Author Jim Ewing is no stranger to controversy, with two Warrnambool book stores refusing to stock his first book when it came out 10 years ago.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The novel was titled Dickloose and chronicled the travels of a young man around the world.
"It's about a young bloke shagging his way around the world," Mr Ewing said.
"Neither of the two book stores in Warrnambool would stock in because the cover had a statue of David with a digger's hat and a backpack on it. They thought it was too risque.
"Port Fairy stocked it, Portland stocked it, everybody stocked it it except for my home town. I was a bit like Jimmy Buffet. He says 'they won't play my records in my home town', well I couldn't get my novel in shops in my home town."
Despite this, he had some success with the novel, selling about 1000 copies.
After this he went on to travel some more and found himself working on a crayfish boat with a skipper he had been told not to work with.
Despite this, Mr Ewing decided to see for himself and discovered the skipper was a character worthy of a part in a novel.
The story takes part in a small fishing village and takes readers on a journey as the crew is hit by the full wrath of the ocean.
Mr Ewing, who lives in Nelson, said feedback about his second novel had been good, although there was one word in it that proved to be controversial during the publishing process.
"There was another publisher - or someone who was posing as a publisher at least," he said.
"He said he wanted to publish it and I wasted almost a year with him."
Mr Ewing said the publisher told him he needed to remove a four-letter word starting with c that describes a female body part.
He consulted with female friends and his daughter to gauge their response.
Mr Ewing said they, like him, said if it was in context they wouldn't have a problem with it.
He decided to hold steadfast and had his book published by Black Pepper.
"I deal with the Australian language and how it used to be spoken and how it's still spoken in remote parts of the country," Mr Ewing said.
"There seems to be a cultural cringe about using this beautifully inventive language that we have had and are losing and that's part of the reason I write - to try and preserve it."
Mr Ewing, who was once a cadet journalist at The Standard, said travelling inspired him to write.
"When I was travelling I kept meeting these characters and I thought 'this is great material. These people would be great to write about'."
Mr Ewing is writing his third novel, which covers topics including the bluegum industry and illegal activities in horse racing.
Two That Got Away is available at Collins Booksellers in Warrnambool and Blarney Books in Port Fairy.
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.