Author Interview with Tanya, We Have A Problem Author Patti Lee

Welcome to the author interview with Patti Lee as she shares with us about her book – Tanya, We Have a Problem!

Blurb

Tanya’s life runs on caffeine, chaos, and sheer determination. A job at B’s Bakery. Two kids and a husband who somehow mistakes coasting for commitment. She’s barely keeping the household, and herself, from collapsing.

So when Bill casually mentions updating his wardrobe, Tanya does what any calm, rational woman would do: assumes he’s cheating and launches a full-scale investigation. What starts as harmless sleuthing quickly spirals into questionable stakeouts, spectacular misreads… and waking up next to a man who is definitely not her husband. As suspicions multiply and misunderstandings mount, Tanya finds herself in deeper than she ever intended. The harder she tries to prove she’s right, the more things go left.

Messy, laugh-out-loud funny, and uncomfortably relatable, Tanya, We Have a Problem is a sharp, witty story about marriage, mistrust, and what happens when jumping to conclusions becomes a lifestyle.

Ready to learn more about Tanya, We Have a Problem and the author behind it? Keep reading for our interview with author Patti Lee!

Author Lee, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with Scribbles about your book, Tanya, We Have a Problem!

Author Lee: Thank you so much for the opportunity to share more about my work.

Q: Author Lee, what was your inspiration for writing Tanya, We Have a Problem?

Author Lee: Having been married over 30 years, I intended to write a light and funny book about how couples who have been married a long time navigate their partnership. Essentially, I planned to poke fun at the little things we do that annoy our spouses and maybe delve into the ramifications of our decisions. One of the things I love most about writing is starting with a little nugget and nine chapters in realizing the story is maybe not what I intended to write but is the story I am compelled to write.

Well, first of all, author Lee, congratulations on being married 30 years! What a milestone to have accomplished! Secondly, we can’t help but love that the initial plan went off in the direction that it did because it yielded quite the fun story for us readers to dive into with all the chaotic fun.

Q: How did you decide which cover to use for your book? Were there other covers that you considered before you ultimately settled on this particular one?

Author Lee: I had an idea of what I wanted the cover to be and came up with several examples, which I shared with my publisher James at RockHill Publishing. RockHill works with a cover designer, and I was excited to see what they would come up with. Unfortunately, their timeline did not mesh with the timeline of the book release, so ultimately James chose the cover from one of the cover ideas I sent him.

It is unfortunate that we won’t get to see what potential covers could have been, but we’re glad that a good one was selected nonetheless! It definitely fits the story!

(a) Is the scene depicted on the cover similar to the “introductory” scene of the book?

Author Lee: It is similar, yes, and intentionally so.

So glad to know it!! It really should motivate readers to grab it up because it definitely makes you pause.

Q: Tanya, We Have a Problem starts off with Tanya finding herself in quite the situation. What was it like coming up with that particular scene? Was it a lot of fun to write?

Author Lee: I had so much fun writing every aspect of Tanya. She’s such a messy character, and I never knew what she was going to do next. My root ideas come from personal experience, shared experiences, or even overheard conversations, but I never know where the writing will take me once I start.

It definitely showed in how the story flowed how much you enjoyed writing Tanya. She’s such a mess, and it’s so easy for readers to see and potentially even identify with.

We’re sure that readers will appreciate all the more that some of your ideas came from a variety of experiences. Helps make Tanya, We Have a Problem all the more relatable.

Q: We know that Tanya, We Have a Problem is a work of fiction, but is Bill inspired by a real person? Or just a character completely conjured up from your own imagination?

Author Lee: Bill is his own character, but he also reflects a range of toxic partner behaviors drawn from observation and stories I’ve heard from others over time.

Okay! That definitely makes a lot of sense. We can definitely relate to that based on our own personal experiences. LOL!

Q: What was the overall thought process behind Bill’s character? You create him to be such an unlikable character and it really works! LOL!

Author Lee: I knew Bill had to be unlikable enough that readers would understand Tanya’s perspective. Early readers actually told me I’d gone too far and that he was too self-centered, too dismissive, and just too much. So I toned him down, but honestly, not by much. The truth is, there are “Bills” out there. He’s definitely an exaggerated version, but I wanted him to reflect the kinds of traits that can slowly erode a relationship, like selfishness, emotional neglect, taking a partner for granted, and expecting them to keep carrying the load without ever really seeing them.

Wait! Early readers said you’d “gone too far” with his negative traits?! What?! LOL! Oh come on people!! Let him be the villainous villain he’s meant to be! LOL!

Honestly, we’re glad that you didn’t tone him down too much. He may be an “exaggerated” version for the story, but like you said, there are versions of him out there. But truly, his behavior is truly a driving element for the story.

Q: Honestly, the whole “underwear scandal” was an absolutely hilarious element to toss into the story, and to tie it back to Bill in Tanya’s mind was priceless. How did this particular story element come to you?

Author Lee: This really comes from my “I write stories that could happen to anyone” thinking. The underwear conversation is rooted in real relationship dynamics and I think most people have had or at least recognize that kind of moment. I’m a big Real Housewives fan, and since Andy Cohen is the mastermind behind that whole universe and is always talking about relationships and “the tea,” I thought it would be a fun way for Tanya’s lightbulb moment around what might be going on in her own marriage.

Real Housewives fans unite!!! LOL! We love that you took inspiration from that universe of shows and utilized it in such a fun way!

For that particular “scandal” to break when it does is the most perfect timing and has the expected effect of setting in motion the ensuing chaos and hilarity with Tanya.

Q: Who was your favorite character to write in Tanya, We Have a Problem? We’re sure that Tanya will be the first choice, but who would come in second?

Author Lee: Oh, that’s a tough question! I loved Bonnie as a character. I mean, who doesn’t want a ride-or-die friend like Bonnie who has an outfit for everything and a sassy sense of humor? And I also really enjoyed fleshing out Tanya’s kids, Ash and Rose. Including kids in the story and shining a light on their personalities was a lot of fun.

Bonnie is definitely that friend that must of us would love to have who you just know that you can call or text them and that they’ll be there with whatever you need. LOL! There were moments in the story where we really thought that Bonnie was just going to steal the whole scene. LOL!

Q: We have to know…the drone incident…After Tanya and Bonnie basically drowned it Tanya ended up having to replace it. Did Ash even notice or was Tanya able to essentially “get away” with it?

Author Lee: Tanya stopped on her way home and picked up a new drone, so Ash was none the wiser.

LOL! That’s definitely a gold situation. When you can essentially “get away” with something and your kids be none the wiser. LOL!

Q: The more that we learn about Tanya’s and Bill’s relationship, the more we see the “dysfunction” of it all. We can’t help but question…why did Tanya not just divorce Bill?

We ask because he just kept showing her how much of an uncaring person he really was when it came to her. So why stay?

Author Lee: That’s the question, isn’t it? Why does anyone stay? A lot of the time, dysfunction doesn’t show up all at once. It builds so gradually that it starts to feel normal before you even realize it. For Tanya, there are also two kids, financial uncertainty working at a bakery, and the very real question of how she would support herself on her own. And beyond that, she has her life, her home, her friends, everything familiar. Leaving sounds simple from the outside, but in reality it rarely is. I wanted Tanya’s story to reflect that complexity.

Very valid points! It’s always so easy to judge a character (or person) from the outside, but really breaking down all the nuances of a situation brings into perspective.

That’s truly the toxicity of dysfunction though, isn’t it? How it builds little by little unless it just jumps out like a jack-in-the-box and smacks in you the face. But Tanya definitely had a lot to consider concerning her entire situation. So, you did a great job for sure reflecting the complexities of Tanya’s situation.

Q: When you first started writing Tanya, We Have a Problem did the story automatically have a comedic/humor element in mind? Or did that come along as you wrote the story?

Author Lee: Absolutely. From the very beginning, I envisioned Tanya, We Have a Problem as a light, humorous story, especially after writing my much more dramatic debut novel, Between February and November. The whole premise of Tanya, We Have a Problem was so over the top, the comedic elements naturally wove themselves into the story.

Well, author Lee, you definitely knocked it out of the park with the humor! It shines bright and brilliant!

Q: Author Lee, you wrote Tanya, We Have a Problem as a relatively clean story. There is some “light” swearing, no sex – why did you choose to write your story this way?

Author Lee: I’m not sure it was really a conscious choice. I wrote the story the way it felt authentic to the characters. I didn’t think explicit sex or stronger language would add anything meaningful or take the story in a direction it needed to go.

Okay! We can definitely concede the point on that!

Q: What was the inspiration for the hotel scene with Tanya and Bonnie? That whole shtick was absolutely hilarious and probably one of our favorite scenes in the whole book.

Author Lee: I am a big fan of Lucille Ball and the I Love Lucy show. Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz were 100% the inspiration behind Tanya and Bonnie’s antics in this book. I often went into a scene thinking “what would Lucy and Ethel do here?”.

You’re probably going to have readers rushing off to watch “I Love Lucy” just so that they can get a taste of more that chaotic scene in Tanya, We Have a Problem. The way that you approached that scene was so much fun to read and had us in stitches!

Q: When it comes to Bill’s character, would you label him a “narcissist”?

Author Lee: I think of Bill as someone who is very self-centered and for sure has narcissistic tendencies. Self-absorbed, inattentive, unavailable, and blind to any hurt he’s causing Tanya, he was so accustomed to Tanya carrying the emotional weight of the relationship that he stopped ‘seeing’ her and took her and everything she did for him and the family for granted.

Q: Will there be more stories about Tanya or is this a one and done type situation?

Author Lee: Tanya, and her problems, are only just getting started. There’s definitely more of her story to tell, and more for her to work through.

Ah!! So excited to know that there will more Tanya to come! We absolutely felt like there is more of her story to tell, and we love that you’re going to keep telling her story! Can’t wait to dive back in!

Q: For readers who have never read your books before, what would you recommend they pick up after reading Tanya, We Have a Problem?

Author Lee:Between February and November. It’s more emotional and dramatic than Tanya and focuses on a marriage dealing with betrayal and shifting perspectives.

Okay, fellow readers! If you’re looking for more works by author Patti Lee, then you can grab up a copy of Between February and November. Sounds like this book will work for you if you’re looking for something that brings more emotions and less comedy.

Q: With the recent release of Tanya, We Have a Problem, is there anything that you are currently working for readers to look forward to?

Author Lee: I’m working on a psychological thriller right now, and when that starts to feel a bit heavy, I shift to a story about four women and a friendship that gets tested after a betrayal. There’s also a Tanya sequel in there too. I always say I can’t multitask, but somehow I end up juggling a few different writing projects at once.

Wow! Sounds like you have quite the full plate author Lee! But it also sounds like readers have a lot to look forward to! We’ll just have to exercise some patience while you get these various projects worked out and completed! Can’t wait to read them when the time is right!

Q: Is there anything that you’d like to share with our readers before you go?

Author Lee: Just thank you for reading. I hope Tanya’s story feels relatable in some way, even in the messy moments, because that’s really what I wanted to capture. Real life, the choices people make, and what happens as a result of those choices.

Author Patti Lee we appreciate you taking the time to share with us here at Scribbles and our readers about your book, Tanya, We Have a Problem. We look forward to reading more of your work in the future! Thank you so much for your time today!

Author Lee: Thank you so much for having me!

We enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to read and review Tanya, We Have a Problem and you can check out the review here.

About the Author:

Patti Lee is an award-winning novelist. In 2021, she signed with RockHill Publishing, and her debut novel, Between February and November, was released the following year. Her second novel, Tanya, We Have a Problem, was released in 2026.

Patti Lee lives in Vermont and has been married since 1988. When she’s not writing or playing with her grandkids, she keeps her four cats and two dogs in treats and catnip as the director of a small nonprofit where she gets to indulge her love of spreadsheets and lists.

Learn more at pattileewriter.com. You can also find her on Facebook (@PattiLeeAuthorPage), Instagram (@authorpattilee), and Twitter (@pattiauthor), where she’s part of the #5amwritersclub.