Meet Roderick O'Grady
‘Bigfoot Mountain’ is a heart-warming, beautifully told story, with love at its heart- love of each other and of the environment we share. This week, I am delighted that the author, Roderick O’Grady, has agreed to answer some questions!
‘Bigfoot Mountain’ is your first book for children. Why did you decide to include the legendary ‘Bigfoot’ in your story?
I had recently returned to the acting profession and found myself ‘resting’, which is what actors say they are doing when they are out of work. As these days everyone has ‘portfolio careers’ doing multiple things to make ends meet, I felt I should find another creative outlet that preferably made me some additional income. I had fallen down the rabbit hole of ‘Bigfoot or Sasquatch Research’ on YouTube and became fascinated with the subject. The challenge of writing a story that was unlike all the typical Bigfoot tales appealed to me. Usually a lone rogue Sasquatch intimidates a couple of hiker and then attacks them. My research has suggested that if they exist, and I am happy to declare that after all the hundreds of hours of research I’ve done and all the books I’ve read, (including the DNA reports) that I believe they do exist, then they are unlikely to be killers of humans and would have a way of life similar to that which I’ve described in the book.
2. How much research did you do into Sasquatch folklore to support your writing?
A lot. I’ve read all the books I can get hold of. I discovered that all the indigenous tribes of North America had a word for Sasquatch or the big hairy people of the woods. There were it is estimated, about 50 million people living there before the pioneers arrived 500 years ago. And 350 languages. Numbers were decimated in the so-called ‘Indian Wars Campaigns’ but also by the spread of TB, influenza, black death. And according to the Native Americans the Sasquatches with whom they had shared the forests and the plains for many thousands of years retreated further in to the more remote areas to get away from people. They decided to self isolate!
3. If you had young readers keen to learn more about these stories, what would you suggest they read?
There’s one called ‘Looking for Bigfoot’ by Bonnie Worth, which is less silly and somewhat better researched than others. But not many do the subject justice. Native American folklore is an oral history shared by each generation and I have yet to find a book that repeats their beliefs in one tome.
4. ‘Bigfoot Mountain’ is full of fabulous descriptions of a remote North American landscape. Did you draw on personal experience of places you have visited to create these?
Unfortunately I have never been to Canada and would love to visit the temperate rainforests of the Pacific North West where the book is set. I lived and worked in Colorado and Northern San Francisco though and so am familiar with big trees in big forests. I used the internet to check on exactly what thrives there and it is the perfect environment for living wild- everything grows in abundance- roots, shoots, berries, mushrooms, honey, maple, and then there’s the sea life and the four-legged creatures to hunt. I hope to visit when they make a TV series of the books. Fingers crossed, this will happen. Any producers out there?
5. Kaayii (your young Sasquatch) and his family are completely in tune with nature and its wonders and are greatly affected by environmental change. What is your favourite place in nature to visit and how has it/ might it be affected by environmental change?
I enjoy the coast at Lyme Regis and when my children were young we’d of course hunt for fossils there. That coastline is constantly eroding and after a big storm more mud and shale from the cliff tumbles on to the beach. Erosion and weathering are natural occurrences but climate change affects the sea levels and winter rainfall.
5. Minnie is a wonderful character. Is she based on anyone in particular?
Thanks. She’s based on a combination of my daughter and my son. So a mixture of intrepid, fun, clever and compassionate.
6. What can we expect from you next? I believe there is another ‘Bigfoot’ adventure on its way.
Yes, Bigfoot Island is to be published by Firefly next Spring. It picks up where the first book ends and there are new characters, stormy sea adventures, caves, and canoes.
I have also written a book set in London, called Bosco by the River, a funny questing adventure. I pitch it as ‘Lord of the Rings-on-Thames but not as epic!’ It is yet to find a home (publisher) but I loved writing it and plan, if there is interest, to do a series.
7. And lastly- and most importantly according to my niece- what is your favourite cake?
Excellent question. Tough one as I love cake. Simply love it. All cake. All day long. In fact I think it is time for a piece of cake right now. Thank you for the reminder. I like Carrot cake, Fruit cake, Coffee cake, Carrot and Walnut, Coffee and walnut, But, the other day I made Nigella’s Carrot and Ginger Cake and it was delicious!! A new fave!
Many thanks to Roderick for agreeing to this- great answers. Not sure about your choice of cake, but I loved the book and am delighted to know another one is on the way!
Bigfoot Mountain Roderick O’Grady
Firefly ISBN: 978-1913102418