S J Laurent

Stephanie K. Butler, aka S.J. Laurent, is a native of New Orleans who never intended to become an "expert"-just a storyteller who followed a therapeutic spark. Her debut novel, The Emerald Thread, began as a creative exercise fueled by a lifelong ove for the research and lore of her beloved hometown.
At twenty-one, she traded the bayou for the road, beginning a twenty-year journey as a military wife that took her from one end of the country to the other. Throughout thirty-five years of marriage to her husband, Leon, she has worn many hats, but her favorite roles have been as a mother to her two sons: Leon (Léo the baker) and Jordan (pronounced with a proper French flair).
Now a true empty nester, Stephanie spends her days in San Antonio, Texas, staying active in her church and occasionally disappearing down a YouTube rabbit hole. When she isn't documenting historical fashion, she can be found diamond painting for her "exclusive" audience on her YouTube channel, Diamonds and Lagniappe-which currently boasts three videos and a loyal following of three (mostly her husband and kids). She shares her home with her husband and her two beloved fur babies: Moxie, the resident crazy one, and Poppy, the house's old soul. While this marks her first foray into fiction, with her creativity finally unleashed, it likely won't be her last.