July 16, 2012

Interview with Author Tanya Hanson

Today I have an interview with Tanya Hanson, who is a fellow author with me at The Wild Rose Press.  And we were together at the publisher's retreat a couple of years ago at the Silver Spur dude ranch in Texas.

Tanya, tell us a littl about yourself.

I’m a California beach girl happily married to my personal hero (firefighter and cancer survivor). We’ve got two grown kids, who are the best thing I’ve ever done, and two little grandsons who totally obsess us. I love travel, country music, Hallmark movies, and McDonald’s iced coffee. I don’t like to cook, am terrified of down escalators, am a proud Defender of Wildlife, and I volunteer at our local horse rescue. Spending the Fourth of July keeping Amigo calm during the fireworks was the best way to spend Independence Day!


Sounds like a busy life. And as a grandmother myself, I understand the obsession! When you decide to become a writer?
I’ve wanted to be a writer since the first time I read LITTLE WOMEN when I was eight years old.

I love LITTLE WOMEN.  It was one of the first books I bought with my very own money. I remember going to the bookstore and drooling over it for months before finally purchasing it.  Can you tell us about your road to publishing?
I procrastinated for far too long. Finally with the kids off to college, my hubby said, you better start finding out how to get published. Amazingly, one of my teaching colleagues was a pubbed romance author who directed me to Romance Writers of America and our local chapter. At the first meeting, I met best-selling author Charlene Sands, now one of my best friends and greatest inspirations. She really helped me get my start with critique and tons of handholding. And still does!

Tells us a little about your current book. What inspired you to write it?
SOUL FOOD is the fifth in eight contracted novellas in the inspirational Hearts Crossing Ranch series at Pelican Book Group. All are set on a ranch in modern-day Colorado. The heroine, Kelley Martin, is based a little on my niece Kelley...they are both vegetarians. Yet neither Kelley is “judgmental against carnivores”, as book-Kelley always says. The setting, a city slicker wagon train, is based on a real-life wagon train trip I took with my hubby recently around the Tetons. It is still almost surreal, looking back.



Buy SOUL FOOD here.

It’s amazing how real-life helps form most of my fiction. Of course the wagon-train setting is real, and my trip not long ago to The Wild Rose Press’s retreat on a ranch in Bandera Texas helped me with so many ranch details. Even small things in the book, like blood donating--I’m a regular having donated 57 pints, turn up in my stories. And hero Jason’s simple little “butterfly kiss” came from a children’s talk during a church service.

Before we go, what project do you have coming up that you'd like to tell us about?
Book Six, ANGEL CHILD, will be out in late 2012. It features a single mom falling in love with one of the sons of Hearts Crossing Ranch but scared to reveal her disabled child. Then I’m returning to sensual historical romance for the holidays with The Wild Rose Press’s CHRISTMAS FOR RANSOM, releasing November 28, features a good-hearted, good-looking outlaw who, unbeknownst, falls for a woman whose horses he just stole. She’s the schoolmarm he’s hired to teach him to read.

And I traded in the Stetson for a prayer cap. Pelican Book Group has acquired my young adult novel. “THE CIRCLE GIRLS: ONCE UPON A WITCH” will release under my new pen name, Anya Novikov. It’s spooky and time-travel-y and has a great message that finger pointing and casting blame without personal responsibility didn’t just happen in 1692. It’s all around us.

Thanks so much for being my guest today. I always enjoy learning about how other writers take the path to being published.

Learn more about Tanya here:

http://www.tanyahanson.com/
http://www.petticoatsandpistols.com/
http://www.goodchristiancowgirl.com/ (the wordpress blog is still being born)



11 comments:

Tanya Hanson said...

Anna Kathryn, thanks so much for inviting me to your lovely blog! It's good to be here.

Linda Broday said...

Hi Tanya. Loved the interview. Congrats on the new contract. Interesting pen name. I doubt that gets confused with a porn star. LOL Wishing you lots of success. Can't wait to see you next week.

Joyce Henderson said...

Boy, you do keep yourself busy, lady! Every time you blog, I learn a little more about you. Thanks for sharing. Does Linda Broday's comment mean the two of you will be in Anaheim?

Tanya Hanson said...

Anna, I've heard from some friends that they tried to post today and couldn't gte through. Boo.

But yes, Joyce, Linda and and I are both going to Anaheim and FINALLY get to meet in person! xoxox Hope you, too!

Winnie Griggs said...

Tanya - love learning more about you and your book too - it's already on my TBR list!! Hope to see you in Anaheim!

Helen Hardt said...

Hey Tanya! Always great to see you out and about. I wish I could be in Anaheim but too much going on this summer. Have a great time!

Anna Kathryn Lanier said...

Hi, Tanya. Thanks again for being my guest today. I'm sorry people aren't able to get through. Blogger likes to be mean sometimes!

I too will be missing the trip to Anaheim, but I'm planning to go to Atlanta next year!

Tanya Hanson said...

hi Winnie, I met you in an oblique way at your pitching session in SF. I tried your hints. But I'm so glad we get to meet for real after being filly-sisters at Petticoats and Pistols.

I'm pitching to LIH and reading one of your books to get ready! xoxox

Thanks for the post today..

Tanya Hanson said...

Hi Helen, You are one busy bee, that's for sure. We've got a lot going on and at first I didn't think I could make it, but the timing did work out. You are another of those amazing cyber-friends that I ache to meet for real some day! xoxox

Thanks for coming by.

Tanya Hanson said...

hi Anna Kathryn, thanks for the invite today. I just think Blogger's captcha's get too undecipherable.

xoxox

Mary Preston said...

Lovely to hear from you Tanya!!