Author Q&A: Ashley Capes

Today we’re interviewing Ashley Capes, a poet, novelist, and teacher living in Australia.

Capes currently teaches English, media and music production and has played in a metal band, worked in an art gallery, and slaved away at music retail.

Aside from reading and writing, he loves volleyball and Studio Ghibli — and Magnum PI, easily one of the greatest television shows ever made.

SADYE: Which of your characters would you most and least like to trade places with?

ASHLEY: Abrensi from my Bone Mask books is a powerful Stormsinger, but as of right now, he’s my pick of least likely, as he was turned to stone during the last book in the series.

So long as it’s a temporary swap I reckon I’d trade places with a hero from one of my other books – Never, who is a somewhat snarky fellow but I’m more drawn to the fact that he has wings, as I’d love to give flying a shot.

However, since I throw a lot of trouble his way, I’d not want to stay in his shoes too long.

SADYE: What period of history would you most like to travel back to and why?

ASHLEY: This is a tough question because there are SO many choices!

I’ve often wondered about San Francisco in the 1950s, when the Beat poets were writing and publishing during that explosion of creativity, but I think more, I’d love to see ancient Rome in part so I could visit the Nemi ships, which were essentially floating palaces.

The lavish, wasteful nature of it all is really quite unpleasant, to be honest, but the engineering must have been stunning. 

SADYE: What has been the most touching or memorable piece of reader feedback you’ve received?

ASHLEY: Perhaps when a reader left a review that mentioned how they couldn’t wait for the next book in a series to be released, because it was helping them take a break from a depressing political climate.

I was pretty happy to hear that one of my stories had been able to help a bit, and so rather than feel pressured by the statement, it really motivated me to work faster on the next book! 

SADYE: What message or theme would you like readers to take away from your work?

ASHLEY: Sometimes I think I’m not much of a "message" writer, but when I look at my books, there seems to be few obsessions that crop up.

Ideas of "loyalty" and "doing the right thing even when it’s difficult" seem to be fairly common, and maybe stories about heroes tend to naturally steer me that way.

But if I had something conscious I know I want readers to take away, I guess it’s just the knowledge that this book was definitely worth my time.

I’d hate for folks to finish a story and wish they’d read something else!

SADYE: What advice, as relates to your writing career, would you give your younger self?

ASHLEY: I’d tell my younger self to be wary of taking advice from folks with big opinions but little experience, because when you’re starting off that kind of feedback can sound insightful even if it ends up making everything harder to figure out.

Almost conversely, I’d tell myself to take a lot of the same steps I already did – but also to take a few leaps sooner, even if they ended up being unsuccessful because I know I’d learn from them. 

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Learn more about Ashley Capes on his website, where his books can also be purchased, and follow him on Twitter. 

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