Toni Lawrence grew up in South Bend, IN, as Mary Schmidt. She attended Ball State University, Indiana University, and Southwestern Michigan College. Toni and her late husband, Jerry, a Vietnam Marine veteran, raised four children on military bases before returning to Niles. After Jerry's passing, Toni founded “The Connector” newspaper, earning Michigan Press Association membership. She later pursued freelance writing and ghostwrote 14 books. Currently, Toni is semi-retired in Niles and a proud grandmother of six.