Tanya grew up in Creston, B.C. She began her writing career as a high school poet, producing pages and pages of work that her mother loved and her best friend religiously archived (possibly for a future blackmailing scheme). She enrolled in creative writing at the University of Victoria, intending to specialize in poetry. She soon found herself out of place among talented but pale people dressed all in black, who seemed to exist entirely on coffee. She elected to specialize in non-fiction instead. After completing her degree, she worked as a graphic designer for several years before switching to full-time writing.Tanya now lives in Vancouver, B.C., with her husband Min, who claims to be the world's only Burmese occupational therapist. They have two children. Since 2001, she's written more than 15 books for middle grade and young adult readers.