Eat and Get Gas: A Novel

Thirteen-year-old Evan Hanson is left alone with her family when her brother is drafted and her mother goes to Canada. She finds a new sense of freedom at her father's café and gas station in Hoquiam, Washington, where she meets a variety of characters, including Aunt Vivian, Uncle Frankie, Paco, Hal and Hubert, and Louanne. She also learns some of the family secrets she's been kept in the dark about and discovers the biggest secret of all.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 06 June 2023
Publisher: She Writes Press

Thirteen-year-old Evan Hanson, always the last in her family to know what's going on, finds herself alone with her father, Gene, who has become meaner since his service in Vietnam. Her brother, Adam, is drafted, and her anti-war mother, Endura, takes him across the border to Canada, leaving Evan with Gene and her younger brother, Teddy. When Gene takes them to his mother's café and gas station in Hoquiam, Washington, Evan encounters a diverse group of characters. Aunt Vivian, a teasing but caring know-it-all; Uncle Frankie, injured in Vietnam and suffering from PTSD; Paco, the draft dodger Frankie is hiding; Hal and Hubert, the strange but gentle next-door neighbors who play the piano like virtuosos and help out when needed; and Louanne, Frankie's reserved, sensitive sister.

Evan finds a sense of freedom and belonging at Eat and Get Gas, helping in the café and sorting mail for Uncle Frankie. As she learns more about the family's secrets, she realizes that her mother is not coming back anytime soon. However, her journey takes a surprising turn when she discovers the biggest secret of all.

Through her experiences, Evan learns the importance of family, friendship, and acceptance. She realizes that even in the face of adversity, there is always hope for a brighter future.

Dimension: 216 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781647424817