1990: Novel success

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Tags: author, novel, Science, winter-2011

Toni Jordan

Toni Jordan, Bachelor of Science

Toni Jordan never anticipated she would become a novelist, and certainly never thought she would see one of her stories on the big screen.

Ms Jordan started her working life as a molecular biologist and quality control chemist, but sought a new career in the arts.

She enrolled in a professional writing program, and signed up for a creative writing course where she began writing her debut novel Addition.

“Once I started writing fiction I just couldn’t stop. I still find it completely addictive,” Ms Jordan said.

With her new book Fall Girl recently released, Ms Jordan is still reeling from the success of Addition, now in the process of becoming a motion picture.

“Addition is the story of Grace, an intelligent, attractive, funny woman whose compulsion to count things seriously affects her life,” Ms Jordan said.

“I love how grumpy she is. Clearly I’m a repressed grump.”

Fall Girl follows Della, who poses as an academic to investigate the existence of a supposedly extinct animal roaming Australia’s national parks.

“My favourite part of the characters is their inconsistencies: their hypocrisies and blind spots. Della is riddled with them but she just can’t see it,” Ms Jordan said.

To visualise an ideal setting for the novel, Ms Jordan spent time at the University of Melbourne, observing the academic environment.

To portray Della as a true con artist, she researched some of history’s most infamous villains.

Ms Jordan said her biggest challenge as a writer had been coming up with ideas.

“You need to read enough novels to have stories bubble up inside you,” she said.

“Writing fiction without being a voracious reader is like being a chef without tastebuds.”

By Allison Rock

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