Australian Author Releases Audiobook BLANK

The increasingly visible US Navy presence in the South China Sea is troubling for Australia as much as it is for China, says Australian journalist and author of the novel, 'Blank', Matt Eaton.

The Brisbane-based writer's debut novel, released this month as an audiobook on Audible, is set in a post-apocalyptic world where senior Australian military intelligence figures move to forsake the nation's alliance with the United States in favour of closer military ties with China.

"My story is science fiction, but there are increasing real-life stresses facing the Australian Government and military authorities in relation to China's territorial expansion in the South China Sea and the subsequent US response," Eaton said.

"Australia has long been heavily dependent on China, our near northern neighbour, as a buyer of our iron ore and coal. Australians are likewise reliant upon an ever-expanding Chinese economy."

But more to the point, says Eaton, Australia is "on the frontline of any conflict that may or rising tensions between China and the US". He says while there is a building US military presence in the northern Australian city of Darwin, there is no assurance the US will act in Australia's best interests.

"Former conservative Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser last year published a policy paper declaring Australia should end its alliance with the US, listing as one key point in his argument that the joint US-Australian defence base at Pine Gap played a critical role in 'counter-productive' drone strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan," Eaton said.

Eaton also points out that Fraser's paper (quoted below) correctly predicted ongoing US moves to inflame tensions in the South China Sea:

'I believe America's actions are short sighted, and incapable of conceiving anything other than American success. The United States does not seem to realise, or at least appreciate, that her actions are already leading to talks between China and Russia. We have interest in a peaceful world and it is time we began to cut ourselves off America's coat-tails. We do not want to be caught between the United States and China'.

"It's only 6,000 kilometres from Darwin to Beijing," says Eaton. "To put that in perspective, it's 3,000km from Darwin to Adelaide - the southernmost capital city on the Australian mainland. China is on Australia's doorstep. The big question is how the Australian Government reacts if tensions between the US and China continue to escalate."

The audiobook version of Matt Eaton's novel, 'Blank', is published by eBookIt.com and available on Amazon and iTunes.

Matt Eaton is available for interview. Call him on mobile: 011-61-411-446-818 Email matteaton(at)iinet.net.au Visit his website: http://eatonmatthew.wix.com/blank

About the Author
Matt Eaton has been a working journalist for 30 years across print, broadcast and digital media and a former ABC radio newsreader. He currently works as an online reporter/producer for ABC News Digital in Brisbane, Australia.

About eBookIt.com
Since 2010, eBookIt.com (based in Sudbury, Massachusetts) has helped thousands of authors and publishers get their books converted to ebook format, and distributed to all the major ebook retailers, including Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Apple iBookstore, Kobo, Sony Readerstore, Ingram Digital, and Google eBookstore.

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