iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 5h

This was me before my book launch party last week (and also before every major event where I will be perceived)

4 panel comic
1: shoot... I'm really hot (woman in overall dress holding arms out and looking sweaty)
2: whimper. why am I so hot? (Cooling off pits in car with air vents)
3: someone help me. (Woman melting in car) Speech bubble coming from off screen: you didn't need the A/C. You'll dry off faster with normal air!
4: shut up! It's psychological!!! (Woman going red monster face and yelling at scared husband)

Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 29/09/2026

Live Snake Storytime! This Sat, Oct 3 @3pm, Central Berkeley Library. If you know a kid (or adult 😁) who likes snakes or Greek Mythology, this might be the event for you. This is my last launch event for Medusa's Pet Rock, so hope to see you there!❤️ berkeleypubliclibrary.libnet.info/event/16834545

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 27/09/2026

Help, I accidentally reserved my own book at Barnes and Noble. On a scale of 1-10, how badly do I need to hide in a hole?

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 26/09/2026

@grahseeya.bsky.social my daughter wanted you to know that she thinks your books are "amazingly delicious" 📚👍

Two of Anna Gracia's books, The Misdirection of Fault Lines and Boys I Know

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BrianMcLachlan @brianmcl.com · 22/09/2026

Graphic novel pals, feel free to suggest me to your agent (if you like working with them), as I am back on the querying grind with a graphic novel that would be a perennial selling YA/adult follow up to my award-winning book on comics, that is still in print (3rd or 4th printing)?

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 24/09/2026

Eat these cookies at Mrs Dalloway's! Tonight!!! 6:30pm!

3 Lumpy the pet rock cookies sit on a cobalt blue plate. Next to the plate, the picture book MEDUSA'S PET ROCK by Steph Lau

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Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @mayor.nyc.gov · 24/09/2026

Never been to the opera before? Now’s your chance. We’re giving away 70,000 free tickets to the @metopera at the iconic Lincoln Center. Go to on.nyc.gov/opera to enter the lottery. There’s not a bad seat in the house.

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 24/09/2026

Paid over 75 bucks to fill up my tank today 🙃

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 23/09/2026

Slowly amassing an army of pet rock cookies for tomorrow's book launch party!

Many unbaked pet rock cookies, that have a goofy smiling face and prominent butt crack

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 22/09/2026

Happy #bookbirthday to MEDUSA'S PET ROCK! @harperkids.bsky.social Lumpy celebrated by meeting up with his pet rock friends & Cole aka The Collective of Eyeballs, at his local bookstore @mrmoppsbooks.bsky.social. He helped the author sign books/hide some stickers & then had an impromptu storytime!

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でんか @k-hermit.com · 22/09/2026

ヤドカリがアイデンティティを取り戻した

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ProPublica @propublica.org · 22/09/2026

NEW: In late 2024, FBI investigators had enough evidence to launch a sweeping bribery probe that could ensnare top lawmakers, including Sen. Susan Collins. Then Trump was reelected and eviscerated the FBI and DOJ teams handling public corruption probes.

propublica.org

The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way

After the FBI caught a defense contractor’s CEO making illegal campaign contributions, it sought to launch a sweeping political bribery probe involving Collins and others. Then the second Trump admini...

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Reposted by Steph Lau (she/her)

H. McGill @hannahcomb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This Friday at 5pm Pacific: We're hosting a playtest party for our casual 4-player party game, Volcango! Play in browser, or iOS/Android app. To join the playtest, hop into our discord party: discord.gg/MyPCEaGW?eve... #art #animation #game #gamedev #indie #dinosaur #paleoart #animal #discord

youtube.com

Volcango Trailer

YouTube video by Chromokun

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 22/09/2026

One more day till MEDUSA'S PET ROCK launches! I'll be swinging by @mrmoppsbooks.bsky.social tm morning to sign books, so if you wanted a signed, personalized copy and/or a Medusa sticker, now is the time! moppsbooks.com/list/medusas...

A copy of the picture book MEDUSA'S PET ROCK by Steph Lau, along with a Post-it that says "1 more day...", a spiky Medusa shooting lasers out of her eyes sticker, and a Lumpy the pet rock pillow

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 21/09/2026

I played 3 hrs of pickleball cause I was trying to work off my nervous book launch energy, and I regret to inform you that I may have overdone it

static.klipy.com

Completely Exhausted

Alt: Completely Exhausted

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ᴡᴇ ʙᴜɪʟᴛ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴄɪᴛʏ @webuiltthiscity.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This genuinely made me laugh out loud today

HOW AM I DRIVING?
HOW DOES AN ENGINE EVEN WORK?
HOW CAN A LOVING GOD CAUSE SUCH AGONY

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 20/09/2026

I'm the one on the right. The one on the left is who the clothing companies make jeans for

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 20/09/2026

Thanks everyone who came out to Fairyland Book Fest today ♥️ Loved seeing all your pet rocks! If you missed me, I'm doing 2 more events: 🪨9/24 @6:30pm, Mrs. Dalloway's: silly prizes + a craft talk on the making of MEDUSA'S PET ROCK 🐍10/3 @3pm @berkeleypubliclibrary.org Central: Live snake storytime!

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 17/09/2026

You know what's better than butts, rocks, and plants? A butt rock plant! This is a lithops (aka living stone succulent) and is one of several rock-themed prizes I'm giving away at my book launch next Thurs 9/24, at Mrs. Dalloway's @6:30pm! Registration link: www.eventbrite.com/e/steph-laus...

A green lithops in a pot, surrounded by purple tissue paper. In the background, Medusa's Pet Rock by Steph Lau

Event flyer for Mrs Dalloway's. Steph will give a short presentation about mythological inspirations and the prices of turning a villain into a hero, followed by a read aloud, Q&A, book signing and rock themed prizes!

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 17/09/2026

I'll be going through pitches and giving feedback next Monday ✌️

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 15/09/2026

One of my annual goals (especially now that I do art for a living) is to find a new art thing to play with. This year I wanted to try stop motion (which I've learned now is a pita and prob easier with special rigs). Anyway, MEDUSA'S PET ROCK is out next week 😎 Order link: stephlaubooks.com/medusa

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 15/09/2026

12yo: Syphilis? Isn't that the guy who has to keep rolling the rock?

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 14/09/2026

Children's Fairyland THIS SATURDAY! I'm tabling from 10-11:20am. Come by and make your own 🪨❤️pet rock❤️🪨, check out early Medusa drafts, and get early copies of MEDUSA'S PET ROCK! I've also got a couple other Bay Area events, so hope to see you at one 😎 stephlaubooks.com/events

Children's Fairyland 2026 Children's Book Festival

A pet rock says: "Come to this event if you wanna design your own pet rock!"

699 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland CA
Saturday, Sept 19 @10-11:20am

Meet author-illustrator Steph Lau and see artifacts from the publication process. Visitors can design and adopt a pet rock, as well as purchase signed copies of Medusa's Pet Rock.

stephlaubooks.com/events

Medusa's Pet Rock Launch Events

In addition to the Children's Fairyland event, there is one at Mrs. Dalloway's on Thurs Sept 24 @6:30pm. This is a short presentation about mythological inspirations and turning a villain into a hero. There will be rock-themed prizes.

Another event at Central Berkeley Library on Saturday Oct 3 @3pm. Live Snake Storytime involves a read-aloud of MEDUSA'S PET ROCK, followed by live snakes from the East Bay Vivarium.

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 14/09/2026

Milestone: Broke my first pickleball

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 13/09/2026

Amazing. Now imagine inside is also chicken. Chicken Knight. All hail Chicken Knight.

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 10/09/2026

Another day, another artist crying cause they loathe self-promotion. It turns out there are reasons we use Canva (that is, cause my handwriting is atrocious). Anyway, buy my book and stuff. it's Medusa, but she's in elementary school and keeps zapping the class pets. Sale through end of Friday.

a janky handwritten ad for the barnes and noble 25% off preorder sale. Use code PREORDER25.

"I get bored of posting the same Canva over and over so here's something different..."
sad artist steph says, "I gotta promote this again???"

Medusa's Pet Rock by Steph Lau launching 9/22/26

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 10/09/2026

Dang, I've never been to school in New York but I want one

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 09/09/2026

WTH Photoshop?! Shoving random buttons in the prime brush selection spot! PSA for anyone supremely annoyed about this: you can turn it off under Window>AI Assisted Editor

Photoshop being dumb and taking up real estate with AI garbage

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 09/09/2026

Cover design process for my picture book MEDUSA'S PET ROCK (which omg, is coming out in just 2 weeks 😱) #kidlitart

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 04/09/2026

In which, I've turned into a bacterium

Screenshot of an email. The bot spammer has misspelled my name as "Staph" and forgotten to take out the [Book Title] placeholder

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 03/09/2026

Happy #kidlitartpostcard day! I'm Steph, an author-illustrator who enjoys stories with misfits, mischief, and found family. My 2nd PB, Medusa's Pet Rock (@harperkids.bsky.social) comes out in 2.5 weeks! Rep: @allielevick.bsky.social Portfolio: www.stephlaubooks.com

a classroom guidelines poster in the vein of Goofus and Gallant.

In the first box: Good Medusa.
Medusa points to herself with a thumb and says "I ALWAYS wear my glasses!" while a classmates smiles

In the second box: Bad Medusa
Medusa has taken off her red safety glasses, causing a bzzzaaap! to turn her classmate into stone. She says, "Whoops!"

www.stephlaubooks.com

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 01/09/2026

I do so like feeling clever! Booklist had some nice things to say about my 2nd picture book, 🐍🪨MEDUSA'S PET ROCK🐍🪨 Comes out 9/22/26 from @harperkids.bsky.social :) Pre-order links and more info: www.stephlaubooks.com/medusa

a meme setup with the scene from Jurassic Park, but instead of the dino, it's the picture book, MEDUSA'S PET ROCK by Steph Lau, lurking in the foliage. Bottom image says "Clever Book"

"This clever picture book reimagines the Medusa myth through the eyes of a school-age girl whose legendary gaze makes her an outcast among her classmates." - Booklist

"A satisfying message about self-worth and recognizing strengths that may initially seem like flaws. Expressive illustrations enhance the humor and heart throughout." - Booklist

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 31/08/2026

FYI: New Covid shots are now available for scheduling

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 28/08/2026

First trade review for 🐍🪨MEDUSA'S PET ROCK🐍🪨 is in, and it's a positive one! Kirkus did kvetch about how I didn't draw noses on my characters, but they also used the words "inspired", "amusing", "intriguing", & "spry" - so we're gonna take the win!😂 www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews... #kidlit

KIRKUS REVIEWS
"The premise is inspired... an amusing and intriguing introduction to one of the most memorable figures from Greek mythology"

There's a cover for MEDUSA'S PET ROCK by Steph Lau, as well as a photo of Lumpy (the pet rock from said book). He is a slightly pear shaped rock with a smiling face drawn on it, and has a prominent butt crack.

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 28/08/2026

Bunny always looks like a marmot or a gopher when his ears are hiding

A worm eye view of a brown bunny. His ears are not visible. A woman behind him in a UCLA sweater smiles

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Reposted by Steph Lau (she/her)

Charlene Chua @charlenedraws.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

#KidLitArt chat is tonight!

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 26/08/2026

You may recognize Lumpy the Pet Rock from some of his iconic roles, including Shark and Trojan Rock. If you want even more Lumpy shenanigans, my picture book MEDUSA'S PET ROCK comes out 9/22/26 from @harperkids.bsky.social. Preorders & library requests appreciated! 🐍⚡🪨 stephlaubooks.com/medusa

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 24/08/2026

Name your favorite Disney princess (wrong answers only)

Gideon the Ninth cover. A lady with skull face paint walks away from collapsing skeletons, while holding a big ass sword

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 21/08/2026

Medusa's Pet Rock comes out in a month, and I'm doing some Bay Area events (including at Mrs. Dalloway's, Fairyland, and the Berkeley Library)! Hope to see you at one or all of them. www.stephlaubooks.com/events

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 21/08/2026

12yo: :flails around on the floor groaning: Is this how you feel all the time cause you're old?

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Lune 🐈‍⬛ @lune.monster · 13/08/2026

Stole this from the comments because this shit shouldn't be behind a paywall.

Crucially, the GLOVE has limitations, chief among them that for the device to work effectively and deliver its restraining pain shock, it must come into contact with the subject's bare skin. According to Compliant Technologies, the gloves won't work through dry clothing or thick hair. The gloves will work, however, if the subject is wearing thin, wet clothing, such as soaked T-shirts or blouses. The GLOVE also does not like being dunked in water and will likely be rendered inoperable if this happens.

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Steph Lau (she/her) @stephlaubooks.com · 12/08/2026

Lumpy the Pet Rock is so famous, we were lucky to get him for MEDUSA'S PET ROCK. You might know him from iconic roles such as: The Big 6$$ Boulder, Wilson, The Boom Box, Rock Number 2, and of course, The Palantir.

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