Tanya Stowe Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

A:  I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for 44 years. We have 4 children and 21 grandchildren. We just sold our home and moved into a motorhome to travel the U.S. Before that we lived in the Middle East for 2 years. I love to play pickleball and we just returned from a trip to China.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A:  I started writing my first novel when I was eleven years old. I didn’t like how my favorite TV show ended so I rewrote the whole story.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?

A:  My first sale was a time travel romance set in ancient Egypt. It had just been rejected so it was available and my first editor needed a book for an author who had dropped out of his line-up. He read my book and left me a voice mail while I was on vacation. It seemed like all of my first sales came while I was traveling. Soon after I became an orphan. I had already started a sequel when my publisher closed their romance line. The mortgage on our new home scared me so I took a part time job that turned into more than part time so I didn’t submit for several years. After I quit my day job, I switched to Christian romance and sold my first manuscript in six months. Mojave Rescue is my 17^th novel/novella.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Mojave Rescue?

A: Drina Gallagher is an electronic warfare engineer who inadvertently releases top-secret information to a black market gang. They kidnap her to secure the plans for her weapon. Cal Norwood is an undercover agent who has infiltrated the gang. He discovers that he must make a choice between blowing his cover or saving Drina’s life. Of course, there’s no choice for my hero. He rescues her and they find themselves in a desperate race across the Mojave Desert.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Mojave Rescue?

A: My husband was an electronic warfare engineer. Almost 30 years ago he took me to visit an abandoned rocket test site in the desert. The eerie test stands and underground passages seemed like fertile ground for a story. Soon I had the plot for a great romantic suspense.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

A:  God is real. He’s forgiving and loves us all equally.

Q: What inspires you to write?

A:  Travel. No matter where I go a story is born.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A:  A Christian time-travel. We’ll see how that works out!

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?

A:  Well, I think I’ve said it pretty often already. Travel is one of my favorite things. When I’m not doing that I like to visit with my grandchildren and play pickleball. I used to be a tennis player but I found that pickleball is easier on my body and it’s the fastest growing sport in the U.S. so I can find plenty of people to play with.