Janet Ruth Young: Award Winning Glocester Author Visits Peabody Bookstore May 22, 2007

Janet Ruth Young: Local Award Winning Author

Discusses first novel at book signing:
7 PM, May 22 at Borders, Peabody

At first Billy's father just seemed distant, as if he had something on his mind. Then he stopped listening to music, saying it hurt his ears. After a while he stopped eating and sleeping. And after that he just stopped. Stopped being Billy's father and his friend and became someone else. Someone who was depressed and withdrawn and wouldn't respond to treatments.
Determined to help their father, Billy and his family devise a series of unconventional therapies for him. But the strain of looking after Dad begins to wear on them all. Billy stops writing songs and starts avoiding his friends. His sister wants to suicide-proof the house. And his mother worries about losing her job because she takes so much time off. Taking care of Dad is starting to sap the strength they need to keep him alive.
The Opposite of Music(Simon & Schuster) is a powerful and realistic debut novel about the lengths a family will go to in order to save one of their own, and the strength it takes to learn how to ask for help.
Young will speak and sign her award winning novel on Tuesday, May 22 at Borders Books and Music, 151 Andover St, Peabody. Info: 978-538-3003. The event will run from 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM
Janet Ruth Young studied creative writing at Boston University and was co-editor of the literary magazine stet. Her travel articles and book and theater reviews have appeared in the Boston Globe and other local publications. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and received the PEN New England Children's Book Discovery Award for The Opposite of Music, her first novel.

Official Website: http://www.bordersstores.com