Biank, Tanya

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Biank, Tanya

PERSONAL:

Married Michael Marti (an Army major), in 2004. Education: Pennsylvania State University, B.A.

ADDRESSES:

Agent—c/o Author Mail, St. Martin's Press, 175 5th Ave., New York, NY 10010. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER

Fayetteville Observer, Fayetteville, NC, reporter; Military.com, columnist. Has taught English in Korea.

MEMBER:

Belvoir Officers' Wives Club (board member), Daughters of the United States Army (Northern Virginia chapter).

AWARDS, HONORS:

Fulbright fellowship; Public Service Award, North Carolina Press Association, for journalism; First Place in News Enterprise, North Carolina Press Association, for "Vietnam Journey" series; Ashton W. Lilly Spirit Award in Journalism; Pat Reese Journalism Fellowship; Susan B. Anthony Award, National Organization for Women— Fayetteville chapter.

WRITINGS:

Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Tanya Biank's first book, Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives, documents her first-hand knowledge of military life. Biank takes a close look at the Army and its impact on wives, marriages, and home life. As Biank explains, gone are the days when army wives devoted their time and efforts solely to supporting their husbands, yet still lingering is the expectation that they must be able to operate under a strict hierarchy and be prepared to move house and home on command. In addition, the lives of army wives differ from those of civilian wives because they live in a subculture that is in a constant state of readiness for war and they are aware of the ever-present risk of becoming suddenly widowed. Biank, who grew up as a self-described "army brat" and who considers the military as much her home as any place else, married Mike Marti, a major in the 82nd Airborne Division, in 2004 and has voluntarily chosen to continue living in the subculture in which she grew up.

Under the Sabers follows four wives living at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; each wife excels at or struggles with her role as a support system for her husband. The wives eventually find themselves in extraordinary circumstances that ultimately force them to redefine who they are as women and wives. One woman, a former soldier herself, is murdered by her husband, a counter-terrorist operative; another suffers the suicide of her son; and yet another becomes a widow when her husband is killed in Vietnam while searching for the remains of missing soldiers. Apart from these ultimate tragedies is the daily challenge of raising children often single-handedly and living in areas with limited career options. Biank's work can be viewed in part as an expose of "an institution ambivalent about families," according to a reviewer for Publishers Weekly. Frieda Murray, writing in Booklist, called the book a "provocative portrait" with much "insight." Suzanne W. Wood, in a review for the Library Journal, wrote that it is a "very readable and thoughtful book."

Before Biank wrote Under the Sabers, she was a military reporter for the Fayetteville Observer. Her investigative journalism into the cases of four army wives who were murdered by their husbands at Fort Bragg in the span of six weeks in the summer of 2002 led to Congressional inquiries and changes in army policies. In an op-ed piece for the New York Times, Biank outlined the duties many army wives undertake voluntarily: "We are the liaison between the commander and the soldiers' families, we refer people to various resources like the Red Cross and militarysponsored programs, we raise money to support family programs and in our informal roles, we are on call twenty-four hours a day to help families deal with divorce, child abuse, suicide and bereavement. Our work is expected, underappreciated and often goes unnoticed."

Biank told CA: "Ever since I learned to read in first grade, I fell in love with writing and storytelling. I wanted a way to express my creativity and for me that has been through writing. I became a journalist because I wanted to be able to support myself and make a living from writing. Writing a book was one of those 'someday' dreams. For me, it came true!

"I look at writing from a public service standpoint. Writing that inspires, entertains, informs or educates readers is what brings me the greatest satisfaction as a writer.

"I do my best work under pressure with a deadline looming. Out of habit, I am my most productive against the clock.

"The great thing about a writing career is that every experience—the good and the bad, the surreal and the monotonous—every job you've held, will only add layers, depth and texture to your writing.

"Under the Sabers is my first book. It's a nonfiction narrative. I've always wanted to write a behind-the-scenes book about the military that captured the essence of military life—the joys and the heartache, the drama and the sacrifice, everything. I am an Army brat and an Army wife. My hope is that readers who know nothing about the Army will have an eye-opening experience and those who are part of the military community will say, ‘Yes! She got it right!’

"For many years my writing has focused on telling the story of our military. I hope Under the Sabers and other books I may write about the military, will humanize our armed forces and give readers—both military and civilians—a better understanding and appreciation for this unique way of life."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2006, Frieda Murray, review of Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives, p. 28.

Independent Weekly (Raleigh, NC), April 2, 2003, Todd Morman, "In Bed with the Embeds: Local Journalists Court Danger—and Military Brass— with Pentagon-approving War Reporting."

Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2005, review of Under the Sabers, p. 1261.

Library Journal, December 1, 2005, Suzanne W. Wood, review of Under the Sabers, p. 150.

New York Times, March 13, 2006, Tanya Biank, "The Home Fires Are Burning Out," p. A21.

Publishers Weekly, December 12, 2005, review of Under the Sabers, p. 48.