An Interview with Dakota Frandsen

Born and raised in the Magic Valley of Southern Idaho, Dakota Frandsen has been a published author since the age of sixteen and is a seasoned paranormal investigator, often dubbed the ‘Specialist of the Strange,’ whose work transcends traditional ghost hunting by delving deeply into the human psyche and the harsh truths of life few dare to admit. Gaining international recognition in 2018 after an encounter at Loch Ness made global headlines, he was subsequently featured in the National Geographic docuseries Drain the Oceans. Today, as the founder of the multimedia company Bald and Bonkers Network LLC, Frandsen champions a unique space where the unexplained meets the mind, seamlessly blending paranormal exploration, mental health awareness, and creative expression. Through his captivating investigations and innovative storytelling, he not only seeks to uncover the mysteries of the supernatural but also strives to destigmatize mental health challenges, offering audiences a profoundly empathetic and thought-provoking journey into the unknown.

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What inspired you to start writing this book?

It was honestly a mixture of ideas, life struggles, philosophical debates, and unusual dreams that culminated in the storyline. During my time as a paranormal investigator, especially when dealing with the current discussions of UFO disclosure movements, I happened to notice dogmatic preachings of troublesome ideas that the revelations of extraterrestrial life would bring about overnight peace and prosperity. Anyone with a substantial understanding of psychology knows this would not likely be the case. What’s that saying, that if you condense all of Earth’s history, all of humanity fits in the last few seconds before midnight? Thousands of years of evolution won’t just disappear overnight because the world suddenly became without worry of finances or illness. Mental illness has been proven to be genetically passed on and ultimately remains one of the final frontiers of understanding, being that neurological wirings of a mind quite literally change with every passing moment. Taking this idea, weaving in some of the various concepts that are often discussed in New Age circles, relating the characters to real people I have interacted with and ultimately experienced the worst of due to my familial connections in law enforcement; all it took was one particularly intense dream to get the initial concept lined up.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

Space/Time/Love took maybe a few days to ultimately reach. Without giving too much away about the plot, this story is meant to be an exploration of the deep inner space of each character as they navigate the complexities and turmoil coming in from outer space.

Describe your dream book cover.

I personally like covers that have a sort of cinematic quality to them; something that would look good as a movie poster as well as a book cover.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

A soundtrack? That is certainly a fun thought. With what I have written so far, the works of composers like Klaus Badelt or Hans Zimmer come to mind.

What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?

For this particular book, I’ve been brushing up on a few different titles that have ties to military and intelligence operations, like Andrew Bustamante’s Shadow Cell. These help establish more realistic portrayals pertaining to the military/industrial complex which most people would remain clueless about (and honestly remain dedicated to remaining clueless).

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

For a brief period, mainly for a couple of years after I graduated high school, I did work in a sort of freelance position as a fugitive recovery agent. Often, most readers who might pay attention to the way I act do take notice of the likely mental distress that helped push me into entrepreneurial ventures. Otherwise, I have worked a few, as I call, ‘civilian jobs’ in order to make sure bills were paid while I built myself.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

To be honest? Writing, for me, became a way to express myself in an environment where physically saying what was on my mind felt too dangerous or too heavy to share – especially as a kid. If something came from my mouth, I was in a place mentally where it seemed like even the most basic answers to mundane questions would get caught in my throat. Where, with writing, I could fully dive in and completely release everything. As one can imagine, if done well enough, it became a viable asset when it came to impressing girls in my class. As an adult, actively attending therapy in order to sort through lingering issues, writing has become a staple in my ventures as well as a way to emotionally process the healthiest romantic relationship I have ever been in – even now as the thoughts of asking her to marry me scares me to my very core.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

Ultimately, it is about maintaining perseverance, understanding, and embracing of nuance. It’s about understanding that the complexities of human nature cannot, and will not, ever be condensed into the pages of a book – let alone a rapidly facing post on social media. The world, creation, however you want to perceive it, is often so much more complex and intricate – trying to fit it all into a neat little box only degrades the true beauty in it all.

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