Creative Arcana 008. Tawny Lara
Tarot pulls & Dry January chats with author, podcaster, and journalist Tawny Lara.
Hi little coven. Quick reminder before we dive in that I’m teaching a Healing the Inner Critic Through Shadow Work workshop with the
TODAY and there’s still time to sign up. Grab your ticket and get 15% off with LWSFRIEND15. (A replay will be available!)Creative Arcana is a semi-regular series on
featuring interviews with writers, artists, and makers about their creative lives, projects, and processes. The line of questioning will be informed by a series of tarot card pulls.
In October of last year, right around the time I launched this very publication here on Substack, a headline by Tawny Lara drew attention: My Book Was a #1 New Release on Amazon. And I’m Broke.
I could relate. My first book, The Tarot Spreads Yearbook, had hit shelves earlier that year and rose, briefly, to a coveted #1 Hot New Release slot in the Divination category. Tawny’s piece broke down why she was taking action to paywall some of her content on this site — a not-dissimilar move to the I was making myself — in order to create a more sustainable income in the changeable publishing industry. Reading it made me feel seen, and though I’d been following Tawny’s work for a while in the lead-up to this piece, the heightened sense of camaraderie I felt after reading it has stuck with me ever since.
We’d actually connected for the first time almost a year earlier, through our shared interest in the tarot, and thanks to the recommendation of Mariana Louis, an expert in tarot & archetypal psychology who happened to think we’d get along. We do!
Tawny writes about mindful drinking culture, as well as the realities of working as creative today. As someone who doesn’t consciously abstain from alcohol, but has, over the last few years, dramatically scaled back my consumption, I’ve always found Tawny’s observations on sober living to be thought-provoking and compelling - I love the way her work straddles the line between thoughtful, compelling storytelling and practical advice.
So, when she reached out to me about her latest publication, THE SOBRIETY DECK, co-created with Lisa Smith (her cohost on the Recovery Rocks podcast), I knew it was time to bring Tawny in for a Creative Arcana interview.
Here’s Tawny on what experimenting with sobriety has been like for her and how it led her to publishing the deck:
My sobriety journey began as a social experiment. I knew I had a problematic relationship with booze, but the thought of saying I’ll give up alcohol forever scared the hell out of me. So, on my 30th birthday, I decided to give up alcohol for a full year to see how a clear mind impacted my writing and creativity. I started a blog to hold myself accountable for my writing practice and sober year. Within a few months, I noticed I was writing more than ever, connecting with people worldwide, and even getting some freelance writing work. Fast forward to today, I’m now 9 years sober, and I’ve published a book, a card deck, and launched a non-alcoholic spirit with my husband.
To learn a bit more about Tawny, The Sobriety Deck, and how her sobriety journey and creative process intersect, I brought my own cards to the table in this Tarot-led interview…
The Hierophant. This card depicts a spiritual guide, and broadly speaks to the social and cultural systems that impact, guide (and misguide), and define the way we live our lives.
My take on this card is that it can represent systems that oppress or limit us, OR it can represent us ourselves as we step out of the influence of those systems into the role of leading ourselves.
Can you share your experience of navigating helpful or harmful social/cultural systems?
Society has this idea of addiction that permeates in media, film and television, and in our social circles. I always thought sobriety happened once someone hit rock bottom—after they lost everything and were living on the street because that’s how addiction is depicted on screen.
I think Ruby Warrington coining the term sober curious quite literally changed the world. She gave people like me (and countless others) language that felt approachable and inclusive rather than “needing” to identify as an alcoholic and attend 12-step meetings. Sober curious also lets people reevaluate their relationship with booze before hitting the proverbial rock bottom. Her work saves lives!
King of Swords. A card signifying decisiveness, the drive to do the right thing, and the way our decisions transform us.
Can you share about a transformative decision you’ve made in your creative life?
Mariana Louis often refers to the story of Excalibur when she pulls King of Swords, channeling discernment, a clear-cut yes or no.
One of my life mottos is, “If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no.” I know that advice doesn’t apply to every life situation, but that motto is very much King of Swords' energy to me. This card prompts me to question what I’m ambivalent about or what edits I need to make.
Three of Pentacles. A card about collaboration and community.
The Sobriety Deck was a creative collaboration. Can you speak specifically about what is was like co-authoring it with Lisa Smith?
Writing a book is a lonely, solitary process. Writing this card deck with my bestie/cohost was truly a breath of fresh air! We spent hours on Zoom while working in a shared Google Doc.
This was my first time writing with a partner, and I freaking loved it! We’ve been close for nearly a decade, so we know how to work with each other and communicate clearly, which makes working together a breeze.
An author byline and longstanding friendship isn’t the only thing Tawny and Lisa share — a love for tarot is another. Tawny told me:
We frequently text each other pictures of our spreads. We both read books about tarot and even take tarot classes together.
Death. A card about confronting, accepting, and moving through change.
Can you share a little bit about what this image brings up for you?
I weirdly love the Death card and Tower card. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been through hell and back, so seeing these haunting images feels more freeing than scary.
Maybe it’s because my recovery and mental health practices help me take life one day at a time. I know I’ll survive whatever comes my way because I’ve survived what already came my way.
Every time I see this card, I see something different. That’s really what I find beautiful about tarot: the subjectivity of it all. I see tarot cards as art, open to objective interpretation while also honoring the historic symbolism.
Temperance. A card about alchemising our experiences, moving beyond the change of the Death card and into a new kind of life and way of being.
I love seeing this come up right after the Death card, and of course, the word itself has links to sobriety in the Temperance movement.
What do you make of it?
Well this card is perfect, given the history of the temperance movement! To me this card represents sobriety, even down to the imagery. The figure pours liquid from cup to cup while also standing in water. Life is fluid. Sobriety is fluid. Sexuality is fluid.
I asked Tawny if she had any final thoughts, and she shared some evergreen advice:
Readers, please be kind to yourself and others. Ask questions or Google a topic rather than making immediate judgments.
She also kindly sang my praises and because in 2025 I’m trying to buy into my own hype more, I’ll share her words with you:
I’m obsessed with your Tarot for Creativity book! I use it regularly and think everyone should own it :)
I, for one, hope that everyone reading considers owning a copy of Tawny’s new offering, THE SOBRIETY DECK and using it regularly. I know I will be as I navigate my own fluid relationship with sobriety.
THE SOBRIETY DECK is a 50-card deck offering guidance and inspiration for anyone rethinking their relationship with alcohol. Thoughtful and understanding but packed with personality, it’s the perfect companion deck for anyone who is exploring what sobriety has to offer them.
Many thanks to Tawny Lara for trusting me and my cards throughout this interview.
Check out more from Tawny below:
Sober Sex + Dating Book: Order Here
Sobriety Card Deck: Order Here
Non-Alc Spirit: drinkparentheses.com
Writing + PR Classes: Course Schedule Here
Podcast: Recovery Rocks on Apple + Spotify
Join the conversation in the comments:
What did this interview bring up for you? I’d love to know:
What are your own answers to the card-prompted questions I asked Lucy?
How might you look to these cards as a means of reflecting on your own relationship with sobriety?
Anything else you’d like to share
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Thanks for reading x
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This is one of my all time favorite interviews! Love your work so much 🫶🏽