Till I'm Laid to Rest

In this compelling novel, Till I'm Laid To Rest , Garfield Ellis' first novel with
Nsemia Inc. Publishers , we meet Shirley Temple Brown a young woman who has survived
some of the hardest social and political times Jamaica has seen. But now she is finally
tired of just surviving, she wants to thrive and she knows she must leave Jamaica
in order to do so.

She makes the decision to leave Jamaica for a new start in Miami.
Not long after arriving in Miami, she begins to see what the glare of the sun
and the bright lights have kept hidden: elderly American retirees living out
their last days in the warmth and comfort their youth never afforded them,
while being cared for by complete strangers; drug dealers hungry for their
slice of the American dream, sexual predators, con artists and murderers.

Alone in a place where standing still is sure death Shirley is determined to
succeed or be laid to rest!
About the Author

Garfield grew up in Jamaica, the eldest of nine children. He studied marine
engineering, management and public relations in Jamaica and he completed his
Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Miami, as a James Michener Fellow.

He is the author of four other books: Flaming Hearts, Wake Rasta, Such As I Have and
For Nothing at All . His work has appeared in several international journals,
including; Callaloo, Calabash, the Caribbean writer, Obsidian III, Small Axe
and Anthurium. He is a two-time winner of the Una Marson Prize for adult literature;
has twice won the Canute A. Brodhurst prize for fiction and the 1990 Heinemann/Lifestyle
short story competition.
Till I'm laid to Rest (in manuscript form) was 1999 winner of the Una Marson
Award for Adult Fiction.

Here is what others say about Till I'm Laid to Rest:

"Ellis writes with grace and power." - George Lammaing

"This story reveals much about the culture of poverty, human nature and survival ...
The author handles contemporary social issues with such skill that there is no
detraction from overall enjoyment. The proverb 'stealing from thieves makes God
laugh' comes alive in the events. The author's sense of time and place is powerful
and convincing." - Jennifer Amoah

"Where this story is original is the way it weaves a love story with someone who
is involved in illegal activities and a woman torn between whether to stay with him
or leave." - Sarah Kibaalya

"It is clear that these characters want the same things those who continue to leave
their homes, families, communities and even their countries want: the chance to improve
their futures. What separates us from these characters is the lengths to which they
are prepared to go in order to improve their circumstances." - Patricia J. Saunders

"Garfield Ellis makes us see and hear people distinctly. In scene after scene
character and tension are communicated in nicely nuanced dialogue." -Mervyn Morris