Brandon Twp.- At 57-years-old, Starr Toth has found her voice and a career, one she never thought she would have.
The township resident, who is married and the mother of two adult daughters, has worked part-time jobs for years, including a sales position at Kohl’s and cleaning offices. Now, she is about to become a published author.
Toth’s first book, ‘Lie to Me,? will be released in stores including Borders, Barnes & Noble, Target, and more on Nov. 25, under Toth’s pen name, Starr Ambrose. The romantic suspense novel is being published by Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster. The book giant has already accepted a second novel by Toth and her agent is pitching a third finished novel while she is 20 pages into a fourth book. But her seemingly sudden success came only after 12-15 years of serious writing and many rejections.
‘You come to a black moment and think nothing will work,? says Toth, relaxing in her township home next to a cozy fire. ‘I almost gave up on writing. No one wants to spend a year writing a book and be told, ‘No, thanks.? It’s like someone telling you your baby is ugly.?
But after all the years of rejection, Toth ultimately took a shortcut to the top, entering her book in an online contest in which authors submitted chapters of their work and if they advanced, submitted more. The winner would have their book published. When Toth was named a finalist, an editor read her entire book, which she had titled ‘Trust Me.? Although she didn’t win, the editor told her they wanted to publish her novel, too. They renamed it ‘Lie to Me? and she changed her pen name to Ambrose after Simon & Schuster executives told her the name Toth was not marketable.
‘My husband was offended,? she laughs. ‘But they’re in the business of doing that and it gets me better placement at Borders.?
Pocket Books is billing ‘Lie to Me? as ‘a steamy romantic suspense debut that blends the playfulness of Janet Evanovich with the sexy action of Sandra Brown.?
The book is set in Bloomfield Hills and Toth’s main character is Eleanor Coggins, who is convinced that a member of a wealthy family killed her best friend. She breaks into a mansion to find proof and is caught by the man’s half-brother, who ends up being a hero in the story.
Toth, who has always loved reading and dreamed of being a writer, never thought she would pen romance, but tried it after a writing friend said she had a voice for it.