Meet My New Friend, Tanya Stowe!

Tanya is giving away one e-book to someone. It could be YOU! Just leave a comment and your email address. Please welcome her . . .


How long have you known that you were a writer? Did you receive a clear “call?” Or have you just loved writing all your life?

I wrote my first book when I was 11 years old! I didn’t like how one of my favorite television shows ended so I decided to re-write the ending. I would put myself to sleep each night re-writing endings and new adventures to favorite programs. At one point in my life, I wanted to be an Egyptologist, but when I realized I could write about ancient Egypt without getting dirty, I knew what I wanted to do!

Lol. Fun way to experience a lot of careers, wouldn't you say? What is the genre you write in? Would you explain what it is?

I write Inspirational Romance. Fictional romances, historical or contemporary with Christian themes and conflicts.

How do you spend your writing days? Do you set goals to reach a certain number of words per day? Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?

I’m a very slow writer. I write lots and lots of conflict and always have to go back and edit the story down so I don’t overload the reader! That’s involves many re-writes and time between edits so I can look at the story with fresh eyes. The benefit of this type of writing is great sub-plots but it also takes a time. A typical writing day for me starts early in the morning when it’s quiet. I write at least until noon. Then I’ll break, exercise which usually includes some sort of outside activity, then it’s back to the computer to work on my blogs, website, contacts…all the business of writing. I don’t set word counts for myself but I do set goals to finish scenes or chapters before I quit for the day. One thing I have found is that I don’t write well when I’m mentally or physically tired so I try to take good care of myself.

Very good advice. I like it. You recently had a book published. Would you take this time to describe it to us? How and where can readers buy your books?

Lacy Butler is graced with the gift of healing. She can save strangers…even those undeserving…yet fails to save her mother. Rejecting her gift, God, and society, she's content to live alone high above the mining town of Harperville. But her solitude is shattered when Royce Darnell builds a water flume through the middle of her mountain. To protect her sanctuary, Lacy sabotages his efforts. Little does she expect Royce to track her through a blizzard and end up half frozen to death on her doorstep. She can heal him, but why should she when he threatens to steal her peace...and her heart? With the livelihood of the miners and their families depending on his project, Royce refuses to stop building, no matter how good the reason or how lovely the masked saboteur turns out to be. Besides, he's convinced God wants Lacy to use her gift for good and not to hole up in her cabin like a reticent recluse afraid of human contact. But first, she must learn to trust, and Lacy doesn't trust anyone, not Royce and especially not God. Soon Royce finds himself in a battle to save the two things he loves the most…Harperville and Lacy. Is his faith strong enough to save them both?

Tender Touch is available at White Rose Publishing, Amazon.com and most other sites where ebooks are sold.

Love the names and the book sounds great. What is the spiritual message in your book? What can readers expect to get from reading it?

For me the message in Tender Touch is “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Lacy is given an incredible gift to heal. But she can’t use it properly or control it. In fact, it controls her. When she finally puts God in control, incredible things happen, not only to the people she wants to help but in her own life. In this story, readers can expect strong characters that step off the page, history that comes alive, great action and a sweet romance.

Do you ever feel like giving up? Most people don’t understand the stress, the work, and the joy of being a writer. How tenuous becoming a writer is. Do you care to share how it feels, what discouraging/encouraging times you’ve gone through?

Shortly after my first time-travel romance was published, my publisher closed their doors. I found myself without a home for the sequel I’d already started. It was over 17 years before I sold another full-length romance novel. I worked as education coordinator for a performing arts center, wrote grants, sold articles and even wrote a popular play. But the satisfaction of selling another novel eluded me. I felt like a failure. My spiritual advisors told me if the Lord put the desire in my heart, He meant for me to write…but how and when would be in His time not mine. They were right!

How strong writers have to be! Some of the best perseverers in the world! Who’s inspired you the most?

When I was a young women and a new Christian, I was always inspired by some of the older women in my church. Not all of them. Just a select few. I knew they had large families that wore them out and many tragedies and disappointments in their lives but their love of the Lord just glowed in their eyes. In my mind, they defied everything society said you couldn’t do and I wanted to be just like them. I wanted to handle all that life sent my way and still sit at my Lord’s feet and listen.

I love your answer! So many times older, faithful women are overlooked. They are such great examples to younger women. Would you explain how you “chose” (or were chosen by) a publisher? Do you just go “inny, minny, miny, moe?” Now, that you’re published, can you sit back and relax from the success you’ve experienced?

I created a list of Christian publishers I was interested in and went down the list. White Rose Publishing was one of the first because I felt they were publishing Christian stories with many unusual paramenters. I queried them with my proposal and waited for a response. They wanted to see more revisions before they would even consider it. I felt their suggestions would make the story a better book so I made the revisions and resubmitted. Of course, even after they accepted the story there were more edits. That’s the life of a writer! I’m working on a second book called Tender Trust about 2 lovers torn apart in Tender Touch. White Rose just accepted a Christmas novella of mine called White Christmas and I’m completing a Valentine’s anthology with 3 other White Rose authors, so I think the answer is no. I don’t think I can just sit back and relax. But I have spent a great deal of time smelling the roses along the way!

You are truly blessed. I believe that White Rose is a wonderful publishing company growing and helping authors find their place in the writing world. Do you mind telling us some of your likes and dislikes? Hobbies, interests? Where would you like to travel if you could?

I love spending time with my children and grandchildren, especially now that there are so many miles between us! I think my hobby is traveling and history because they always inspires great stories in my heart and mind. In October, my husband and I will be travelling to the Middle East where we will live and work for 2 years. We plan to visit Europe, India and parts of Africa as well as the countries around us. It will be such an adventure and I know great stories will come out of it! My dislikes? Being so very far away from my grandchildren. It’s important to me to be a part of their lives so I’m going to have to work very hard at it while I’m half-way around the world.

Would you give us your blog or webpage so everyone can check it out? Anything else you’d like to share? Promotional information?

My web page is http://www.tanyastowe.com/ and I love to hear from visitors! I have 2 blogs and they are both undergoing make-overs so there haven’t been any new posts since I started the revamp. But you can view old posts at www.creativewritingforces.blogspot.com where I talk about all things writing…craft, inspiration, motivation and the industry. You can read about my travel adventures at http://www.stoweberry.blogspot.com/.

Thanks so much for letting me visit with you!

And thank you, Tanya, for being here!
Blessings, readers. Hope you enjoy Tanya's little bit of writing world. Don't forget to leave your comment and email address.