Jackson Ford has some things in common with his protagonist, Teagan Frost. Both use nom de plumes. And both can move sh*t.

With her telekinetic powers, Teagan can move inorganic objects while Ford (aka Rob Boffard) uses his creative powers to move plots at a rapid clip.

Ford, and his publisher, Orbit, have also moved the cultural needle—specifically, by bringing three books with sh*t (asterisk and all) into the world. The most recent contribution, The Eye of the Sh*t Storm, is the third in Ford’s The Frost Files series and continues Teagan’s attempts to learn about her origins while managing her government handlers and keeping Los Angeles safe from those with strange psychic powers like hers.

“Teagan is not a typical superhero because she resents her ability to move things with her mind,” Ford tells me on the new episode of New Books in Science Fiction. “She would much rather learn how to cook, be a professional chef, and own her own restaurant… Her ability has forced her into a life she has no desire to be a part of.”

In the interview, Ford discusses (among other things) profanity, pseudonyms, and why Teagan, despite her extraordinary power, still needs the help of regular people.

Born in South Africa, Ford splits his time between London and Vancouver. Under his real name, Rob Boffard, he is the author of the Outer Earth series and Adrift.

This is honestly one of the best interviews I’ve ever done. Nothing to do with me; Rob asked some genuinely insightful questions and made me look at my own work in new ways. Any Frost Files needs to hear this. https://t.co/EbtxoDCfEv

— Jackson Ford (@realjacksonford) August 13, 2021