Plicata Press celebrates its newest title, The Whiskey Creek Water Company, a Depression era novel set on the west side of Puget Sound

The public is invited to hear long-time Gig Harbor resident Jan Walker read from her seventh published book, an historical novel crafted from local lore, at Lele, the Asian cuisine restaurant near the Galaxy Theater, Wednesday, March 12, at 7:00 pm.

Walker’s story opens on the day after FDR is elected president, November 1932, in a community she names Burke Bay. There, a dark cloaked stranger looking for a drink and work arrives with his battered wife and young daughter, and sets lives on tilt. 

As the venerable Kirkus Review noted about this novel, “The close-knit Scandinavian community of Burke Bay could be nearly any ethnic enclave facing the challenges of prolonged unemployment, economic uncertainty, and intergenerational conflict and acculturation. But Walker’s characters and keen observations bring the town alive, leaving readers with a deep understanding of the people and the challenges they faced during a tumultuous era.”

Walker’s book develops a number of important themes, including how alcohol production influenced individual characters, their families, and the community at large. “A solidly researched, artfully written novel that’s both entertaining and educational,” said Kirkus.

The public is invited to this free event (Lele provides a no-host bar) to hear Walker read. Signed copies of The Whiskey Creek Water Company will be made available.

Walker, Editorial Dirctor of Plicata Press, intends to share the spotlight with local authors whose books have been published by the press.