Ashton seeks success with second novel

Local inner west author, Wayne Ashton, is not a man short of things to do. Quite aside from producing another highly-anticipated novel, Equator, after the success of his literary debut, Under a Tin-Grey Sari, the multi-talented Annandale local has in recent times also been indulging his passion for visual art, not to mention radio drama. Indeed, his paintings reside in numerous private collections across the globe, from London to Athens, and his radio drama credits for the ABC include The Aunt, The Tasman Angel from Hell, and The Oils and Mirrors of Dorothy Hoffkoff. On the face of it, Ashton is someone who, by rights, should be very easy to dislike. I feel my levels of professional resentment rising already.

But let’s leave aside individual jealousies for the moment, for it’s the launch of his new book that Ashton is presently, and justifiably, excited about. Equator is an intricate love story which transcends time, with the ocean as a magnificent backdrop.

A novel that encapsulates the modern with the historic, it focuses on love affairs with characters who live by the sea.

According to Ashton, it has a quality of timeliness that, “moves really fast between Broome, Sydney, Spain, the Bahamas, and London.”

Spanning throughout his works, the ocean is a recurring theme. It’s unsurprising to discover it’s a passion which dates back to childhood experiences. Quite the frivolous young boy, Ashton grew up by the sea, spending his free time jumping off the back of boats.

Humorously impersonating his parents – “Holy crap, where’s he gone now?” – it’s evident Ashton was more than just a young boy after trouble. He was a boy who quickly became mesmerised by the ocean’s beauty.

But despite being a great lover of the sea, he was quick to assure me there was no hidden green agenda.

“I’m not a mad hippy, I’m a nature lover,” he says. “When I meet people at a party, and tell them I’m an author, they think I’m an accountant!”

Born to British and Pakistani parents, Ashton certainly had an intriguing upbringing, living in such diverse places as Chittagong, Ipoh, Lagos, Perth and Sydney. He moved to Perth when he was 14 years old, and stayed to complete his university education there.

Speaking fondly of his time in the west, he reminiscences about its beauty. “It is seriously beautiful, so remote… so wild,” he says.

As with any author, it is only natural such personal experiences should be brought to bear on his writing. “[My upbringing] has allowed me to see lots of different cultures, and from different points of view,” he observes.

But for all that, Sydney retains a special place in his heart.

“A lot of the characters [in the novel] that are running around Spain, actually come from spots in Sydney,” he says.

As for his personal life, Ashton continues to take various field trips around Australia with his partner, and says Shark Bay is one of his favourite locations – “it’s very spooky, downright frightening in some ways.”

Interestingly, it’s this somewhat intimidating view of nature which is a clear hallmark of the style of writing in Equator.

“I think the fear that we have of nature is infused into the prose of the book,” Ashton says.

The front cover selected for Equator is his own artwork, a testament to his talent as a visual artist as well as a wordsmith. Learning that Tony Bond, Assistant Director at the Art Gallery of NSW, would be launching his new novel, Wayne was nothing less than thrilled.

But for Ashton, the meaning of Equator runs beyond the simple words on the page, beyond a fictional love story. It is, he says, about setting new standards for this beautiful planet we live on.

“It’s a new way of thinking; whole new paradigms,” he says.

Moreover, he is dedicated to educating readers about the importance of looking after the ocean. And that’s something we can all get behind – even if its proponent is annoyingly charming and talented.

Join Wayne to celebrate the release of Equator at 6pm on Friday, August 27, at the Annandale Galleries, 110 Trafalgar Street, Annandale