It took three years, but when husband-wife duo Laurabree and Keith Monday released their first picture book, Weathering the Storm, they say it was worth the wait. Once they published, they started the real work: marketing. They even got their kids in on their marketing efforts, teaching them valuable lessons along the way.
What inspired their story, and how are they spreading the word? Keep reading to find out.
Let’s get started learning about you. Who are Laurabree and Keith Monday?
First and foremost, we’re Mom and Dad to two amazing humans. Ethan is in marching band in high school and Lilah is dancing her way through middle school. So, on top of promoting our book and two full-time jobs, the family calendar stays plenty full.
Our story began in television news. Laurabree grew up in the New York/New Jersey area, while Keith’s roots are around St. Louis. We met at our first TV jobs in Texas and spent years moving around the country for our jobs.
Today, Keith is the morning meteorologist for Charlotte’s ABC affiliate, WSOC-TV, and Laurabree is a former longtime news reporter and anchor who now serves as the public information officer for a large school district. Together, we are Emmy Award-winning storytellers who have spent our careers helping people stay informed and connected.
After many adventures, we put down roots in the Charlotte area, where we’ve spent nearly twenty years building a family, careers, and plenty of stories worth sharing.
Tell us a bit about Weathering the Storm. What is it about and what inspired you to write your book?
Weathering the Storm is a children’s book about overcoming fears through knowledge. As a meteorologist, Keith spent years visiting schools and teaching kids about weather. He would tell his story about how he was terrified of storms as a child. Laurabree could see how the children responded and often commented that Keith’s story would make a great children’s book.
One day, she picked up a pen, and together they created a story to help children understand that learning more can make scary things a little less scary.
Who is your target audience, and what do you hope readers get out of your book?
Our target audience is elementary-aged children (give or take) and the adults who read with them. We also hope the book creates opportunities for families, teachers, and caregivers to have important conversations about weather and facing challenges together.
The illustrations Thomas Berkau created for your book are so full of life. How did you find him, how do you feel he captured your vision for your book, and how was the process of working with him?
We found our illustrator through a connection that came full circle in the most unexpected way.
Before we had kids, we connected with a local author at the Southern Christmas Show in Charlotte. She was selling her book, which was illustrated by her brother, Thomas.
When we began working on Weathering the Storm, we spoke with several illustrators, but none of them quite matched the vision we had for the book. Laurabree decided to reach back out to that author from years ago just for general guidance. She shared that her brother was still doing illustrations, and we connected with him.
Thomas developed a sample page early on, and it was beautiful right from the start. From there, it became a true collaboration. We made adjustments along the way, and he was always open to feedback, often making changes that either matched our vision or improved on it in ways we hadn’t considered.
It was a long process, especially since Thomas was also in graduate school at the time, but it was absolutely worth the journey. The final result captured exactly what we hoped Weathering the Storm would feel like.
Now that your book is published, how will you measure whether it’s a success? What is your goal for your story?
A big part of what we’re thinking about now is how this book actually gets used.
We’d love to see Weathering the Storm in classrooms, paired with simple tools that help teachers talk about science in a way that feels relatable and engaging for kids. For parents, we hope it opens the door to conversations about fears, especially around weather, and gives families an easy way to talk through those moments together.
On the practical side, we also had to think through how to bring the book to life physically. We used two printing routes: working through self-publishing channels, including IngramSpark, with the help of Argyle Fox Publishing. Those books are printed in Tennessee on demand and can be found on websites like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. We also chose to self-print hardcover copies. We printed 5,000 overseas because the cost simply couldn’t be matched domestically.
Right now, that means we’ve got boxes of books tucked all around our house, which still makes us laugh. So, success would be selling all those copies, but more than anything, it feels like a real win to have them in hand. We’re hopeful this is just the beginning, with the opportunity to print again and reach even more families in the future.
What are you doing to market your book and let folks know it is available?
We’re still in the early stages of getting the book out into the world, but we’ve been intentional about meeting families where they already are.
We’ve participated in several festivals, with more scheduled, and have also done a mix of events—some we’ve organized ourselves and others we’ve joined, like local firehouse story times. We’ve also found our way into libraries, independent bookstores, gift stores, and children’s museums. Getting into those spaces takes a lot of boots-on-the-ground effort, but when people meet you and the product connects, many are receptive and open to it. In our case, we certainly recognize having a familiar face in the community helps, but as we branch beyond the Charlotte area, it will be interesting to see how the book lands.
We’re active on social media, mainly Facebook and Instagram, sharing events, updates, and behind-the-scenes moments. We keep reminding ourselves this is a marathon, not a sprint.
What feedback have you received so far on your book?
The feedback so far has been really encouraging. Everyone who reads Weathering the Storm seems to love it, and the best part has been seeing photos of kids reading it, whether they’re sitting at kitchen counters or tucked into bed flipping through the pages.
Those moments are what mean the most to us, knowing the story is actually landing with families the way we hoped it would.
What did you learn about the publishing experience that surprised you?
We quickly realized the percentages in traditional publishing just didn’t make it worth it for us. More importantly, we would lose ownership of our book, so we shifted our focus.
We were fortunate to connect with a lot of the right people, but it took real energy on the front end. We spoke with dozens of people who had been through the process before us, and virtually every decision or partnership we’ve made came through a recommendation from someone we connected with along the way.
We felt printing the books ourselves gave us a better shot at eventually becoming profitable, which would be a nice bonus. But more than anything, it’s been a lesson in staying connected and learning as we go. We’ve also been struck by how generous people are with their time. So many have been willing to share their experiences, offer advice, and genuinely help us along the way.
What would you say to other children’s book writers who have a story they’re considering publishing but aren’t sure whether they should make it happen?
What we’d tell other children’s authors is simple: Go for it. Get out of your comfort zone and find the right people. We started by taking our digital copy into schools before we ever printed, which was incredibly helpful for feedback and refining the book. Finding the illustrator was probably one of the hardest parts, and it’s a key piece to really think through. If you don’t have the ability to handle the picture side yourself, that’s definitely another layer to plan for both from a cost and time perspective.
Do you have another book up your sleeve? If so, can you give us a sneak preview of what it’s about and when you plan to present it to the world?
Maybe one day, but right now our focus is very much on this project. It took about three years from the initial idea to having the finished book in hand, so we’re being thoughtful about where we take it next.
We’re excited to see how far Weathering the Storm can go. We’d especially love to explore more STEM education spaces and find ways to connect the story to learning in classrooms and community settings.
We’re always open to ideas and opportunities, so if people have suggestions, we’d genuinely love to hear from you. Also, we’re happy to be a resource for others. If we can be of any help, feel free to reach out.
Where can readers find you online?
You can find us at MondayWeather.com. We’re also on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love for you to follow along with our adventures and join us on the journey.
Is there anything else the world should know about you or your writing?
We have made this in some ways a family project and love the lesson it’s given our kids—that any success takes hustle. They’ve carried tents and banners, sat outside in the heat with us, and waited to speak with store owners. We’ve tried to explain, If you don’t ask, the answer is already no; if you do ask, there’s a chance. We hope those lessons and experiences are something they will carry with them.
Love it! Thank you for sharing, and here’s to success!