Ashton J. Campbell

about Ashton

Ashton J. Campbell writes stories that are gritty, earthy, and a little surreal—shaped by the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the shifting terrain of emotion, identity, and human connection. He’s a trans, gay writer who grew up on the East Coast, obsessed with forests, fire towers, vintage maps, and the messy, miraculous way people make meaning.

He’s spent his life chasing a multitude of adventures and creative pursuits: guiding whitewater trips, GS ski racing, road-tripping through the states, painting murals, mastering the marimba, gloriously quitting a cubicle job, and starting not one but two creative businesses—one in photography (still going strong) and another in music video production (RIP, thanks COVID).

Eventually he made his way to the Evergreen State and found his true niche as an adventure elopement photographer and guide, chasing light across the remote landscapes of Washington, documenting wild love stories for those who’d rather stray from the beaten path.

Ashton has eight NaNoWriMo wins under his belt—some official, some feral, panic-induced by a global pandemic—starting with his first trash novel at sixteen. He also self-published a dorky fandom-inspired work during his college years which somehow funded a 50-day road trip, and more recently released From the Ashes (2022), a chapbook exploring transformation, grief, and becoming through a trans lens.

He now lives in downtown Seattle with his husband and a small black cat named Stella (the Post Alley Cat). When he isn’t out in the mountains, you’ll often find him writing in cafés or strolling Pike Place Market, people-watching and dreaming up the next big thing.

LOOKOUT is his debut novel—coming soon.