The school teacher's new publication - The Wrangler - was inspired by the sights, sounds and people around the region and set mainly in Orange.

"Part of the thought behind that was you have all these great stories that happen somewhere else but they very rarely happen in Australia," Mr Bale said.

"I've started a series around here. You have locations like this and there's people around here who could easily be made into characters that people can get behind and appreciate and buy into."

It's his third ever book, with the first two each taking roughly four weeks from start to finish to write.

This time took a little longer and has now spent the past nine months adding the finishing touches.

"I would love to say I had time off during COVID or while I wasn't working I could have more time, but because I'm a school teacher I have been teaching the entire time.," he said on when he puts pen to paper.

"It all happens in holidays or afternoons. Even though it's taken 12 months it gives you opportunity to think about it as we go."

The original idea all stemmed from two people from Orange and it took off from there.

"From that point I figure I know what it looks like and I'd set a brief draft of maybe 10 or 20 pages long of what I'd like to see," he said.

"While I was writing and even though I had a plot and a direction, it would change a little bit or a lot. One example of that is there's a character based on a reporter for the Central Western Daily who was only in there for a brief cameo role and ended up becoming one of the main characters.

"In the process of writing, characters sometimes take on their own character and evolve a bit. There was one in there that became bigger than he was designed to be."

But just because it's set in the Central West doesn't mean you have to live there to love the book.

"In the story there's places around Orange which are mentioned by name where if you know the locations you'll go 'cool, I've been there' but in the same type of thinking if you're not from Orange you'll still be able to pick up the book and go 'I'm like this person'," Mr Bale said.

"The average person who doesn't know anything about Orange could pick it up and really like it."

The book is available for purchase online and has the backing in town as well.

"I've gotten a lot of support from Collins Booksellers in Orange and they're going to be carrying it from day one. It's released on September 17," Mr Bale added.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: