Toni Shilioh

Bonnie Martin Writes

Tell us about yourself, family, pets, favorite foods, hobbies, where you grew up, etc., and a few things about yourself that have nothing to do with writing.

I’m Toni Shiloh, Christian contemporary romance author. I’ve been married for 17 years and we have two boys that entertain us on a daily basis. I like to play video games with the family, watch movies, or read to my hearts’ content. I’m a born and raised Texan but reside in Virginia currently, but that hasn’t stopped me from wearing Dallas Cowboys wear wherever I go.

What genre(s) do you write?

I write Christian contemporary romance because it’s the best in my humble opinion.

Are you Indy, traditionally published, or both?

I’m a hybrid author, which means that I publish books Independently as well as traditionally. It’s the best of both worlds!

What are you working on now?

Right now I received line edits of my next Love Inspired read releasing in 2023. We’ll see what I work on after that. 😉

Do you read outside of your genre?

If so, what other genres do you like to read? I do read outside the CCR genre. I’m a huge fan of romance so I’ll read any subgenre it has: historical, fantasy, suspense, etc. I also read some clean romance books as well, especially if they’re rom coms.

Did the first book you wrote get published? How long were you writing before you were published?

Yes because I indie published it. After that, I was traditionally published and a year passed between the two books.

When you are writing, do you like complete silence, or do you like to listen to music? If so, what kind of music do you like? What are your favorite writing snacks?

I always listen to music when I’m writing, revising, editing, etc. I usually create a playlist for each book I write so I listen to that as I work on the story. There may be instrumental music but usually the songs have lyrics. I usually don’t eat while writing. Too focused to remember to grab something.

How do you brainstorm your story?

That’s a great question. Usually, I start with a character and think of ways their background has shaped them from the past to the present of when I want to write their story. I let their history speak for itself.

How long did it take you to write your latest book?

It took me 6 weeks to write the first draft of To Win a Prince. That was totally a God blessing because normally I average three months.

Do you celebrate when you finish your book? How?

Yes! I sometimes buy a slice of cheesecake, or I’ll buy a bookish/writerly shirt.

Watch for Toni’s next release, To Win a Prince, coming September 13, 2022. It’s the sequel to her very popular novel In Search of a Prince.