Tanya Coats Konerman, Author

Tanya Coats Konerman is a children’s writer, with a focus on picture books and middle grade nonfiction. She is also a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader, with local, regional, and national clients. Tanya has over 30 years of writing experience, including more than 15 years of experience in advertising copywriting and public relations. In addition, she has a B.A. in Journalism and Psychology (with a focus on childhood development) from Indiana University.

Tanya’s work has been published in At-Home Mother, Parents, Career Woman, and Employment News, as well as several technical magazines. She has written frequently for several Bloomington, Indiana publications, including Bloomington Business Network and the Herald-Times. Her writing can also be found online at Livestrong, TheBump, e-How, and GlobalPost Parenting.

Tanya is an active member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), serving as the Indiana chapter’s Newsletter Coordinator (find her latest newsletter via the link on this page: https://indiana.scbwi.org/) and volunteering at many events. She is the selectee/winner of IN SCBWI’s 2020 Helen Frost Picture Book Mentorship. Tanya is currently active with the Friends of the Library (Monroe County), serving on the Marian Armstrong Exhibit Committee, and served previously as a Literary Arts representative on the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington’s Board of Directors. She is also involved in The Writers Guild at Bloomington, AGPI (Association for Games & Puzzles International), Courage to Create, and the 12×12 Challenge Gold Level.

Tanya lives in the beautiful woods of Bloomington, Indiana with her husband, daughters, senior Goldendoodle, and two cats who are lobbying hard to move indoors before their next birthday. She enjoys outdoor adventures in Indiana and the Southwest, including hiking, kayaking and canoeing, and birdwatching, as well as indoor time reading and puzzling.