I've said it before, and I'll say it again. One of the biggest blessings of being an author is getting to know other authors. For the last few years, I've been a part of the group Inspy Romance and been able to get to know quite a few of the other authors there, too. One of them is Toni Shiloh, and ... well, she's pretty amazing. So, today, I wanted to let you get to know her, too. Keep reading to find out more about Toni and her newest release (which I'm so excited about!). And make sure you read all the way to the bottom for a fun giveaway opportunity! Congratulations on your book releasing next week. I'm very excited about it because I read the first one earlier this year and am looking forward to going back to Ọlọrọ Ilé. What was the hardest part of creating the island and all of its history and culture? What was your favorite part? Thanks so much for having me! Creating Ọlọrọ Ilé was definitely fun for me. I think the hardest part of creating the history and culture was deciding what fit other colonized countries as well as fit the culture I was creating. I've never thought of myself as particularly political or even a history buff, so I felt a little out of depth in this area. But fortunately, there are so many books and articles on the topic. My favorite part was delving into part of Nigerian culture and what makes it it. 🙂 I know the heroine in this book is a fashionista. How did you pick her career? What was the most interesting thing you discovered in doing research for her? I thought being in the arts and being creative fit Iris's personality the best. She's bubbly and joyful and I could just imagine her as a child playing dress up with dozens of dolls and creating her own fashion show. The most interesting thing I discovered was their sales process. When they're in winter season, they're already a couple of season ahead. It made sense and made me realize why you can buy swimsuits in the winter/springtime before the season has even hit. That is interesting! This is such a fun series and a little different from a lot of what you've written before. Do you prefer this princess fiction or do you think you'll probably go back to "regular" people after this series ends? Good question! I love them both so if anything, I may alternate. 🙂 Good news indeed! As an Arkansas girl, I'm seriously excited about you writing some stories set in one of my home states. What made you decide to pick it and can you tell us a little about the town you're creating there? I love traveling but my pocketbook can't keep up with my need to see new places. So I armchair travel and pick a new state/country each time I write. I knew the idea of the series and what I wanted to happen so it was a matter of picking a state I thought would fit that. Arkansas came up after talking to a friend from there and the rest was history. What's up next? Any exciting news? I'm working on revisions for my next Bethany House release coming in 2023. The Love Script will be the first book in the Love in the Spotlight series. I can't wait to introduce you to the characters. Sounds good! What is your least favorite part of the writing process? Revisions, lol. My editor at Bethany House is great but I always feel so unnerved trying to decide how to make it better and the best way to go about incorporating their suggested changes. Once I get into the groove, it gets better, but definitely not my favorite part of writing. I think most authors would agree with that! Which one(s) of your characters are most like you as a real person? Very good question. I'm not sure I've really created a character most like me. I've given maybe a tiny portion of myself in all of them, but no one is quite like me. 🙂 Love that answer! And, last but not least, please tell us one thing about yourself that very few poeple know. Hmm, I feel like everyone knows everything already, lol. But I'd say one thing very few readers know is I get motion sickness in the car (no reading for me), on a plane (can't even watch flying in movies), but not on a boat (yes, I'm weird). Thanks for having me again! That doesn't sound fun at all! I can't imagine not being able to read in a car, and I have a seven-year-old who would agree. So sad! Thanks for joining us today and letting us having some sneak peeks into your writing life. Readers, Toni has agreed to give away a paperback to one person (US only) who leaves a comment here today. I'll draw a winner later this week so be sure to stop by and say "hi." Fashion aficionado Iris Blakely moved her whole life to the African island of Ọlọrọ Ilé when her best friend, Brielle, became queen. With dreams of starting a fashion business to help citizens in impoverished areas, Iris is determined to make her ambitions a reality. But when she discovers that the traitorous, yet handsome Ekon Diallo will be her business consultant, the battle between her desires and reality begins. Sentenced to community service for his crimes against Ọlọrọ Ilé, Ekon Diallo lost everything after one bad decision: his princely title, material possessions, friends, and the respect of his countrymen. The only thing he has left is the income earned by working for his father’s company, Diallo Enterprises, and his knack for business. To pay for his actions against his country, he must work alongside the charismatic Iris Blakely, the best friend of the woman he helped betray. But as Iris and Ekon strive to get her business off the ground, can Iris keep her heart intact from a partner she doesn’t completely trust, or will her dreams of happily ever crash and burn? Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author of In Search of a Prince (2022). Her novel Grace Restored was a 2019 HOLT Medallion finalist, and Risking Love was a 2020 Selah Award finalist. As a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Toni loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media and at tonishiloh.com.
2 Comments
TONI SHILOH
9/5/2022 09:47:18 am
Thank you so much for having me today!
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Sonnetta Jones
9/5/2022 09:51:08 am
I find this story so good. It reminds me that there are times when we made bad choices but that does not mean we are a bad person. Our choices have consequences whether good or bad. With God, there is forgiveness but that does not necessarily remove the result of bad choices.
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This is a place for me to tell you about what I'm writing, talk about the process or where some of my ideas came from, or even have other authors come in and talk about their books.
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