Meet Tanya Agler | Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tanya Agler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tanya, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Writing involves more thought and preparation than people think. When I started writing books, I holed myself up in the library and wrote a book. It seemed easy at the time, but that was before I worked up the courage to have other writers read my work! After my twins were born, I realized I wanted to write full-time. I found a local writing chapter and, for the first time, a published author gave me a critique. She included some smiley faces, but she also asked insightful questions that made me realize the publishing industry is a business. Thanks to her, I buckled down and started studying the craft of writing. From devoting a consistent amount of time each week to the process to studying new trends and industry standards, I try to keep up with the business part of writing as well as keep writing as joyful as possible so that joy comes out in the stories. Now, the occasional person will come up to me and tell me he or she wants to write a book. This happened at a party and I talked for a half-hour about how to get started before my husband let me know the person was making polite conversation. But I use this example because I love discussing the business of writing and I try to be as encouraging to other writers as possible.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Writing is a creative endeavor. I’m proud of my writing journey. Originally, I wrote a book in a library and sent it out (without editing!) to twenty agents and editors and received nineteen rejection letters in short order. After a two-year break when I gave birth to twins, I decided I wanted to pursue writing full-time, but this time I was determined to find other writers and discovered the support of the amazing community of romance writers. In 2013, I attended my first romance writing workshop. I returned the following month, and one author asked if I’d ever read a book about the craft of writing romance. I soaked up her knowledge and kept coming back every month to the programs. Along the way I connected with other authors, found a critique partner, and also found mentors, who helped with advice and encouragement. I entered writing contests, where sometimes I’d receive thoughtful feedback and sometimes I received harsh criticism. Through it all, I persevered and signed with my agent, Dawn Dowdle of the Blue Ridge Literary Agency, who has been an invaluable in helping me through the years. After a number of rejections, Dawn called me with the news that Harlequin made an offer through Kathryn Lye, who is the best editor and makes my books that much better, for a contract with Harlequin Heartwarming. I’ve learned perseverance, and I’m thankful for my family, who supports me in my writing. My brand revolves around stories of hope and second chances. I hope my readers will find stories of love and joy that will help them in difficult times.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It would depend on their personality. If they liked laidback adventures, I’d take them to the Chestatee River for a day of kayaking. If they were more adventurous, I’d take them to the World of Coca-Cola and see what they say about Beverly Bitter. My accountability partner grew up in Colorado, so when I visited Colorado, I took her advice and went to the Garden of the Gods and Red Rocks. My family found a great sandwich shop in Colorado Springs called Colonel Mustard’s and we loved looking at all the varieties of mustard. If I’m lucky enough to visit Colorado again, I hope to return to City Park and have another turn on the swan pedal boats, but I’d also love to visit an authentic ranch.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wouldn’t be where I am today with the support and encouragement of my critique partner and fellow published author, Jeanine Englert. In 2013, we were both unpublished authors, who kept hearing the same advice: writers should find a critique partner who will make their writing better by pointing out their strengths and weaknesses. After we attended the same national conference where we heard that advice over and over, Jeanine approached me and asked if we could exchange first chapters. As soon as I read her opening page, I was enthralled and knew she would fulfill her goal of becoming a published author. Along the way, she’s been there when I’ve received rejections and criticism. She’s made my writing better by pointing out passages where I need to show more emotion. And she’s driven me to other writing conferences. My shoutout to Jeanine includes a huge thank you and recognizes that while writing itself is a rather solitary endeavor, the support and encouragement found in the writing community is strong.

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