Driving Under the Influence

A hilarious novel about hitting rock bottom and climbing back up again. A hilarious novel about hitting rock bottom and climbing back up again

Chelsea has had a rough week. After a few great years of professional triumphs and personal stability, she suddenly finds herself-at the grand old age of 28-homeless, jobless and single. Cheating on her boyfriend with her boss probably wasn't the brightest idea.

Salvation comes in the form of her father, Gary 'Turbo' Turbiton, a once major but now fading star of stage and screen, who offers her a job as his assistant while he travels Australia promoting his recent autobiography. Chelsea adores her Dad but she knows from years of family road trips just what this 'job' will entail: hours and hours of mindless bush trivia, pit stops to ridiculous local landmarks and pointed interrogations about what she's doing with her life. All the while John Denver will warble endlessly on the CD player. Resigned to her fate-and without a better offer-she says yes.

The promo tour takes the two of them across Australia-from a family wedding in Darwin to a pig farm in Port Fairy, from a chance encounter in Tenterfield to an impromptu karaoke night in Yackandandah. Along the way there are unplanned detours-and people-they have to face as they both struggle with that eternal life question: what happens next?

With its light touch and sassy humour, Driving Under the Influence is a charming look at growing up, growing old and what fathers and daughters can learn from each other.