Anthony Bidulka is the author of two series. The fast paced thriller series featuring Disaster Recovery Agent Adam Saint and the long-running, award-winning mystery series featuring Russell Quant. Among his many awards are:
2013 Lambda Literary Award Finalist for Best Men’s Mystery
2012 #1 Fiction Bestseller McNally Robinson Saskatoon
2011 American Library Association GLBT Round Table Over The Rainbow Top Mystery
2010 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel Finalist
2010 Rainbow Award for Best Gay Mystery/Thriller
2009 Saskatchewan Book Award Finalist for Book of the Year Award
Anthony loves to throw a good party, travel, collect art, write, and answer the question: Where the heck is Saskatchewan and why do you live there? He was inducted into the University of Saskatchewan’s Wall of Honour in 2011 and in 2014 was named Citizen of the Year for his community, charitable and professional pursuits in his home city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
How I Got Published
I would wager a hefty amount that if you sat in a room with a dozen published writers and asked the same question, you’d get a dozen different answers. I’m grateful for that because I think it sends a hopeful message to new/beginning writers that there isn’t just one way to make this happen.
In the spring of 1999 I made a drastic career change, leaving my decade-long career as a CPA with an international audit and accounting firm to pursue writing full-time. At the time I hadn’t published so much as a Want Ad or even taken a single writing class. I was pursuing a long-held passion and carving out a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for chasing a dream. I had no idea whether it would last a month or decades. And it really didn’t matter. I just wanted to know that I tried. I knew I’d come to regret it if I didn’t.
Speaking of Want Ads, basically, I got published by answering one. It was probably one of a dozen queries I sent out that day. The only thing that set it apart was that it was in response to an ad placed in the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild newsletter by a freelance editor in Toronto. She was looking to find manuscripts that might appeal to a publisher she’d worked with who she knew was in the market for fresh, unique, Canadian material. Having written Amuse Bouche about a world-travelling, wise-cracking, wine-guzzling, gay, prairie private eye…well, I qualified.
I was the only client the editor took on. We worked on the material until she felt it was ready to present to Insomniac Press. Since then, I have published ten books with Insomniac, living my passion.
His latest book was published in November 2014.
Canadian Disaster Recovery Agent Adam Saint is lured to the edge of the world. In the dark waters of Polynesia a trio of women, survivors of a long ago shipwreck, are discovered on an uncharted spit of jungle. Who are the women of Skawa Island? Are they victims? Or are they hiding something, complicit in their own isolation?
Please visit Anthony at www.anthonybidulka.com, Facebook, Twitter (@abidulka), and YouTube.
So delighted to see Anthony here, Carol! Great choice! He’s one of my favourite authors.
Anthony, thank you for sharing your journey to publication. Your story’s very helpful. And thank you for Russell and Adam.
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And Margot – as I mentioned to Carol – you are one of my favorite people – so appreciate what you do to promote writers and admire your encyclopaedic knowledge of everything mysterious.
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*Blush*
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“I had no idea whether it would last a month or decades. And it really didn’t matter. I just wanted to know that I tried. I knew I’d come to regret it if I didn’t.”—These words could have come out of my mouth, so spot on they are to how I feel about writing. Wonderful to see him succeed.
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Hey Carrie – its all in the trying, right?
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That it is.
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Another fascinating interview 🙂
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Thanks.:)
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Thanks Margaret. So many stories out there.
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Fabulous! Thanks for sharing your story.
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You are very welcome. Glad to be have been asked by Carol.
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Awesome chance. Wonderful journey. This is an amazing publishing story. Bravo.
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It is a journey indeed, still on it, hope to always be.
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Thanks. 🙂
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I love reading these inspirational stories about authors catching a break and making it traditionally. Not to mention, especially Canadian authors! Great post as always Carol! 🙂
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I do too, D.G. When I first began considering making the leap to writing, I was inspired by the success of fellow Canadian mystery writer, Gail Bowen.
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Carol: Thank you for tracking Anthony down and getting his always candid comments. He is a distinguished representative of our province and a fun guy to be around.
If you agree Carol I would like to add a link on my list of blog posts concerning Anthony to this post.
Now, on Saskatchewan I like so say we are in the middle of everywhere.
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Please do add your posts and thanks for commenting here. 🙂
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I love that! The middle of everywhere!
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What an great story of hope for anyone thinking of pursuing book writing. How cool that Anthony has two series and so many books under his belt!
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Carol and Anthony – Sorry I did not realize I appeared as anonymous and had not left my name on the comment.
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Oh we knew it was you all the time Bill! 🙂
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Even though I attend the Sydney Writer’s Festival and various author talks and have my blog etc, I have this funny feeling that one day I’ll be sitting on the bus rambling onto a stranger like I so often do and this will be some serious publisher who takes an instant shining to me and I’ll never look back.
There are obviously much more direct approaches but you also need a bit of luck.
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I love the idea that it can happen any manner of ways. Some traditional, some not. Some involving luck, some involving hitting the pavement, some on a bus.
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I am diving into your book, “Mourning has Broken,” and just wanted to give a shout out to a passage that hit home…when you say to your father, “When I die, I want to come back as your mother.” You say it, so “he would know what it was like being on the other side.” Amazing…thank you!
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Oh, thank you for reading my book. I am happy that some of it resonates with you. 🙂
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An inspiring writing journey, and I can relate to the need to have a crack at writing. Whatever the results, it gives you the opportunity to truly be yourself.
Anthony, you have me at the ‘wise-cracking, gay private eye’, even though I happily first read it as ‘pirate’. I’m off to read Amuse Bouche. Thanks Carol. 🙂
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Susan! You’ve just revealed the idea for my next series – a gay pirate! Brilliant! 🙂
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I love mysteries and shall have to find time to fit this into my reading. Thanks, Carol, for letting us know about this fine author!
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If you find the time I hope you enjoy them!
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