Toni Anderson's Blog: Toni Anderson, page 46

As promised--The Killing Game

A snow leopard biologist becomes the prey when cold war secrets threaten to expose a modern-day spy ring, and an elite British soldier is forced to choose between his country and his heart.
THE KILLING GAMEDeep in the heart of the Wakhan valley, wildlife biologist Dr. Axelle Dehn isn’t about to let anyone harm her endangered snow leopards—not the poacher intent on killing them, nor the soldier who wants to use them as bait. But Axelle is unknowingly entangled in a conflict that stretches back three decades, a conflict that could shift the balance of power between two of the world’s great nations. Sergeant Ty Dempsey,British 22-SAS, is part of four-man squad sent on a mission to hunt down an infamous Russian terrorist who authorities had long thought dead. Dempsey hasn’t failed a mission yet.When Axelle is kidnapped by the Russian—whose only hope of redemption involves using her as a pawn in a political game—Dempsey is forced to choose between duty and his heart. He risks everything to save the determined, prickly wildlife biologist he’s fallen in love with, but in doing so, initiates a deadly game that threatens to expose the most successful spy in history. A spy who will destroy anyone who gets in his way.As Axelle is betrayed by those closest to her, Dempsey is her only hope of survival. They have to trust the feelings they have for one another if they are to stay alive and bring down the traitor.
***subject to change***The hero--Sgt. Tyrone Dempsey, British SAS trooper
The heroine--Dr. Axelle Dehn. Wildlife Biologist.
The location (for most of the story)--Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan. Other locations:
So--what do you think???

News

The reason I've been so busy (and not blogging) is, as well as writing a new book linked to DANGEROUS WATERS & DARK WATERS, I have taken the plunge and decided to self-publish my snow leopard story. Which means I have a steep learning curve to get to grips with. The good news is I've hired an editor I love working with, and a cover artist I'm really excited about. I have a good friend who's advising me on the process and talking me through the angst. Lots more to do (copy edits, proofreaders, formatting), and finding potential reviewers--so if you're interested email me (toniannanderson at gmail.com).
Right now I'm eying April for a release date, but this might change, depending. I'll put the blurb and title up tomorrow.

I've had terrific feedback on this story, I just hope I'm not like one of those poor people who stand up to audition on American Idol because people told them they were good, and they really suck!

Wish me luck!

The MV Frances Barkley

So I'm researching the length of the MV Frances Barkley (for my latest novel) and find this instead :). I love the Internet :) Here's the link if the video won't play.

Valentine Giveaway

To help get over the winter blues I'm giving away a print copy of DANGEROUS WATERS on Goodreads. Good luck!

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Goodreads Book Giveaway Dangerous Waters by Toni Anderson Giveaway ends February 14, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win

Winter

We finally hit winter in Manitoba. It's funny because before the first 'blizzard' hit about ten days ago everyone I spoke to was feeling a little short-changed because it had been so mild. After two snow dumps, and a few days of -40 windchills, I think everyone will feel they have earned their badge of honor. There's a definite hint of pride and stubbornness in Manitobans when winter kicks in. Perhaps it starts in the teenagers when kids start to defy the snow pants rule even on the worst days. Or maybe Manitobans are just tougher than I am in general--that wouldn't be hard.
The worst thing about extreme cold is not actually the cold itself (bearing in mind, exposed flesh WILL freeze after 10 minutes). The worst this is that everything starts to break down. The automatic garage door opener. Furnaces. Traffic lights. The ground shifts, doors fail to close. Cars stall. I think yesterday CAA had a record number of call-outs to stalled cars (around 700) and the average wait time was 6 hours. I plan my trips factoring how long I want my car to sit outside without being plugged in. Not exactly what I expected to be doing when I 'grew up.' Still, it is an adventure and aside from the nose-bleed temps I enjoy it. 
However, it can stop now. Please :)

Hitting the lists...

I went to bed last night fully expecting to get up with my Amazon rankings exactly where they were before Dangerous Waters was part of Amazon's Daily Deal. Instead, the book is STILL at Number 60 on the Kindle Bestseller List, right between James Patterson and Nelson Demille. Don't even bother checking--it won't last (I'm probably at a thousand already :)) but it's a thrill for someone who has never been to that place before.

PS. I don't usually obsessively check the rankings, but yesterday was special. Honest :)

Amazon Daily Deal

Kindle book on sale for $1.99 at Amazon.com for one day only! Dive into some, Dangerous Waters.

Known as the Graveyard of the Pacific, Barkley Sound is notorious for surging swells with the power to pull helpless victims into its merciless abyss…
Sergeant Holly Rudd arrives in the coastal community of Bamfield after local divers discover a body with a knife jutting from its chest in the waters of Barkley Sound. As she investigates the crime, Holly soon realizes the sleepy town is rife with secrets. But what unsettles her most is the residents’ insistence that she bears a striking resemblance to the victim of a murder from three decades earlier. She shrugs off the uncanny likeness as a coincidence. But her simmering attraction to Finn Carver, one of the divers who discovered the corpse, isn’t so easy to ignore.
Finn, a former Special Forces soldier, knows it’s best to keep his distance from Holly. Yet it isn’t long before they both give in to the consuming desire they share. And as the danger escalates, Finn and Holly must rely on each other to thwart the plans of a cold-blooded killer who’s intent on keeping the past buried.

London

On the 30th Dec we left Scotland and crawled down the M6 and M40 to London. We checked into our hotel near the airport and managed to drag ourselves into the Big Smoke on New Year's Eve. I want to tell you it was magical but it really wasn't. It rained, we coughed (with flu), and finding somewhere to eat turned into a nightmare. We did see Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and the National Portrait Gallery, and then dropped in to the British Museum. I am conflicted about seeing those Egyptian and Greek marble carvings in London. I am not sure it feels quite right. It's always nice to be in London, but this wasn't our best visit.  Anyway, here are some photographs :)
Santa on the Tube
I took a picture of this 'art on the Undergound' because that there is a painting of Cellardyke harbour, where we used to live!
Queen Elizabeth II's Tower
Santa and The Eye. My artsy attempt at a different angle :) That Santa! One of many birds in the Serpentine We knocked, but no one was in! Buckingham Palace. Can you see the crown on the lamppost? It is a royal lamppost. Outside St Jame's Palace (I think) Horse Guards. So lucky to have seen them coming down the Mall. Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square.


A resident bird of prey to keep the pigeons off the statue The British Museum--below are some of the amazing artifacts kept here.
 






Looking up :)

Slowly getting better

I am about 80% back to normal, the 20% being the ability to actually breathe. I'll try and get some pictures up of our trip soon but here's one I took from Lomond Shores shopping centre when DH desperately needed a new non-drip teapot. That's Ben Lomond in the distance.

The Knock, Crieff Hydro, Perthshire