In honor of his latest book, Vigilante Sasquatch, we’re lucky enough to have the one and only Frank Cole here to answer a few questions!

Welcome! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what got you into writing? Sure! I’m a bookstore manager by day and an author by night and I’ve been doing that for many years. My first book came out in 2009 and I have since published 16 middle-grade and YA novels. My wife and I have been married for 25 years and we have 3 pretty swell kids.

Are there any books that have really influenced you as a writer? I think the Harry Potter series turned me toward writing for children. Before that, I was totally into writing horror novels, like Stephen King. I’m not saying I’ll never do that, but I really enjoy creating fantasy worlds that readers of all ages can enjoy.

What do you enjoy most about writing Middle Grade? I think that age is just perfect. Older elementary and middle school kids are right there in between. They still cling to an imagination, but they’ve grown up some and have experienced things in their lives that make them just interesting characters. I love humor and I love the possibility of magic and when you create characters in this age-range, the possibility is so real.

What inspired this book in particular?

I grew up in the south and I know how it feels to be in an area that seems cut-off from the rest of the normal world. Anything can happen in those back woods areas, especially during the heat of the summer. I also love the idea and lore surrounding Big Foot. There are stories, it seems, from every culture and I wanted to write a monster that had real, human qualities, such as playing the banjo or having a knapsack filled with improvised hunting weapons. And then to stick this young, kind of troubled, kid named Ben right in the center of this strange, bizarre world, deep in the forest, trying to survive alongside of Big Foot, just felt like the story I needed to tell.

What is your favorite cryptid/spooky story? Any stories about Big Foot, ghosts/hauntings, aliens, you name it, I love reading about it!

What can readers expect next from you?

I’m actually working on a few different story ideas. One of them is a horror set in Norway, I’m also toying around with a sequel to one of my recently released novels, The Legend of the Last Library. And, for sure, I don’t think I’m through with writing stories about Sid the Sasquatch.

What are some books you are enjoying reading right now? Do you have any recommendations? I love the Arc of the Scythe by Neal Shusterman, I’ve been also enjoying the Malamander series by Thomas Taylor (I just finished book 5).

Curious about Vigilante Sasquatch? Check it out below:

When Ben’s lack of respect for authority landed him a summer at his estranged uncle’s Mississippi farmhouse, he never would have imagined he’d find himself in a secret organization, partnered with a double-barrel shotgun toting sasquatch with a flair for plucking the banjo.

Frank L. Cole lives with his wife and three children in the Rocky Mountain West. When he’s not writing books, he’s selling them as a bookstore manager. Frank is the author of thirteen books and has visited more than 120 schools, where he promotes reading and using your imagination. His philosophy is “With a good imagination, you can solve any problem you ever come up against in life.”

You can find him on his website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, BookBub, and YouTube. You can also sign up for his newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox!