Cover Design by Cynthia Cross Harges               Janet West-Sellars

 

ENGAGING DEBUT NOVEL FROM FIRST-TIME AUTHOR

NEWPORT NEWS, VA (JANUARY 2005) Janet West-Sellars engaging debut novel, Quiet As It’s Kept, due to be released in March 2005.

Synopsis:  In every family, good people from time to time, do bad things.  Before long, family and friends become synonymous with secrets and lies as they sometimes bitterly learn that forgiveness is the rule and not the exception in Quiet As It’s Kept.  When James Alexander Scott (Scott) dies suddenly, many people, including his offspring are nothing short of relieved.  They begin to view their own mortality with a sense of urgency; enjoying life to the fullest.  Scott’s children are living, in varying degrees, their father’s legacy of always distrust, never commit, and at all costs, get revenge.  The oldest, Shirley, is a woman of the world who’s been everywhere, seen everything and sat and watched the grass grow.  Shirley believes that her body is her greatest asset and she uses it to her full advantage.  The middle child, Terry, is the talented, sensitive one of the family a singer and choir director.  He still struggles with trying not to project the stereotypical image of the gay church choir director.  Terry has passed on his gift of song to his daughter Teryn, but he has also left her afraid to give herself fully to any man.  Zena (Zee) is the youngest of the three siblings.  She’s always felt different than the rest of them and Scott, her father, did everything he could to foster those feelings.  Zee is recovering from a grave illness and though she doesn’t know it, her illness and its aftermath, are inextricably connected to her father’s death.  Dr. Edward Marshall, Scott’s best friend, is sad his friend has departed, but is thankful his secrets have been buried with him.  But what’s done in the dark always manages to come to light, Quiet As It’s Kept. 
 

Bio:  Janet was born in the Washington , DC area.  Her creative spirit was cultivated and nurtured by her mother’s love of the arts.  A Jayne-of-all-Trades, she has lived and traveled extensively throughout the US and Europe . Janet has had careers in the armed forces, academia, and public service. She currently works for a federal government agency investigating and resolving discrimination complaints. In addition, Janet holds a Bachelors degree in Sociology and a Masters degree in Human Relations.  Janet currently resides in Virginia with her family.   Read more about Janet West-Sellars and Quiet As It’s Kept on the web at http://www.janetwestsellars.com.