Tanya Joy Morgan is a fantasy author with a passion for gorgeous elves, tangled feelings, and a sprinkle (or maybe a storm) of magic. She crafts immersive, character-driven fantasy where magic, secrets, and destiny intertwine. Her current work-in-progress, The Elves of Eytherfel, unfolds in a world of ancient betrayals, lost heirs, and forbidden magic.
An entrepreneur since 16, Tanya’s career has been anything but ordinary—she’s been an educator, appraiser, restaurant owner, and newspaper publisher. A self-proclaimed techie who speaks non-tech, she spent years working with WordPress.com, empowering creators to share their work online. When she’s not writing, she helps fellow authors navigate website creation, audience growth, and online presence development through her platform, PanopticFoundations.com.
Raised in the forests of the Alberta Rockies, Tanya developed an early love for storytelling, music, and art. She believes there’s no better place to nurture an imagination that lasts a lifetime. Having navigated life’s ups and downs—including raising two kids on her own—she understands the resilience required to face challenges head-on. With a zest for life, she believes we are in control of our own happiness and that being surrounded by fur babies is one of the best ways to maintain a positive mindset.
Find her online at TanJoyMor.com and on social media @TanJoyMor:
But for those who might like a bit more…
Fun facts:
- I prefer to write in British English, but I’m Canadian, so we get all mixed up with American English (my writing is soundly edited in American)
- I love African daisy flowers
- I’m addicted to Peppermint Mochas from Starbucks
- I have 3 cats and a ginormous pup named Hiccup
- My adult kids and I are roommates in a house that’s a perfect fit for us – and I couldn’t be happier!
- I want to live in a world where magical powers are a regular part of life for everyone
- I’m terrible at declaring “favourites” because there is so much of everything to love!
- Known by many names! You might know me as Tanya Jones, Tanya Thibodeau, or even Tanya Jones-Thibodeau. Now I’m embracing a fresh chapter as Tanya Joy Morgan—but it’s still me, just with a little extra flair!
- Indecision, the challenge is real!
My life journey
Looking back, I’m proud to have had many adventures. In high school, I played Rizzo in a stage production of Grease—a blast filled with fond memories. I’ve played piano since I was four and taught for years until I realized too many kids were forced into lessons they didn’t want (parents, please don’t do this!). To keep my love for music alive, I moved on to other things.
By the time I was 20, I had worked in law firms, bakeries, travel agencies, gas stations, and grocery stores. I’ve traveled to over a dozen countries and hope to double that one day. Life stayed interesting in my adult years with university, marriage, two wonderful kids, a few businesses, a divorce, and countless lessons learned along the way.
Some of my ventures include:
- Real estate appraisals with my grandfather and mom.
- A 5-star restaurant and a rock band (Rezinator) with my ex-husband (when he wasn’t my ex!).
- A horsemanship facility run with my family.
- Gateway Gazette, a good-news-only community newspaper I launched from scratch in 2004, transitioned from print to digital in 2012 before closing in 2020.
My Writing Journey
My love for literature and storytelling inspired me to dive into writing in 2010. Fueled by both great and not-so-great (but wildly successful) authors, I wrote the first draft of my YA fantasy novel in just 45 days—over 88,000 words! But life intervened, and my “masterpiece” sat on the shelf for five years, which in hindsight was a blessing—it needed plenty of work, which resulted in multiple re-writes over the next ten years.
Those years were filled with beta readers, invaluable feedback, and encouragement from my early followers, who patiently (or not-so-patiently) urged me to “get on with it.”
The biggest challenge I’ve faced was the loss of my mom in late 2018. She was my rock, best friend, business partner, and a constant source of support. I know she’s watching over me, pushing me to finish what I started.
Over the last decade, I’ve immersed myself in storytelling, structure, and marketing; learning the ins and outs of the publishing world, evolving marketing strategies, and forever changing technology.
What’s Next?
The journey to finish my book continues, and I can’t wait to share it with you. The process has been bumpy, but it’s also been one of growth and discovery. The core premise of my book remains, but the story has evolved into something richer, with opportunities for more tales in the world of Eytherfel. I hope you’ll join me for the ride!
Feel free to reach out—I’m always happy to connect and answer any questions.
