short bio
Toni Halleen worked for many years as an employment law attorney and now runs the law firm Schaefer Halleen. She won a Mentor Prize in Fiction from the Loft Literary Center, and her short fiction has been published inStructo, Wigleaf, Gravel, the Star Tribune, and elsewhere. She also authored an award-winning musical, “Soulless, Bloodsucking Lawyers.” Her debut novel, THE SURROGATE, was published by HarperCollins in 2021. Toni holds a B.A. in Women’s Studies from Mount Holyoke College, and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota. She is an avid improviser and used her stage experience to develop and teach “Think on the Spot” skills to hundreds of professionals. She lives in Minneapolis.
Author photograph by Samantha Freeman
Skip intro and start at approximately 2:00 mark, Toni reads her short story, He Who Loves Himself, at the Loft Literary Center.
For more interviews, reviews and content: check out Toni’s Press and Coverage!
Fun Facts
Toni attended Mount Holyoke, which is the oldest womens’ college in the country. She was inspired to apply after watching Uncommon Women (by Holyoke alum Wendy Wasserstein) on PBS.
Toni and her husband co-own a law firm that represents employees in workplace discrimination. Over the course of her legal career, Toni has worked in law firms and corporate settings.
Toni is a proud mom, mom-in-law and stepmom of three wonderful young adults.
Toni loves to knit and has made way too many hats, blankets, and sweaters.
Years ago, Toni performed standup comedy and improvisation, including teaching improv to hundreds of adult students.
As a child, Toni moved around a lot because her dad was a minister. This gave her the opportunity to develop adaptability skills.
Toni loved reading from a young age, including a love of books like Harriet the Spy, Little House on the Prairie, the Nancy Drew series, and Judy Blume novels.
Toni has studied ballroom dance and it remains a favorite.
Toni’s mom is an artist in acrylic and watercolor painting, as well as pencil and chalk drawing.
“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”