Bell Jar Butterfly: A Family’s Mental Health Journey

Lauren Green has always been a voracious reader and inspired writer. She wrote her first (not yet published) book titled The Pepperoni Spumoni Junk Food Pizza when she was in the second grade. In 2006, she was published in Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans and The Gates: Opening the World of Words when her poem was selected as a standout piece among the sixth-grade students across Missouri.

Since then, Lauren’s love of literature has only grown, and her desire to pursue a career in that field led her to study English writing and mass communication at Rockhurst University where she graduated number one in her class with dual degrees. During her time at Rockhurst, she was published in the 2014 and 2016 editions of Infectus, and she jumpstarted her career by working for various publishers and content creators starting from the time she was still a student.

After gathering the experience and expertise necessary to strike out on her own, Lauren started her own editing business, WriteWell, where she still serves as the founder and executive editor. With over a decade of professional experience, she has edited over twenty-five trade manuscripts and more than fifty children’s books in her role as director of author services with leading publisher Ballast Books.

As a result of growing up in a household rife with mental illness, as described in Bell Jar Butterfly, Lauren has a deep passion for promoting mental health. She has devoted much of her time to sharing resources related to mental health in her community and teaching classes that help eradicate the stigma and foster empathy and understanding for those living with mental illness.

Lauren lives in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband, Jordan; daughter, Annesley; and Australian shepherd, Harper Lee.