The unexpected plot twist: The story of Toni Jordan's lucky life
Sep 25, 2024
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Toni Jordan, a best-selling novelist from Brisbane, shares her vibrant upbringing with a dynamic mother and experiences surrounding horse racing. She recounts her childhood filled with excitement and challenges at a family-run betting agency, starkly reflecting the highs and lows of gambling. Toni's journey from equine science to creative writing highlights a pivotal moment of inspiration, while her lively anecdotes, including a spontaneous tattoo adventure, celebrate the joy and complexities of family bonds. Through it all, humor and resilience shine through.
Toni Jordan's upbringing in a chaotic gambling environment instilled resilience and shaped her understanding of risk and responsibility.
Her transition from various careers to best-selling novelist was profoundly influenced by her unique childhood experiences and complex family dynamics.
Deep dives
Tony Jordan's Unconventional Upbringing
Tony Jordan grew up in a working-class family in Brisbane, where her parents led unconventional lives. Her father, a greyhound trainer, won the family home deposit through a gambling victory, showcasing a theme of luck and chance. Tony’s mother, a fiercely independent woman who ran a betting agency, shaped much of Tony's childhood experience, blending humor with challenge. The dynamics of their home life fostered a sense of responsibility in Tony from an early age as she often assumed a caretaker role for her mother.
The Vibrant Yet Tumultuous World of the TAB
Tony's memories of her mother's TAB illustrate a lively but chaotic environment filled with gamblers, smoke, and the constant excitement of betting. Tony helped her mother with the daily operations, experiencing firsthand the labor-intensive process of organizing and processing bets before the era of computers. The TAB served as a community hub for local gamblers, providing a space for camaraderie and shared passion. However, amidst this bustling atmosphere, Tony also witnessed her mother's significant struggles with gambling addiction, leaving a complex imprint on her perspective of money and risk.
Complex Family Relationships and Personal Resilience
The tumultuous relationship between Tony and her mother was marked by intense fights, moments of vulnerability, and a constant struggle for control. Amidst her mother's fierce and sometimes erratic behavior, including violent outbursts, Tony learned early on to navigate a challenging emotional landscape. The presence of her grandmother provided stability, but Tony still felt the weight of understanding her mother's complicated past and mental health issues. This experience shaped Tony's understanding of resilience, ultimately leading her to move out at 18 to forge her own path.
Evolution of Identity and Creative Expression
Tony discovered her passion for writing later in life while working in various jobs, transitioning from science to creative pursuits. Inspired by her unusual upbringing and personal experiences, she found her voice in novel writing, connecting her creativity to her childhood imagination. Her mother's vibrant yet tumultuous spirit sparked a sense of fearlessness within Tony, influencing her attitude towards both life and her craft. This journey culminated in Tony honoring her mother's legacy with a tattoo in the same spot as her mother's, reflecting on the lasting impact of their complicated but formative relationship.
Toni Jordan grew up working in a T.A.B. with her cyclonic mother, and going to the greyhound races. Then she grew up to become a best-selling novelist. (R)
Toni Jordan is a best-selling novelist.
But she didn't grow up in a house full of books.
Her mum ran a T.A.B. and her dad trained greyhounds for a living.
Toni's mum was hardworking and hilarious, but she could also be hard to live with.
All her life, Toni felt she had to look out for her mum.
But after Marg became a grandmother, Toni began to admire her in new ways.
This conversation talks about gambling, money, family dynamics, origin stories, parenting, mental health, writing, film, domestic violence and relationships.
Content warning: this episode of Conversations contains discussion about domestic violence and self harm.
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