Toni Cantrell was born in Crawfordsville Indiana, graduated from Anderson High School and married her high school sweetheart. She and her husband Manuel have two sons, Dennis (Marjie), and Terry (Jennifer); two grandchildren, Corey and Angie (Johnny) and a great-grandson, Angie’s son Brandon.

Toni has been writing since age twelve. The discovery of a 20 year old half-written manuscript started her current writing spree in 1984. Her sister-in-law called her to speak to a writing class in early 1994, and she joined the class. “I didn’t know half as much about writing as I learned there.”

She finished that long lost novel and six other manuscripts before getting a novel published in 2001, just prior to undergoing breast cancer surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Strangers and Pilgrims is available through Author House. Her second book—prequel to The Gazebo—was published in September, 2002, titled If Ever That Time Come.

Absentminded written with Violet Ryan (as Voni Ryan) was published in 2010 by Belfire Press. Also slated for release in 2011 is another Voni Ryan effort, The Light Side of Dark and yet another collaboration with Bea Simmons (as Allen Simmons-Cantrell), Like Him With Friends Possess’d.

You can visit Toni on the web at ToniCantrell.com.