT HAPPENED NEXT, but that needs its own newsletter..

Happy New Year!

Rose