Tanya Selvaratnam is a writer, artist, and an Emmy-nominated and multiple Webby-winning producer with thirty years of experience in the arts & social justice.

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Writing News 2019

Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence was released in 2021. It was optioned by ABC Signature/Disney Television Studios and is in development as a television series for Amazon Studios by Joanna Coles Productions (Joanna Coles and Jessica Whitaker) and Purple Pebble Pictures (Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Mary Rohlich). Priyanka Chopra Jonas is in talks to star in the show. Please read the announcement here:

https://deadline.com/2023/02/assume-nothing-limited-series-memoir-amazon-priyanka-chopra-jonas-exec-produce-star-1235274955/

Please visit this page for more information, including radio and television appearances as well as book tour conversations:

https://www.tanyaturnsup.com/projects/assume-nothing-a-story-of-intimate-violence

Please spread the word with this Domestic Violence Awareness Toolkit:

https://bit.ly/dvawareness_assumenothing

This folder contains resources such as advice for survivors, signs of digital abuse, and more: 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a4woryzjqc7mbo3/AAC2S5rT8ltnPsb8nuCWwDkpa?dl=0

Assume Nothing was selected as the #OneBookOneCommunity selection for all of Berkshire County. In April 2023, I did a virtual book talk in conjunction with this program. Here are two articles about it:

https://www.iberkshires.com/story/69728/2022-One-Book-One-Community-Read-Tackles-Intimate-Abuse.html

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/opinion/columnists/susan-birns-for-domestic-violence-awareness-month-a-community-reading-project-highlights-the-pitfalls-of/article_2d854b9c-4347-11ed-ba94-535a6288fd24.html

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month in 2021, I had a series of conversations with Miss Universe Andrea Meza of Mexico:

Episode 1

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVX11bpg8dS/  

https://fb.watch/8SzLzWpXhq/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYy-1m-SX2k

Episode 2

https://fb.watch/8UihMZCQdq/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4rI44lppjY

Library Journal reviewed the book as "a searing, yet sensitive account of vulnerability and redemption that will find a wide audience." Kirkus Reviews called Assume Nothing "a courageous and compelling example of an author writing her 'way out of the darkness.'" Publishers Weekly said, "This gripping story is not to be missed."

The New York Times praised the book's "crisp, unadorned prose," and further said, "In methodically describing how a successful artist and activist can fall into a dark relationship with a controlling man, she is performing a rare and valuable service."

Ms. Magazine included the book on its list of the 100 most anticipated releases of 2021. And it was a top pick by Zibby Owens on gma.com.

Additional press includes interviews for the New York Times, The Tamron Hall Show, Time,

the New Yorker, People, Good Morning America, and Vanity Fair.

Please order here and help spread the word with the assets in the toolkit: https://bit.ly/assumenothing

Please sign up for my mailing list at the end of this page and follow @TanyaAuthor on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

AGGIE

I produced a documentary by Catherine Gund about her mother, the renowned art collector and philanthropist Agnes Gund, who sold a $165 million Lichtenstein painting to start the Art for Justice Fund to fight mass incarceration. AGGIE had its world premiere at Sundance 2020, and is available to stream.

Please visit https://aggiefilm.com/

Leaf Me Alone

I am working on a novel called "Leaf Me Alone"--about biophilia, agoraphobia, and a late-blooming love affair with house plants. In September 2021, ELLE Magazine published a short essay version: https://www.elle.com/life-love/a37773719/plants-intimate-violence-healing

The piece is accompanied by the art of Shyama Golden.

In March 2022, to coincide with International Women's Day and Women's History Month, I was featured as a Changemaker in the WITH LOVE series on Spotify. You can listen to my episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/15RR4eXQddoLZ49nA9QMUk?si=j76Y4X-3Qp6G0cgfne7O9g&nd=1

In December 2021, Cosmo published my essay about the holiday season and domestic violence: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/a38375186/domestic-violence-holidays-tanya-selvaratnam/

And Debbie Millman interviewed me for her PRINT magazine column "What Matters": https://www.printmag.com/design-inspiration/what-matters-tanya-selvaratnam-on-the-secret-joy-of-turning-50-and-daydreaming/

Domestic Violence during Covid-19

I wrote a piece for the New York Times about “Where Can Domestic Violence Victims Turn During Covid-19?”: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/opinion/covid-domestic-violence.html

I had conversations about the issue with:

Miss Universe Zozi Tunzi of South Africa on Instagram Live
Alison Stewart for ALL OF IT/WNYC
Selina MacKenzie for Talk Radio Europe
Dr. Lisa Coleman, as part of NYU Womxn100

Jenna Flanagan for WNET

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