Author Interview: Frank L. Cole

Hey everyone, welcome Frank L. Cole to Cool Kids Read! Let's talk with him a little bit about his new YA book The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter ... 

So Frank, how long have you known you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve loved writing and telling stories since I was a kid, but I didn't realize I wanted to try for publication until after I got married. I have memories of tape-recording my stories when I was in 4th grade.

Who specifically would you recommend Guardians to?

I think the book is perfect for the older middle grade readers. 4th grade and up, but I would include adults as well. This genre appeals to me as a reader. I love Fablehaven, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and not just because my kids enjoy reading them. If you like action and suspense, but also enjoy laughing along the way, this book should appeal to you.

Who is your favorite character to write about in The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter?

I love Trendon. That dude cracks me up! I just enjoyed writing his sarcastic dialogue and imagining his curly hair flopping all about as he munched on anything he could clutch within his fingers. He definitely helps keep the situation enjoyable. During the times in the story when the suspense grew and the situation seemed so dire, Trendon's humor lightened things up quite a bit.

What has been your most rewarding experience since becoming an author? 

I love seeing a book I wrote on a bookstore shelf, but I think the most rewarding experience has been whenever a parent or a teacher at an elementary school approaches me and tells me my books have helped ignite a love of reading within their child or student. That's what it's all about!

Did you have to do any sort of research?

Actually quite a bit. I wanted the story (though completely fictional and speculative) to have a realistic feel to it. The locations they travel to are real and researched. The food, culture, and superstitions they experienced in the Philippines were authentic. There's even a scene with an Androctonus Scorpion that can be found primarily in Turkey and Syria (places either mentioned or traveled to in the story.)

What are some challenges you faced on your road to publication?

I think I've been rejected well over 100 times from agents, publishers, family members, and strangers.  You name it and they've rejected me. Granted, most of my rejections came from the first novel I wrote called The Gothian Box, which deserved every single rejection it received and then some. Probably the biggest challenge I've faced with publication is marketing my books after they're in print. That's a tough obstacle involving a ton of time and energy. How does one spread the word to the masses with only a facebook account and a blog? That, my friend, is the million dollar question and I wish I had the answer.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Don't give up and keep writing. Rejection is part of the business. If you give up after the first or fiftieth rejection, you'll never realize what you could have accomplished. Don't stay married to your first novel. The best thing you can do is to keep writing and learning. You abilities will develop after each book you finish. It's likely your first novel won't be the one that receives the contract. So, start cracking out your second and third. 


If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, what would it be?

I was one of those kids that groaned whenever there were reading assignments in school. I always enjoyed reading, but I firmly believed the books my teachers recommended weren't for me. Then I read Lord of the Flies and Huckleberry Finn. Completely changed my opinions. Scary, funny, thought-provoking. After reading those books, I always considered my teachers’ recommendations as worthy of my attention.








Thanks for stopping by Cool Kids Read, Frank! For more information about Frank L. Cole and his books, go here.

Guardians of the Hidden Scepter by Frank L. Cole

Amber is a smart kid. Especially for a 14 year old. Good thing she goes to an advanced school where she gets to take cool classes, like independent archeology. But when her favorite teacher up and disappears, Amber has a feeling this final exam will be unlike any other. And she's right.

Guardians of the Hidden Scepter (Cedar Fort, 2011) takes Amber and her classmates on a global quest to find their missing teacher. By using the tricks of the trade Dorothy Holcomb taught them, they are able to follow the clues she left behind -- and ultimately the mysterious artifact she is determined to protect.

Frank L. Cole leaves behind the wacky misadventures of his middle grade series, The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters, for a more cerebral take on a Biblical legend. This journey is filled with twists, turns, and brain teasers, taking its heroes  around the globe, encountering unusual cultures and evil bad-guys at every turn.

Fans of Indiana Jones will eat this up, and readers who enjoy an elegantly crafted tale populated by wicked creatures guaranteed to raise some goosebumps won't be disappointed.

There are definitely some creepy, intense moments, and the complex mystery may be a little much for anyone under 10, but middle school readers will be all over it. With an ending that keeps pages turning well into the night (and the lights on until morning), Guardians of the Hidden Scepter proves Cole is ready to serve up some YA adventures that will have readers hungry for more.

New stuff for the new year!

Book release alert: Frank L. Cole's new Hashbrown Winters book (Hashbrown and the Mashimoto Madness) is available as of today -- ask for it at your local Barnes and Noble!

And check back soon for the premier episode of the Cool Kids Read podcast featuring an interview with Going Bovine and Gemma Doyle trilogy author Libba Bray!

The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters by Frank L. Cole

Things are kind of odd at Pordunce Elementary. A sixth grader runs a protection racket out of the teacher's lounge. The Oracle, a kid who's been stuck in a locker for seven years, shells out advice for Rip Strapinkski baseball cards. Just about all the kids have earned themselves a nickname that defines their personality. (And when that includes kids named Whiz, Bubblegum and Hambone, you know you're in for something a bit off the wall.)

Off the wall is what Frank L. Cole delivers in his debut middle grade novel The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters (2009, Bonneville Books). Hashbrown narrates his tale in a tone that lands somewhere between Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story and Sean Astin's Mikey in The Goonies. I also felt the influence of The Sandlot in there somewhere, with a sense of marble-clacking nostalgia that rings true despite the wacky story line.

The cast of characters, led by 5th grader Hashbrown Winters (who earned his moniker by winning a hashbrown-eating contest), are as quirky, odd, and likable, as their school. The adventures begin when Winters accidentally squishes the pet cockroach of Hambone, the school bully. Not just any cockroach, mind you, one named Phil.

While Phil miraculously survives, Hashbrown now has a price on his head. Will his prized marble Ball Basher be enough to get him out of this "raspberry jam" or will something greater save the day?

I have no doubt that this book will appeal to third - sixth grade readers, and boys in particular (especially considering how Snow Cone got his name... ewwwww). The story is filled with zingers that will make kids and their parents alike laugh out loud, and just when you think it's all just too much, more hilarity ensues.

I hear a second adventure is in the works, so get on the Hashbrown bandwagon early because this one has cult classic all over it. A solid 4 bookmarks on the Coolness meter. And remember, if you ever visit Pordunce Elementary, stay out of the sandbox.