Tanya Rowe- Winner Cheshire Novel Prize 2024 for ‘Through The Trees.’

Tanya is a longtime lover of horror in all its forms, be that books, movies, or video games. She is always on the hunt for more LGBTQ+ voices in commercial fiction, which is what eventually inspired her to begin writing her own novels. 

As the Chief Operating Officer of an indie Canadian TTRPG company, she works to uplift underrepresented voices in the gaming community. 

What made you enter the Cheshire novel Prize?

I read so many testimonials on Twitter about how great the contest was for entry feedback, and at no added cost, even! I figured I could enter and at least get thoughts on my first few pages from industry professionals.

What did it feel like when you were LL and SL?

A complete shock, but I also understood the rules wrong. I saw my entry appear in one of the snippet posts on X, and I thought that meant I’d made the LL—I didn’t realise those were the top 100 entries and that the LL hadn’t been announced yet. So I actually thought I'd been longlisted before I received the confirmation email letting me know I was, in fact, on the longlist! At that point, I was more stunned to realise I’d been celebrating prematurely. Afterwards, I took some time to read the rules and FAQ thoroughly!

For the shortlist, when I got the call I actually didn’t answer the first time, as it was quite early where I am, and I decided I didn’t want to hear bad news first thing in the morning. If I hadn’t made it, then I wanted to be more awake so I could have a conversation about what in my manuscript wasn’t working and really digest that feedback. I got a second call later in the day, which I did answer, and when the message was congratulations, I think I just sort of stared at my phone for a while and didn’t know how to respond. 

What was the reaction like from those around you? Family? Friends?

I don’t have many people in my day-to-day life with whom I share news about my writing, but those I did tell thought it was pretty cool. My writers groups and writing mentors, on the other hand, were ecstatic! 

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

The two main characters and their arcs had lived in my head for a while, and I wanted to find a story worthy of them. I work in tabletop gaming, and a few years ago my company started a project, originally run through our Patreon, all about unique monsters. Each month we’d feature a new, original creature people could use in their campaigns, which would have its own set of abilities, lore, and motivations. I started thinking about what kind of monster I could create that would challenge these characters, specifically. From there the story grew into one of unfinished business and how that could, literally, come back to haunt someone.

How long did it take you to write it?

About 2 years, give or take. I don’t have a regular writing routine, as my work and family schedule can be quite chaotic. If I’m not feeling inspired, I don’t force myself to write. So over the course of 2 years, I worked on it intermittently, until it became the story I wanted to tell.

What advice would you have for anyone thinking of entering?

Do it! If you can afford to do so, of course. The feedback you get, simply for entering, is so thorough, and the team behind CNP really cares about their participants and genuinely want to help. You won’t get such good value for your entry fee anywhere else!

What’s changed for you since entering?

I now have the confidence to go forth and query this novel! Previously, I dabbled in the fantasy genre, but after a few years of no success, I took some time to reevaluate what I really wanted to do. Long story short, it dawned at me that horror was my genre, through and through. It’s what I read, what I watch, and what I play. Making the shortlist with a horror novel has reaffirmed my belief that switching genres was the right decision.

What’s your novel about?

Two ex-best friends are forced to reunite after one of them returns to their abandoned childhood church camp and digs up a monster from their past.

But after a rough split and seventeen years apart, their inability to face their unresolved feelings for one another and let go of the past may be the real monster.

At its core, it’s a story about the ways in which trauma follows us. But there’s an undertone of hope to assure readers that, no matter how scary things get, it’s never too late to heal.

What’s your writing routine?

As stated above, I really don’t have one. If I feel like writing, then I write. If I don’t, I don’t. Trying to force it won’t accomplish anything for me! Once I do sit down to write, I’m definitely an “edit as you go” person. It slows down my progress, for sure, but I end up getting very clean drafts as a result.

What’s next for you?

Querying! It’s not something I’m looking forward to, but CNP has given me the confidence to put my work out there. There are also a few other contests I’ve entered with this novel, so I’ll wait to hear back from those. Plus, I’m in the middle of drafting a gothic horror story, set at a remote tuberculosis clinic in the early 1900s.

Have you done any writing courses?

Nope! But, through my work in tabletop gaming, I’ve done a lot of writing and editing and been fortunate to work with some fantastic professionals.

What are your two favourite books and why?

That’s a tough one! “Of all time,” I’d say I don’t have any clear-cut favourites. For books published in the last five years, my favourites have been Summer Sons, by Lee Mandelo and a series of graphic novels by James Tynion IV & Werther Dell’Edera called Something is Killing the Children. Both are wonderfully queer, imaginative, creepy works of horror fiction. I’m so happy to see the horror genre evolving in a more diverse direction, and I can only hope to be part of it someday!

What advice do you have for any aspiring writers?

Read widely, especially in your genre! It’ll give you a great sense of not only current trends and what’s selling, but also what’s missing. Also, feel free to walk away! Take that break. Learning to let myself stop writing when my heart wasn’t in it is one of the best things I’ve ever done for my mental health. Everytime I come back from a pause, I feel more inspired than ever to put pen to paper, so to speak. There’s nothing wrong with learning your limits and respecting them.

And, enter the Cheshire Novel Prize. Seriously!