Hello! I’m Tania – I sometimes go by the last name Ó Donnell and, at other times, by my family name of Ahsan. This is not because I’m a criminal mastermind with several identities; I just like to keep the genres I write in under different names (although there is sometimes love across the divide).

I am currently working on my debut novel, the first in a series of eight books in the crime genre. It is a murder-most-horrid series set in Ireland. Think Shetland meets Miss Marple.

In the non-fiction realm, I have written The Brilliant Book of Calm and Declutter Your Life (From Chaos to Calm) under the name Tania Ahsan. In March 2020 Trigger Publishing released my book Everyday Calming Rituals and in October 2020 Welbeck Publishing  released my other book for the year, Protection Charms, which is a bit more witchy in content.

In my previous life as a journalist, I wrote features for newspapers such as the Guardian and Metro and for online platforms including HuffPost UK and MSN Travel. I edited magazines and websites for the big lads such as Time Inc and Thomson Reuters, but mostly I’ve worked on magazines run by small publishers where everyone tends to wear cycling shorts and Crocs rather than Prada.

Today I mostly edit books. I am an editor at Arcturus Publishing, working primarily on Mind, Body, Spirit books. In the past, I have commissioned best-selling authors and helped to publish several illustrated and mono non-fiction titles including a number of children’s books for Watkins Publishing. After many years of editing classic Mind, Body, Spirit magazines such as Prediction and Kindred Spirit, and as a result of writing and commissioning books in the genre, I am now considered an expert in this area. (Alas you don’t get to wear any fancy robes… well, only at the weekends.)

Other bookish adventures include being a ghost (wooooo!) for HarperCollins and writing a history book called A History of Courtship (fyi: there are a few saucy bits in it). Enjoy your day and thanks so much for stopping by. Please email tania@taniaodonnell.com if you want to send me a compliment or copious amounts of chocolate. You know it makes sense…

Nice things people have said about me:

Tania has a fantastic combination of qualities: she is creative, insightful and highly professional. Having worked alongside her as a colleague, and later commissioned editorial from her, I highly recommend her.

Jen Boyle, author & former editor, Pen & Sword

Tania is a highly-respected and meticulous writer and editor, with a passion to learn and take on new subject areas as well as being an authority in her existing ones. I have worked with her for over a decade and she is a fount of creativity, hard work and integrity.

Poorna Bell, author

I can’t recommend Tania highly enough. She was an absolutely brilliant colleague. She was embedded in the community for which she published, so had a great feel for the audience and was able to find writing talent before others, and make great relationships with authors. She was a compelling presenter of new ideas and always had the business case for each acquisition completely nailed. In addition to all this, and her tip top editorial standards, she’s a good laugh and an extremely decent human being.

James Spackman, Publisher, literary agent, publishing coach

Tania is one of the most professional and engaging people I have ever worked with. Thorough on detail to the point of obsession, and sharp as a nail, her charm, intelligence and humour mean that she is able to manage the most difficult of people and situations with aplomb. She is also able to bring clarity and solutions to just about every situation. Tania is a force to be reckoned with and I have learnt a lot from her over the years.

Adele Nozedar, Author