An Inspired Chat with Carrie Turley & Lara Law of Gilbert

Carrie Turley & Lara Law shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Carrie & Lara, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Stepping away from work and spending time on our own creative projects has been bringing us a lot of joy lately. Lara is deep into making Halloween décor—she’s got projects in every room from life size trees to mock fireplaces in progress—while Carrie is happily juggling the early drafts of several new books. It’s been refreshing to create just for fun again.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
We’re Carrie and Lara, the co-founders of Lawley Publishing. We started our company with one little story and a big dream—to create clean, uplifting books that families could trust and kids would love. Today, we’ve published hundreds of titles from authors and illustrators around the world, but we’re still personally involved in every single project. What makes Lawley unique is how hands-on we are; we meet with every client, collaborate closely with our design team, and bring heart to everything we do. We also built Poppenohna Land, a magical space where children can step into the world of our books—think Disneyland, but for story lovers. Right now, we’re working on expanding that immersive experience and developing new stories that help children feel seen, safe, and inspired.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Honestly, we both saw each other clearly before we even fully saw ourselves. From the beginning, we recognized strengths in one another that we hadn’t yet owned—Carrie saw Lara’s creative brilliance and big-picture vision, and Lara saw Carrie’s gift with words and her ability to connect deeply through storytelling. We encouraged each other to dream bigger and to believe that what we were building mattered.
Our husbands have also been steady voices of belief and support. They’ve cheered us on through every risk, every pivot, and every late-night idea session. Even when the path wasn’t clear, they never doubted our potential. Having that kind of trust and encouragement—both in each other and from the people who know us best—has been a huge part of why we’ve come this far.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If we could say one kind thing to our younger selves, it would be: You don’t have to have it all figured out—just keep going, stay true to what feels right, and trust that the hard parts are shaping something beautiful. There were so many moments early on when we questioned if we were capable or if anyone would care about what we were creating. But every twist, every challenge, even the doubts—all of it helped us grow into who we were meant to be. We’d remind ourselves that the journey is part of the magic.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
A cultural value we protect at all costs is the well-being and innocence of children. Everything we create—every story, every illustration, every decision—is rooted in the belief that children deserve to feel safe, seen, and inspired. We’re fiercely protective of the kind of content we publish because we know how deeply stories can shape a child’s sense of self and the world around them. Their hearts and minds are sacred ground, and we never take that responsibility lightly.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
We weren’t always doing what we were born to do—but we believe we are now. For a long time, we followed paths we thought we were supposed to take. But looking back, every experience, every challenge, and even every detour was preparing us for what we’re doing today. Building Lawley Publishing and creating meaningful stories for children feels like exactly what we were meant to do all along. It’s where our purpose, our passion, and our faith all meet.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lawleypublishing.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidsbookswithheart/
• Twitter: @LawleyPublishi1
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawleypublishing
• Youtube: @lawleypublishing2466
• Other: Pinterest – Lawley Publishing
  Youtube – Poppenohna Land video -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XceBo95_RQ

Image Credits
Zale Amaya Photography