Having played an important role in the Australian arts scene as an actor, writer, and educator, Ned Manning published his first novel, Painting the Light, earlier this year. Manning joins Barbie Robinson in a discussion about the novel on Wednesday evening, 21 September at the Book Cow in Kingston.

Loosely based on his parents’ experience during World War II, Manning says he wanted to focus on how women were affected during this time; how they waited for their husband’s return from the war, often men they barely knew who then came back as very different people.

“It’s not a story about war per se, it about how the war affected that generation,” Manning says.

Painting the Light follows Nell and Alec, who both have dreams of escaping the paths their families have laid out for them. Soon, Hitler’s mission sends them in directions they never wanted; Nell returns home and Alec enlists to join the war effort. The pair meet and share a wartime romance; their experience together and apart makes them want to make the world a better place, even if that means losing their families.

Manning was partly motivated by wanting to understand more about his mother, her life and what she experienced. He never had the chance to speak to her about it as she died when he was young, while his father only briefly discussed those times but never mentioned the horrors they endured.

The lived experiences of the people of the time ultimately changed how they would interact with their future families. The horrors witnessed, the feeling of living with a stranger, and the lack of support for returning soldiers all played a part in it, however, it was the family unit that suffered.

“Baby boomers were determined to treat their children differently. I know that’s true of my generation, I’m on the tail end of the baby boomers and I wanted to be way more present than my parents ever have been for me,” he says.

Much of the feedback Manning has received since his novel’s release is that it has allowed children of parents who lived the through the war an opportunity to understand what they went through and the lasting impacts it left.

“One story from a woman in the country, she told me her dad went away at 18; he was sent to New Guinea. He wanted to be a lawyer, he came back and suffered PTSD, which was never recognised, and he became an alcoholic ultimately. He had an intelligence, but he was always drunk. The book helped her understand what the impact of war had on him.”

Manning is looking forward to returning to Canberra as he has a lifelong connection to the capital. His parents bought a property in what was then bushland near the Manuka telephone exchange. He also spent time teaching at Watson High School, as well as beginning his acting career here.

“My first sort of proper acting job was at Canberra REP; I was the worst Romeo in the history of Romeo and Juliet. My professional career began in Canberra with Fortune Theatre, then I ended up getting an agent and moving to Sydney,” he says.

The Canberra connection is still strong with many of his family and friends residing here. He found the Book Cow in Kingston while on a visit, having caught the train and wandered into the bookstore where he connected with the team.

In writing his debut novel, Manning enjoyed exploring the inner monologue of character, something he hadn’t been able to delve into before. He laughs as he admits he didn’t realise he could have dialogue in the novel when he first sat down to write it. The process is entirely different to that of writing a play.

“You have limited actors; you can’t have a train chugging along which you can in the book. I found it freeing in a way. Your imagination can run wild with a book.”

While the book is based on historical events, most of the characters are fictional though influenced by people he knew.

Manning won’t be reading excerpts at his Book Cow appearance, as he has found that most attendees at book events are more interested in advice about writing.

Find Ned Manning discussing Painting the Light at Book Cow, Kingston, on Wednesday 21 September 5.30pm; eventbrite.com.au

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