Toni Anderson's Blog: Toni Anderson, page 60
May 7, 2012
Bridal Shower
The Polish seem to have mastered the art of Bridal Showers. First up I need to admit I forgot the card and the present. Yikes. High Tea consisted of a delicious 3 course meal and I took photos of the desserts.Be envious. Be very very envious. Although I am now really fat :)
Happy Monday :)
Happy Monday :)
May 1, 2012
Goodreads Giveaway for May
Happy May, Everyone :) My favourite month of the year. To celebrate, I'm hosting another Goodreads giveaway. Feel free to enter and share :) .goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important; text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; border: 1px solid #6A6454; -moz-border-radius: 5px; -webkit-border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; background-image:url(http://www.goodreads.com/images/layou... background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596; outline: 0; white-space: nowrap; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(http://www.goodreads.com/images/layou... color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; }
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Sea of Suspicion by Toni Anderson Giveaway ends May 31, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Sea of Suspicion by Toni Anderson Giveaway ends May 31, 2012. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
April 26, 2012
News
Good news. Our lives are crazy busy right now. Science fair, soccer start up (DH is coaching), getting a freebie piano, DH's fish about to spawn (maybe), DIY, garden, dog (must call the vet about heartworm tablets), school stuff, oh, and yeah, writing :)I've got some great news. After a bit of a whirlwind I signed with an agent--Jill Marsal, of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.This is despite the fact I can't get Jill's last name right. Shoot me now.
So now I have two Jills in my life and hope their emails don't get mixed up, because as much as I love my sister-in-law I don't think she can get me a book deal, and I'm pretty sure my agent isn't going to want to know the inner working of my kids' misadventures in school, or how the parents-in-law are behaving (although the latter is usually pretty wild and exciting).
I told my son what was going on.
He said, "So, do you have to pay this person?"
"An agent only earns money if I earn money. She gets a percentage of my royalties," I explained.
"Ha! So she's got a crap job too."
Thanks buddy. I'll remind you of that one day. :)
April 24, 2012
How Long Does it Take You to Write a Story?
People sometimes ask me how long it takes to write a book and, because of my messy process, I don't normally have an answer. But this time I decided to keep a closer eye on my timeline.
I started DANGEROUS WATERS on December 12th 2011. It's likely I already had a solid outline in my head. This idea started as a vivid and heart-pounding nightmare about me and my own kids, walking through the woods. Needless to say it branched into a much bigger story concept over time.
I finished the first draft of this story Saturday 14th April. So, basically that's 4 months to write 90,000 words and have at least the first 50K edited to a reasonable standard (because I have an awesome CP!). BUT, this hasn't exactly been a normal year. If we add in Christmas, getting the flu, my beloved grandad dying and me going back to the UK for his funeral, son breaking his arm, I'd say I missed about a solid month-6 weeks of writing time. (Note to wannabe writers, I used this time to edit other manuscripts, as yet unsold, send out queries etc. I need a certain amount of mental peace to write the first draft but editing is a different creature). I also wrote draft blurbs and a draft synopsis during these 4 months
First draft is a long way from finished, although it's getting into shape. And some books take longer than others. So ballpark figure is it takes me 5-6 months to write a 90,000 novel. I could probably do it faster but I might not survive the experience. And every book is different in some way. Some flow pretty easily, others are like pulling teeth with knitting needles.
And I was thinking about that whole 'normal' thing. Life is never normal, there's always something to hit you unexpectedly. I think you need to plan it that way :)
I started DANGEROUS WATERS on December 12th 2011. It's likely I already had a solid outline in my head. This idea started as a vivid and heart-pounding nightmare about me and my own kids, walking through the woods. Needless to say it branched into a much bigger story concept over time.
I finished the first draft of this story Saturday 14th April. So, basically that's 4 months to write 90,000 words and have at least the first 50K edited to a reasonable standard (because I have an awesome CP!). BUT, this hasn't exactly been a normal year. If we add in Christmas, getting the flu, my beloved grandad dying and me going back to the UK for his funeral, son breaking his arm, I'd say I missed about a solid month-6 weeks of writing time. (Note to wannabe writers, I used this time to edit other manuscripts, as yet unsold, send out queries etc. I need a certain amount of mental peace to write the first draft but editing is a different creature). I also wrote draft blurbs and a draft synopsis during these 4 months
First draft is a long way from finished, although it's getting into shape. And some books take longer than others. So ballpark figure is it takes me 5-6 months to write a 90,000 novel. I could probably do it faster but I might not survive the experience. And every book is different in some way. Some flow pretty easily, others are like pulling teeth with knitting needles.
And I was thinking about that whole 'normal' thing. Life is never normal, there's always something to hit you unexpectedly. I think you need to plan it that way :)
April 20, 2012
Addicted...
To growing things from seed, even though it's probably cheaper and a damn sight more convenient to buy these things in June as big fluffy plants. Help me...I can't stop myself!!!!!!!
April 12, 2012
Just Romantic Suspense
I'm honored to be guest blogging at Just Romantic Suspense today, talking all about Heroic Tendancies :) Chance to win a copy of EDGE OF SURVIVAL for one lucky commenter.
April 10, 2012
April 7, 2012
How d'you like them Apples...
So last year we lost most of the trees out of our backyard which was a real bummer for lots of different reasons, but mainly because we like trees. Today DH and I decided to go looking for a couple of replacements as the garden centers are now open for business. As it is almost our 15th wedding anniversary we bought each other an apple tree :) Yes, Manitoba has apple trees and if you want fruit you need two trees. I also got a small cherry tree. Of course we can't actually plant them out yet but have to harden them off like geraniums until the frosts are done. This would be easier if they were the size of geraniums and not apple trees LOL. But I think we'll manage!!
Cherry Tree
March 29, 2012
Happy Memories
Look what I found! One of my grandad's adventures to Canada :) I'm thinking this is Algonquin Park. He was 77 and we dragged him hiking and camping :) Happy Days.
March 27, 2012
Fifty Dollar Bill
See the new Canadian $50 bill? The cool thing about this (aside from the fact it's a polymer based note) is the ship. That ship is the CCGS Amundsen, which was previously CCGS Sir John Franklin, and that my friends, is the boat I spent a summer on in Northern Labrador in the 90s. The same boat I based my fictional boat, Imaviaq (which means 'open water amidst ice' in one of the Inuit languages), on in EDGE OF SURVIVAL.(Great article on the need to replace Canada's aging icebreaker fleet here, BTW)So, I feel like I own a little part of history.
And, as another aside, my working title for that story was always ICEBREAKER :) 
