“I want to write stories where people like me can see themselves in the characters.”
– Chris Cole
Chris Cole, an accomplished author celebrated for their diverse storytelling, blends urban fantasy, queer romance, and vibrant characters to fascinate readers worldwide. From tackling the complexities of love and identity in Avoiding Aiden (BREW Readers’ Choice Award award winner and BREW Seal of Excellence recipient), to unearthing Arthurian legends in The Sword’s Secret (winner of Books for Humanity Global’s Book of the Week Award and nominee for the BREW Readers’ Choice Award 2025), Chris’s work breaks barriers while celebrating universal human experiences. This interview looks into their inspirations, writing process, and the impact of their narratives on modern literature.
Chris, thank you for joining us! Could you start by introducing yourself? Please share a bit about your journey, your background, and what inspires your work.
Hi! I’m Chris Cole, born and raised in Southeastern Idaho. I’ve been working full-time as a licensed counselor since 2023, and have been writing since 2015. I was first published in 2020, and since that time I’ve had 11 books published, and participated in one anthology. I’m currently published in science-fiction, urban fantasy, and romance, all with queer lead characters and representation. All my life I’ve been a storyteller, and loved any way I could do so. Writing, performing plays, singing – I’ve found passion in each medium. I also absolutely love visual art, from video to still images, but I just don’t have the aptitude for it – I’m still on stick figures! Once I came out and really began living authentically, I found it was important to me to elevate voices like mine who were underrepresented in media. While I’ve only published novels, I also write screenplays and stage plays, and received a certificate in video game writing. I enjoy the written word, and find I’m able to express myself through writing in ways I’ve never been able to do verbally. I’m excited to continue my writing journey with a planned series of adult urban fantasy/action-adventure romance novels, a series of YA fantasy books (which I’d love to see in graphic novel format), and a few more romances as I have the time. I’m also working on screenplays, both in television and film.
Your stories often feature diverse characters and themes. What motivates you to champion representation in your writing, and why do you think it’s vital in today’s literary landscape?
Growing up, I never really had stories about kids like me. They existed, but, I mean, it was the 90s and 2000s. Being queer in any capacity was frowned upon – I mean, even using the word ‘queer’ is controversial because it’s been historically used as a slur. I use the word to be inclusive of all identities under the gender identity and sexual and affectional orientation umbrella. I want to write stories where people like me can see themselves in the characters. My sci-fi series, Fragments, for example, has a lot of queer characters, and their queerness isn’t a huge part of the story. They’re people who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances, and they happen to be queer. Some of my stories do focus on the queer experience, like love and loss, persecution, difficulties coming to terms with identities that can be considered controversial or shameful, and more. It’s so important to have stories that tell others about the queer experience because it helps provide insight into our lives. People who read about people different from them tend to have more empathy, and are generally more informed about the experiences of others who aren’t like them. And when we have more empathy for each other, we don’t try and pass laws banning people from using public restrooms, from getting married, or from altering their bodies any way they choose.
Your latest novel, The Sword’s Secret, weaves Arthurian legend with a modern twist. Can you share how this idea came to life, and what makes this story particularly special to you?
So, I was watching a movie in the theaters called The Lost City, with Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Radcliffe. As I was watching, my mind just exploded with ideas of how I’d never really heard of a queer action-adventure story. And I LOVE those kinds of stories. Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Uncharted – those stories have always intrigued me because they’re usually about finding some ancient secret, and I love learning the truth about things. I settled on having the first three books of the Ancient Wonders series sort of serve equally as prequels to the rest of the series of mostly standalone books I have planned. And I chose Arthurian legend because I know there are a lot of different takes on it, either from modern retellings to conjecture in the historical community about King Arthur’s very existence. I’d love to ultimately learn the truth about a lot of the mysteries in the world, and Rhys, Shaw, and the others are a way for me to equally explore history and tell it through a queer lens. This first book in particular is special to me because it was me taking a big risk. When the first book was accepted for publication, I hadn’t even written the second. I’d started it, but had made very little progress. So, now I feel I have real obligations and a schedule to keep, where I’d like to publish one a year for the next several years, if not a decade. I have a lot of ideas to explore, and get to learn about history as I go along.
You’ve been recognized for your thoughtful portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters, such as Aiden in Avoiding Aiden. How do you approach crafting characters that resonate deeply with readers across different backgrounds?
Honestly, they say to write what you know, and I know I’ve faced significant hurdles and challenges in life. With Aiden in particular, I was writing down a lot of things I imagined people would do when avoiding the realities of life. A few years after it was published in print format, and the audiobook was being produced, I realized I had really been avoiding things in my own life, hard truths I knew were ultimately better to face than to ignore while living inauthentically. Really, I think that’s the key to crafting characters who resonate with readers in any capacity – they’re full of faults, but at their core, they’re decent people who simply want to be happy. And who can’t relate to that? The real issue is how we go about trying to obtain happiness – do we find ourselves clawing others out of the way for what we want at any cost, or do we recognize happiness can be found wherever you are, even in some of the lowest points of your life?
Your career spans multiple genres, including fantasy, romance, and children’s fiction. How do you navigate the challenges of genre-crossing while maintaining your authentic voice?
My adult books, YA, and children’s genres are all about the same kind of thing – diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. While I have yet to publish my children’s work, it’s definitely important to me that they all raise up underrepresented populations. To me, it’s really important to note how authors are often forced to choose pen names because, once you’ve established yourself in one genre, it’s like you’re supposed to be stuck in it forever. I can’t write in adult, YA, and children’s genres as myself? I refuse to think participate in that line of thinking. If I like an author’s work, I feel like I’d be more likely to pursue their work across genres. Besides, keeping track of pen names and social media accounts for them all? I’m exhausted just thinking about it. Nope. Don’t want it. My children’s books include stories about a dog with PTSD based on my very real life experience. I also have some about what it means to not fit into a specific category, and how sometimes it takes a brave voice to stand with the one being persecuted to make a difference. Honestly, I feel like if my books aren’t being banned by pearl-clutching conservative Christians, I haven’t done my job.
Many readers applaud your ability to address complex social issues, such as consent and grief, with sensitivity. How do you balance heavier themes with lighthearted storytelling?
You know how Spiderman is told, “With great power comes great responsibility?” Well, “with great trauma comes a great sense of humor.” At the end of the day, the only thing we have control over is our behaviors, really. We can’t control how we feel, and we can’t control what we think, but we can make sure we aren’t harming others by lashing out in anger, or hitting people or whatever. I think it’s very commonplace for people to look for something funny when life is presenting them with anything but hilarious situations. We can’t choose to not feel sad. And embracing that sadness is important because, if you don’t acknowledge how you feel, you never get to the heart of healing. That’s how you end up with people stuffing down their emotions all the time until they explode on the cashier for forgetting a coupon or something. I don’t really like the saying, ‘you can either laugh or cry,’ because I can do both, thank you very much. It just depends on what I really need at that moment. Laughter is healing. So is crying. So why not do both?
Sustainability and inclusivity are increasingly important in publishing. Have you taken steps or envisioned initiatives in your work that align with these values or the UN Sustainable Development Goals?
So, I totally own up to not knowing what this was until you asked this question. From the quick search I did, I like all the goals and feel they’re absolutely vital to move toward if we want to continue to live on this planet. We are the dominant species, and with that gift comes the responsibility of being stewards of our home. We have not been kind to our planet, historically and currently, and we need to do better. When it comes to my part in publishing, it’s important to think about what it means to create a book. I mean, they’re printed on paper. Is the paper recycled? Is it possibly made from something we can grow a lot more of and replenish our stock of faster than trees? It equally pains me to think that a tons of trees were cut down and, as a result of that process, my books were made. While I know very few joys like holding a physical copy of an idea I put into words, and smelling the pages of a new book, it matters to me that the production of that book was done ethically and without irreversible damage to our planet. I would rather only publish ebooks than know my work contributed to the destruction of our planet.
All that said, I can absolutely do my small part if corporations across the US and other parts of the world get their shit together and stop their gargantuan contributions to global waste. We have enough food in the US to feed the world, and yet so much of it goes to waste. And what about all the garbage dumps? Sure, you can cover them with soil and grass to try and cover it up, but the damage has been done. As much as individuals have a responsibility, big corporations need to step up and embrace the idea of sustainable, renewable energy sources. That requires listening to scientific experts which, unfortunately for the US lately, hasn’t been our strong suit when it comes to our elected officials.
It’s a cascade effect, really. An uneducated populace will vote for people who don’t believe in science, and then turn around and wonder why polio is coming back, or why we need smog reports for our air quality in metropolitan areas, or why the Environmental Protection Agency exists. If you keep people poor, tired, and undereducated, they won’t be able to look up from their own lives to hold their elected officials accountable. I hope we’re reaching a turning point, I really do. Again, I can only speak on what I know, and I unfortunately don’t know much about the seventeen goals from the UN. But I will be looking into it more for sure. We’re all on this planet. We all need to make sure our footprints don’t pave the way to a wasteland.
Your books have earned critical acclaim, including the BREW Readers’ Choice Award and others. What do these accolades mean to you, and how have they influenced your career?
I’m honored to have received the BREW Readers’ Choice Award, as well as several BookFest awards. Essentially, these awards help drive me to do more of what I love, and to keep honing my craft. Writing is a lifelong learning process, like so many things, and I am so excited to keep moving forward as I learn all I can about the art. Any recognition I get is humbling, whether it’s a review, a rating, or an award – and I genuinely mean that in both regards. Whether it’s a one star, did-non-finish review, or a five start praise review, I learn from both. I know not all books are for all people, but a great many of them can surprise you if you just take the time to look past the front and back cover. As I start to figure out what I want out of my writing career, I take everything I’ve learned and earned to heart. I’ve often been a person who receives positive feedback or praise, and will try and discount my accomplishments. I also know I’m not alone when there may be 99 positive reviews and one critical, and I’ll hyperfocus on the critical one. I’m working on that, and working to be proud of myself for the work I’ve done and continue to do. It’s a process, and every little bit helps.
As someone who writes about adventure and discovery, what personal experiences or inspirations fuel your passion for storytelling? Are there any upcoming projects we should be excited about?
I think what draws me to adventure and discovery is the fact I haven’t had a bunch of exciting adventures in my own life. I mean, I live in southeast Idaho, and while there’s plenty to do in my community, it’s not anything like recovering Excalibur or working with aliens to stem the annihilation of our planet. While all that sounds cool, I don’t know that I’m built for racing around the globe to change the world in such instrumental ways. I consider it an exciting adventure to go on a work trip for a conference! However, as my writing grows and gains recognition, so is my sense that a great adventure for me is just around the corner. Call it a hunch (along with a liberal helping of support from my friends and family).
Upcoming projects… so many! I have the Ancient Wonders series I want to keep writing. I have plans for my mythologist and his gruff-yet-charming companion, and I can’t wait to get them all fleshed out in a series. I have more than a dozen ideas for books in this series, so we’ll see where it ends. My YA fantasy series is still in development. I’ve written the first six books, but because I got distracted with other projects, I set those aside for a few years. When I came back, I had grown, and so had the story. So I’m in the process of rewriting the rewrite I rewrote… if that makes sense. I have the name, the characters, and I know how the series ends. It’s just the ‘getting it written and to my publisher’ part that’s holding me up.
I have a sequel planned for my award-winning book Avoiding Aiden, and (again) I have it all planned out, but I just need the time to write it. I also have a few other ideas for romances, and some interesting other ideas for sci-fi work that are currently blurry little blobs forming in my mind into something tangible. I’m also working on a memoir, and that’s pretty much all I’m going to say about that particular work. It would definitely be a reach for me to delve into nonfiction, but I’m interested in doing so nonetheless. I’ll be teaching at a writing conference in May of 2025, and I’m very much looking forward to it, as I haven’t ever taught anything to a larger group like this before.
And, as for other projects, let’s just say I’m in the very early stages of preparing some of my work to query, but not to book publishers – to TV producers. So, we’ll see how that goes. I’ve dabbled in screenwriting, but nothing to this extent. All of this is very exciting for me and, as you can tell, I have a lot to keep me busy for the foreseeable future.
Lastly, what advice would you give aspiring writers, particularly those looking to explore themes of diversity, creativity, and resilience in their work?
My advice? Look within yourself to find a story that needs to be told, and look outward to your writing community. There are a ton of authors out there who have found their audiences, who have run the gauntlet of doing everything by themselves and built their following brick by brick. These authors know how to get it done, and my respect for them is boundless. It’s so important to make connections with other writers, as it often feels like a solitary and lonely endeavor. It can be, but in the end you’re definitely not alone. There are a lot of people with a lot more knowledge than me out there, so I always say you should go to the source of that knowledge, find out their source, go there, and keep going until you find yourself ready for the Ultimate Master Writer fight, when you can take over and defend your place of honor amongst the Gods. And, if that doesn’t work, do a quick web search.
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“We’re all on this planet. We all need to make sure our footprints don’t pave the way to a wasteland.”
– Chris Cole
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We’d love to hear your thoughts on Chris Cole’s perspective and work! Share your insights and opinions in the comments.
- How do you think diverse representation in literature impacts readers?
- What are your thoughts on the importance of LGBTQ+ visibility in storytelling?
- What role do you think authors play in addressing social and environmental issues?
Alignment with the UN SDGs
- Reduced Inequalities (Goal 10): Promotes LGBTQ+ representation in literature, offering visibility to marginalized voices.
- Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8): Chris Cole’s career as a full-time counselor and author highlights diverse career paths.
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